The Importance of Common Metrics for Community, Social and Population Health

Improving community health starts with knowing the factors that impact people’s health, both inside and outside of the clinic. Metrics are key to providing a more holistic view of a community’s health, and ultimately inform and drive action. However, decision-makers are often overwhelmed by today’s proliferation of fragmented indicator sets. Without a common, well-understood set of metrics that allow for much-needed community-level comparisons and assessments, healthcare leaders will continue to struggle to achieve a clear picture of community, social and population health.

Why does this matter now?

Social determinants in population health have been gaining momentum and support in the healthcare industry for several decades. Few would dispute that a full, accurate portrait of a community’s health can help residents, community groups, and charitable organizations hone in on problems and launch prevention efforts to improve overall well-being.

The importance of this “full picture” has been recognized and put into practice in a host of healthcare settings. Community health assessments and improvement plans are now prerequisites in a new, voluntary public health department accreditation process. To retain their tax-exempt status, nonprofit hospitals must conduct community health needs assessments every three years and adopt implementation strategies. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) now requires health needs assessments for many Community Transformation Grants.

Combined with fiscal realities that often require communities to make the most cost-effective health choices possible, these forces emphasize an increasing need for research and metrics of upstream determinants that can be used to promote health.

How a common set of metrics can help

Focusing on a common set of health status metrics can help improve community health in many ways, including to:

  • Better facilitate comparison across patient populations;
  • Promote collaboration between organizations conducting similar assessments;
  • Improve understanding of what factors truly impact health; and
  • Inspire residents to work together to improve community health

While there is no widely accepted consensus on community and social health metrics, a core set of outcomes from various national, state, and local priorities can help communities get their start. The grid below from U.S. CDC provides a list of the most frequently recommended health outcomes and determinants. After taking a look, let us know:

  • Which metrics are most relevant to your community?
  • What are two things you can do to help move us toward a common set of metrics that improve measurement and outcomes?

Most Frequently Recommended Health Metrics

(from U.S. CDC’s Community Health Assessment for Population Health – linked below)

Healthcare (Access & Quality) Health Behaviors Demographics & Social Environment Physical Environment

Health Insurance Coverage

Provider Rates

Asthma-Related Hospitalization

Tobacco Use/Smoking

Physical Activity

Nutrition

Unsafe Sex

Alcohol Use

Seatbelt Use

Immunization and Screenings

Age

Sex

Race/Ethnicity

Income

Poverty Level

Educational Attainment

Employment Status

Foreign Born

Homelessness

Language Spoken at Home

Marital Status

Domestic Violence and Child Abuse

Violence and Crime

Social Capital/Social Support

Air Quality

Water Quality

Housing

Health Outcomes

Mortality: Leading Cause of Death, Infant Mortality, Injury-related Morality, Motor Vehicle Morality, Suicide, Homicide

Morbidity: Obesity, Low-Birth Weight, Hospital Utilization, Cancer Rates, Motor Vehicle Injury, Overall Health Status, STDs, AID, Tuberculosis

 

Additional information on recommended health outcome and social determinant metrics is available in the CDC’s Community Health Assessment for Population Health Improvement.

Download the full Community Health Assessment Guide

Recent Resources

Args

post_type
0post
post_statuspublish
posts_per_page4
meta_query
relationAND
0Array ( )
cat
02868
post__not_in
08577
orderby
dateASC
relevanssitrue

