Lone Star Docs

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Vol. 8, #2 Spring 2003

CHARTing Health Data

GODORT Preconference
TLA Houston
Tuesday, April 1
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Have your patrons ever needed data on health-related issues down to the local community level? Have you found yourself stymied by the lack of ready access to such information? If so, GODORT and the Special Libraries Division are co-sponsoring an all-day preconference session at TLA this year that will help solve your problems.

On Tuesday, April 1, Helena VonVille, Library Director, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, and Deborah Halsted, Director of Library Operations, Texas Medical Center Library, Houston Academy of Medicine, will present "CHARTing Health Data." They will focus on simplifying the process of finding health data, using Community Health Assessment Resources for Texas (CHART), a geo-coding system developed by researchers at the University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health.

CHART utilizes data from geographic information systems (GIS), which have been widely used by many state and federal agencies to map data. (Many of us are familiar with the maps at the Census Bureau; this is an example of GIS.)

Through the mapping of data, it is possible to disseminate vital statistics more easily; it is also possible now to locate very specific health-related information down to the zip code level and possibly even block level. Of course, individual privacy is a concern so it is not possible to retrieve all data down to that level.

What types of data count as health-related? Because there are many health indicators and because the reasons for needing the data are so varied, this class will focus on: environmental data, poverty/income, educational attainment, morbidity and mortality, infant morbidity and mortality, maternal morbidity and mortality, and data on number of health care providers and service centers.

The program will be held in the newly refurbished auditorium at the School of Public Health which is located in the Texas Medical Center. The auditorium boasts two plasma TVs, a 16-foot wide by 9-foot high projection screen, full Internet capabilities, and comfortable seating for over 200. Unfortunately, this won't be a hands-on class, but the presenters will provide both handouts and a follow-up web site to ensure that you walk away from this class with the knowledge and skills to utilize the GIS and data sites shown.

The $90 registration fee (for TLA members) includes lunch and breaks. As of this writing the closest TLA Shuttle stop is about 3 miles from the School of Public Health, which may not make it a viable option for transportation. Taxi service should be available from the hotels. If you wish to drive yourself, Parking Garage 2 at Bertner and Holcombe in the Texas Medical Center is available for visitors to the School. The Garage 2 rate for the day is $9.

Janetta Paschal, GODORT Chair
Angelo State University
janetta.paschal@angelo.edu
and
Helena VonVille
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health
Helena.M.VonVille@uth.tmc.edu

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