From ARarig@health.state.ak.us Tue Jun 16 10:02:19 1998 Received: from mxu4.u.washington.edu (mxu4.u.washington.edu [140.142.33.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.05) with ESMTP id KAA19222 for ; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 10:02:18 -0700 Received: from as-jnu1e.health.state.ak.us (as-jnu1e.health.state.ak.us [146.63.177.7]) by mxu4.u.washington.edu (8.8.4+UW97.07/8.8.4+UW97.09) with ESMTP id KAA14116 for ; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 10:02:17 -0700 Message-Id: <199806161702.KAA14116@mxu4.u.washington.edu> Received: by as-jnu1e.health.state.ak.us with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2120.0) id ; Tue, 16 Jun 1998 09:04:09 -0800 From: "Rarig, Alice" To: waphgis@u.washington.edu Subject: RE: Census data for assessment Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 08:56:18 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2120.0) Content-Type: text/plain Everyone involved in mapping -- especially public health data associating incidence and prevalance for small or smallish areas with slices of the population or with socio-economic variables for those areas, should be CAUTIOUS about denominators even from the census -- at least understand what you are using very well before pushing out comparative data to the world. Socio-economic data, migration information, occupational info and such are based on the "long form" of the census which is a sample -- quite reliable for states and big counties, much less reliable for small areas or population sub-groups (age, race/ethnic, etc.). Estimates and projections of populations (especially for small areas or sub-populations) are subject to even more distortions although this depends on the data inputs. Washington State has had a strong demography program -- and we have a good one in Alaska. Even so, there are seasonal workers and migrants from in-state and out of state who aren't counted in the place of interest, who affect public health and disease data. Commercial programs may crunch the numbers through a model that doesn't apply to your area's migration/birth/death patterns so watch out. The Census Bureau's population projections by age-sex-race also go way off for any state or county that has differential migration among adult age groups -- and what area doesn't? Check with your state demographer about the strengths, weaknesses, and project-specific appropriateness of using Census Bureau, commercial, or state-generated denominator data. Whatever you use, be sure to state the source for the denominator so readers can make their own judgments about how that affects the output. Alice Rarig, Ph.D. (ararig@health.state.ak.us) Health Program Manager (Primary Care Unit) Community Health and EMS Section Alaska Division of Public Health > ---------- > From: Vicki Heater[SMTP:VickiH@co.san-juan.wa.us] > Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 1998 7:49 AM > To: 'waphgis@u.washington.edu' > Subject: RE: Census data for assessment > > Dr. Hoskins: We'd appreciate the data for San Juan County if it is > easily available. You can email to me at the attached address in a > .dbf > format, or send to: > > Vicki Heater, EHS > San Juan County Health and Community Services > P.O. Box 607 > Friday Harbor, WA 98250 > > >---------- > >From: Hoskins, Richard E.[SMTP:reh0303@hub.doh.wa.gov] > >Reply To: waphgis@u.washington.edu > >Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 1998 6:34 AM > >To: waphgis@u.washington.edu > >Subject: Census data for assessment > > > >I have access to state/county/Zipcode/tract/block group level data > that > >is on the stf3 tapes. Also I have projections for general > demographics > >and spending patterns for 1997 and 2002. This data is in a format > (dbf) > >that can be linked to GIS coverages. I can prepare a dbf table and > send > >it to people in WA local health departments or Wa State Dept of > Health. > > > >If you need the information send me an eMAIL below and I'll see if I > >can't get it for you. > > > >If you need a lot of data then you may want to buy the data > yourself; > >try GeoLytics: www.Geolytics.com or info@CensusCD.COM. They produce > an > >superb product that includes all the census data you could (almost) > ever > >imagine with a mapping package to go with it. The price is quite > >reasonable and its easy to use. We have prepared data for ArcView, > >MapInfo and Maptitude as well as for use in Excel. > > > >Richard E. Hoskins, PhD MPH > >WA State Public Health Geographer > >GIS and Spatial Epidemiology > >Office of Epidemiology > >WA State Department of Health > >1102 Quince St, Olympia, WA 98504-7812 > > > > eMAIL: REH0303@hub.doh.wa.gov > > tel: 360-236-4270 > > fax:360-236-4245 > > > > > > > .