Public health indicators provide a snapshot of health status, health behavior, and public health system performance at the local level based on 35 indicators. The indicators measure six key aspects of public health:
- Community Context (1 indicator)
- Communicable Disease (4 indicators)
- Prevention and Health Promotion (9 indicators)
- Environmental Health (3 indicators)
- Maternal and Child Health (10 indicators)
- Access to Care (8 indicators)
Local health agencies are using local public health indicator data to identify or confirm health issues; develop action plans and evaluate progress; and to provide community education. Most agencies are interested in how their agency compares to the state as a whole, and many share their local boards of health and community groups.
The database is also designed to work in conjunction with the National Standards for Public Health (PDF), and the Public Health Activities and Services - both measurements of statewide system capacity. Together, the indicators reveal how healthy we are and the performance standards examine the process that makes us so.