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Small-Area Community SDOH Data: Enhancements and Linkages to Inform Action

Small-Area Community SDOH Data: Enhancements and Linkages to Inform Action
Agency
  • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
  • Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
Start Date
  • 10/01/22
Functionality
  • Standardized Collection of Standardized Clinical Data
  • Linking Clinical and Other Data for Research
  • Use of Publicly-Funded Data Systems for Research

 

STATUS: Active Project

BACKGROUND

This project builds on a previously funded OS-PCORTF project in which AHRQ developed a consolidated set of national standardized databases on valid and reliable social determinants of health (SDOH) factors at the small-area and other geographic levels. SDOH are estimated to account for over 50% of county-level variations in health outcomes and are significant drivers of health disparities. As such, small-area SDOH data – data at the community or sub-county level – are critical for understanding and addressing community-level variations and improving health equity.

The goal of this project is to improve the utility and usability of small-area SDOH data for PCOR studies by providing timely and predictable updates to the data in the existing SDOH database; expanding the variables and types of data available; and ensuring that the database meets the needs of end users in order to generate high-quality evidence that informs decisions and improves health outcomes. Ensuring the availability and suitability of these data for research, analysis, and policymaking is a major priority for HHS and its agencies.

PROJECT PURPOSE & GOALS

The purpose of this project is to address the following objectives:

  • Build upon work developed from a previously funded OS-PCORTF project titled, “Enhancing Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR): Creating a National Small-Area Social Determinants of Health Data Platform”
  • Increase the granularity of existing data by adding census block group level data, a geographic level smaller than the census tract, for 2009-2023
  • Evaluate, refine, update, and expand this database by providing timely and predictable updates to the data in the existing SDOH database (county, census tract, and census block group level data for 2009-2023 and zip code level data for 2011-2023); expanding the variables and types of data available on SDOH; and ensuring that the database meets the needs of end users through evaluation, training, and dissemination.
  • Update existing SDOH Database with additional data years (2021-2023).
  • Increase the granularity of the existing SDOH data by updating it with census block group level data, a geographic level smaller than the census tract.
  • Identify and add new data sources to the SDOH Database.