Efforts are underway to reimagine and transform the data system used in public health so it doesn’t just identify, manage, and respond to disease—it also promotes holistic well-being. Plans for modernizing the public health data system must ensure that it supports a complete picture of all the communities affected by poor health outcomes—as well as the underlying reasons those communities are affected—to inform efforts to advance health equity. Doing so requires a data system that includes upstream influences on health, such as social determinants of health and the policies and systems that perpetuate inequities. It coordinates across public and private sectors. It is inclusive in terms of how and by whom the data are collected, analyzed, and interpreted, and it centers community involvement throughout the data life cycle.
Mathematica hosted a virtual discussion with experts who are leading efforts across the United States to reimagine public health data to become more effective at promoting the public’s health and addressing root causes of health inequities. These perspectives ranged across the sectors involved in generating, shaping, and interpreting public health data including philanthropy, local public health agencies, technology, and community-based organizations. The gathered experts shared their experience and vision for transforming the public health data system. (author introduction)