The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health launched a new tool to give residents a voice when it comes to their quality of life in hopes of improving the health and well-being of all residents.
Officials say numbers have the power to transform communities. That is thanks to every data point on their new Community Health Profiles tool, which represents a person, family and community.
The data now available to everyone in a new format can help bring assistance to those who need it most.
“An interactive platform to look at data on over a hundred indicators that stratified down into 179 communities within Los Angeles,” said L.A. County Public Health Chief Deputy Director Dr. Anish Mahajan.
Within the latest launch of Community Health Profiles, users can find how many liquor stores may be in one city or how many kids are enrolled in preschool, information that can help develop intervention strategies, create policy and direct funding.
“You can drill down into neighborhood-level data, you can start to see where the problems are and then come up with solutions,” Mahajan said.
During a presentation on Wednesday, dozens of community leaders, businesses and nonprofit groups who have a stake in understanding various social determinants of health such as social justice, housing and education.
Akil Bell with Black Women For Wellness said users can see what neighborhoods need attention, but the data can determine which specific changes need to happen.
“We know that there are resources out there that exist already. Is it being given to folks that need it the most?” he said.
The comparison tool helps reveal disparities. For example, some L.A. County residents live in areas where the life expectancy is 10 years longer than in other areas. The data shows that correlates to median household income.
“They can identify the factors that are causing these divergent health outcomes,” said Mahajan.
Surveys of thousands of residents helped officials paint a complete picture of chronic illness, mental health and environmental impact in each geographic area. The numbers tell individual stories that can be used to direct locally-driven efforts.
“We want to use the data to create change and give people power,” Bell said.
The hope is that the Community Health Profiles tool will be used to work toward a more equitable L.A. County. The information is available on the Department of Public Health’s website.
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