Module Settings

post_type_chooseoff|on|off|off|off|off|off|off|off|off|off
loop_stylecustom_loop_layout
shortcode_name[de_loop_template_shortcode]
loop_templatesdivi-blog
custom_loop_templatenone
loop_layout8931
filter_update_animationload-6
no_posts_layoutnone
no_posts_layout_textSorry, No posts.
is_main_loopoff
include_current_termsoff
groupping_post_objectoff
groupping_taxonomynone
show_empty_onloadoff
post_statuspublish
show_current_postoff
posts_number4
post_offset0
post_display_typerelated
saved_typewishlist
acf_linked_acfnone
related_contentcategories
related_acf_fieldnone
related_content_categoriespost_cats
is_category_loopoff
disable_sticky_postsoff
specific_post_objectsoff
related_content_tagsdefault
tax_name_relatednone
acf_name_relatednone
custom_tax_choosepost
acf_namenone
include_sticky_postson
include_sticky_posts_onlyoff
onload_tax_choosepost
sort_orderdate
acf_sort_fieldnone
acf_sort_typestring
acf_date_picker_fieldnone
acf_date_picker_methoddefault
acf_date_picker_custom_day30
order_asc_descASC
sec_acf_sort_fieldnone
sec_acf_sort_typestring
sec_acf_date_picker_fieldnone
sec_order_asc_descASC
enable_loadmoreoff
pagination_positionbottom
scrolltoon
scrollto_fine_tune0px
loadmore_textLoad More
loadmore_text_loadingLoading...
enable_resultcountoff
resultcount_positionright
result_count_single_textShowing the single result
result_count_all_textShowing all %d results
result_count_pagination_textShowing %d-%d of %d results
has_mapoff
map_all_postsoff
map_all_posts_limit-1
map_infoview_layoutnone
map_infoview_layout_ajaxoff
hide_marker_labeloff
map_clusteron
link_whole_girdoff
link_whole_gird_externaloff
external_acfnone
content_section_layoutnone
grid_layoutgrid
columns4
columns_tablet2
columns_mobile1
custom_gutter_widthoff
grid_list_defaultlist
grid_list_positionleft
grid_list_cookie_time30
grid_view_icon||divi||400
list_view_icon||fa||900
icon_padding7px|7px|7px|7px
icon_margin0px|10px|0px|0px
enable_overlayon
show_featured_imageon
show_read_moreoff
read_more_textRead More
show_authoron
show_dateon
date_formatF j, Y
show_categorieson
show_contentoff
excerpt_length270
excerpt_more...
show_commentsoff
meta_separator|
content_visibilityhover
image_hover_animationnone
loop_template_content_alignmentcenter_center
loop_template_color_themelight
loop_template_same_heighton
image_min_height150px
image_max_height500px
pagination_item_background#fff
pagination_item_background_active#ebe9eb
_builder_version4.21.0
_module_presetdefault
title_font_size14px
title_letter_spacing0px
title_line_height1em
excerpt_font_size14px
excerpt_letter_spacing0px
excerpt_line_height1em
loop_template_meta_font_size14px
loop_template_meta_letter_spacing0px
loop_template_meta_line_height1em
loop_template_meta_a_font_size14px
loop_template_meta_a_letter_spacing0px
loop_template_meta_a_line_height1em
loop_template_a_font_size14px
loop_template_a_letter_spacing0px
loop_template_a_line_height1em
pagination_font_letter_spacing0px
active_pagination_letter_spacing0px
background_enable_coloron
use_background_color_gradientoff
background_color_gradient_repeatoff
background_color_gradient_typelinear
background_color_gradient_direction180deg
background_color_gradient_direction_radialcenter
background_color_gradient_stops#2b87da 0%|#29c4a9 100%
background_color_gradient_unit%
background_color_gradient_overlays_imageoff
background_color_gradient_start#2b87da
background_color_gradient_start_position0%
background_color_gradient_end#29c4a9
background_color_gradient_end_position100%
background_enable_imageon
parallaxoff
parallax_methodon
background_sizecover
background_image_widthauto
background_image_heightauto
background_positioncenter
background_horizontal_offset0
background_vertical_offset0
background_repeatno-repeat
background_blendnormal
background_enable_video_mp4on
background_enable_video_webmon
allow_player_pauseoff
background_video_pause_outside_viewporton
background_enable_pattern_styleoff
background_pattern_stylepolka-dots
background_pattern_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.2)
background_pattern_sizeinitial
background_pattern_widthauto
background_pattern_heightauto
background_pattern_repeat_origintop_left
background_pattern_horizontal_offset0
background_pattern_vertical_offset0
background_pattern_repeatrepeat
background_pattern_blend_modenormal
background_enable_mask_styleoff
background_mask_stylelayer-blob
background_mask_color#ffffff
background_mask_aspect_ratiolandscape
background_mask_sizestretch
background_mask_widthauto
background_mask_heightauto
background_mask_positioncenter
background_mask_horizontal_offset0
background_mask_vertical_offset0
background_mask_blend_modenormal
custom_buttonoff
button_text_size18
button_bg_use_color_gradientoff
button_bg_color_gradient_repeatoff
button_bg_color_gradient_typelinear
button_bg_color_gradient_direction180deg
