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How To...
Interpret Data
This How To section presents an epidemiologic approach to describe health
problems identified in the PedNSS and PNSS data tables by answering the
questions “What, When, Where, and Who” to interpret the data. In addition
to the text in this section, you will find:
- PedNSS and PNSS worksheets that help with data interpretation.
- Case studies for overweight, breastfeeding, and low birthweight to
demonstrate this epidemiologic approach to examine these specific health
problems.
An Epidemiologic Approach to Interpret PedNSS and PNSS Data
The Pediatric and Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance Systems (PedNSS and
PNSS) provide public health officials with surveillance data to identify
and describe health indicators among specific public health programs in
terms of the basic epidemiologic parameters of time, place, and
person.
This descriptive epidemiology provides public health officials with
answers to questions essential in making informed decisions that will lead
to improved health for the populations they serve.
Health indicators are considered to be health problems when their
prevalence is greater than either expected or accepted levels. In
addition, data can be used to make comparisons within the population. For
example, a specific health indicator such as the prevalence of overweight
can be compared from one time to another, from one place to another, or
from one population (i.e., race/ethnic group) to another.
To help you interpret the PedNSS and PNSS data the following basic
epidemiologic questions can be asked:
- What health indicators are public health problems?
- When are the problems increasing or decreasing over time? (Time)
- Where are they? (Place)
- Who is at risk? (Person)
- Who is at risk of health problems and when are the health problems
increasing or decreasing among specific age and race/ethnic groups?
(Person and Time)
Data Worksheets
Use the following worksheets to interpret state and local data and to
identify health problems in your geographic area:
These worksheets provide related Healthy People 2010 objectives
and prevalence from U.S. surveys for comparison with the national and
state tables. Additionally, the worksheet lists the tables that are used
to answer the questions of what, when, where, who,
and who and when.
Tables That Answer Questions of What, When, Where and Who
What health indicators are public health problems?
Summary of Health Indicators Tables |
PedNSS |
PNSS |
Summary of Health Indicators |
Table 2 |
Table 2 |
Summary of Breastfeeding Indicators |
Table 3 |
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When: Are the health problems increasing or decreasing over time?
Summary Health Indicator Trend Tables
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PedNSS |
PNSS |
Summary of Trends in Growth and Anemia Indicators |
Table 12 |
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Summary of Trends in Breastfeeding Indicators |
Table 13 |
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Summary of Trends in Maternal Health Indicators |
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Table 16 |
Summary of Trends in Prenatal Behavioral Indicators |
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Table 17 |
Summary of Trends in Smoking Indicators |
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Table 18 |
Summary of Trends in Infant Health Indicators |
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Table 19 |
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Where are the health problems?
Geographic Comparison of Health Indictors
Tables |
PedNSS |
PNSS |
Comparison of Growth and Anemia Indicators |
Table 6 |
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Comparison of Breastfeeding, TV Viewing, and Smoking in
Household |
Table 7 |
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Comparison of Maternal Health Indicators |
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Table 5 |
Comparison of Prenatal Behavioral Indicators |
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Table 6 |
Comparison of Smoking Indicators |
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Table 7 |
Comparison of Infant Health Indicators |
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Table 8 |
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Who is at risk for a specific health problem?
Health Indicator by Demographic Variables
Tables |
PedNSS |
PNSS |
Growth and Anemia Indicators By Race/Ethnicity or Age |
Table 8 |
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Breastfeeding, TV Viewing, and Smoking in Household by
Race/Ethnicity or Age |
Table 9 |
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Growth Indicators by Race/Ethnicity and Age |
Table 16 |
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Anemia Indicators by Race/Ethnicity and Age |
Table 17 |
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Maternal Health Indicators by Race/Ethnicity, Age, or Education |
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Table 9 |
Prenatal Behavioral Indicators by Race/Ethnicity, Age, or
Education |
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Table 10 |
Smoking Indicators by Race/Ethnicity, Age, or Education |
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Table 11 |
Infant Health Indicators by Race/Ethnicity, Age, or Education |
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Table 12 |
Birth Outcome and Risk Factor Analysis
Tables |
PedNSS |
PNSS |
Maternal Weight Gain and Birth Outcomes by Select Health
Indicators |
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Table 13 |
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Who is at risk of health problems and are the health problems
increasing or decreasing among specific age and race/ethnic groups?
Health Indicator by Demographic Variable
Trend Tables |
PedNSS |
PNSS |
Summary of Trends in Growth and Anemia Indicators By
Race/Ethnicity |
Table 18 |
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Summary of Trends in Breastfeeding by Race/Ethnicity |
Table 19 |
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Summary of Trends in Growth Indicators by Age |
Table 20 |
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Summary of Trends in Anemia by Age |
Table 21 |
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Summary of Trends in Maternal Health Indicators by
Race/Ethnicity |
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Table 20 |
Summary of Trends in Prenatal Behavioral Indicators by
Race/Ethnicity |
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Table 21 |
Summary of Trends in Smoking Indicators by Race/Ethnicity |
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Table 22 |
Summary of Trends in Infant Health Indicators by Race/Ethnicity |
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Table 23 |
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