button_bg_color_gradient_direction_radialcenter
button_bg_color_gradient_stops#2b87da 0%|#29c4a9 100%
button_bg_color_gradient_unit%
button_bg_color_gradient_overlays_imageoff
button_bg_color_gradient_start#2b87da
button_bg_color_gradient_start_position0%
button_bg_color_gradient_end#29c4a9
button_bg_color_gradient_end_position100%
button_bg_enable_imageon
button_bg_parallaxoff
button_bg_parallax_methodon
button_bg_sizecover
button_bg_image_widthauto
button_bg_image_heightauto
button_bg_positioncenter
button_bg_horizontal_offset0
button_bg_vertical_offset0
button_bg_repeatno-repeat
button_bg_blendnormal
button_bg_enable_video_mp4on
button_bg_enable_video_webmon
button_bg_allow_player_pauseoff
button_bg_video_pause_outside_viewporton
button_use_iconon
button_icon_placementright
button_on_hoveron
positioningnone
position_origin_atop_left
position_origin_ftop_left
position_origin_rtop_left
widthauto
max_widthnone
min_heightauto
heightauto
max_heightnone
filter_hue_rotate0deg
filter_saturate100%
filter_brightness100%
filter_contrast100%
filter_invert0%
filter_sepia0%
filter_opacity100%
filter_blur0px
mix_blend_modenormal
animation_stylenone
animation_directioncenter
animation_duration1000ms
animation_delay0ms
animation_intensity_slide50%
animation_intensity_zoom50%
animation_intensity_flip50%
animation_intensity_fold50%
animation_intensity_roll50%
animation_starting_opacity0%
animation_speed_curveease-in-out
animation_repeatonce
hover_transition_duration300ms
hover_transition_delay0ms
hover_transition_speed_curveease
link_option_url_new_windowoff
sticky_positionnone
sticky_offset_top0px
sticky_offset_bottom0px
sticky_limit_topnone
sticky_limit_bottomnone
sticky_offset_surroundingon
sticky_transitionon
motion_trigger_startmiddle
hover_enabled0
title_text_shadow_stylenone
title_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
title_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
title_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
title_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
excerpt_text_shadow_stylenone
excerpt_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
excerpt_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
excerpt_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
excerpt_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
loop_template_meta_text_shadow_stylenone
loop_template_meta_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
loop_template_meta_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
loop_template_meta_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
loop_template_meta_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
loop_template_meta_a_text_shadow_stylenone
loop_template_meta_a_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
loop_template_meta_a_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
loop_template_meta_a_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
loop_template_meta_a_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
loop_template_a_text_shadow_stylenone
loop_template_a_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
loop_template_a_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
loop_template_a_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
loop_template_a_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
pagination_font_text_shadow_stylenone
pagination_font_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
pagination_font_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
pagination_font_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
pagination_font_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
active_pagination_text_shadow_stylenone
active_pagination_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
active_pagination_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
active_pagination_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
active_pagination_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
button_text_shadow_stylenone
button_text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
button_text_shadow_vertical_length0em
button_text_shadow_blur_strength0em
button_text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
box_shadow_stylenone
box_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.3)
box_shadow_positionouter
box_shadow_style_productnone
box_shadow_color_productrgba(0,0,0,0.3)
box_shadow_position_productouter
box_shadow_style_grid_list_view_buttonnone
box_shadow_color_grid_list_view_buttonrgba(0,0,0,0.3)
box_shadow_position_grid_list_view_buttonouter
box_shadow_style_buttonnone
box_shadow_color_buttonrgba(0,0,0,0.3)
box_shadow_position_buttonouter
text_shadow_stylenone
text_shadow_horizontal_length0em
text_shadow_vertical_length0em
text_shadow_blur_strength0em
text_shadow_colorrgba(0,0,0,0.4)
disabledoff
global_colors_info{}
0.328861951828 seconds