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HPSA and MUA/P Geographic Compilation Logic
The following information applies ONLY to the spatial
data in the HGDW Map Tool and feature service; the HPSA
and MUA/P data available in the Report Tool represent
ALL of the data obtained from the respective source
systems. More
about Health Profession Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically
Underserved Areas/Populations (MUAs/Ps)
The HRSA Geospatial Data Warehouse creates the spatial
data for the Medically Underserved Area/Population (MUA/P)
and Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) layers
using a multi-step process. Varying types of geographic
boundary (county, county subdivision, and Census tract)
are combined into a single logical unit.
Each HPSA and MUA/P that consists of one or more geographic
areas (components) contains geographic identifiers for
each component. These identifiers correspond to the
Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes
for Counties, and to the Census-assigned codes for county
subdivision (also known as minor civil division, or
MCD) and Census tract identifier.
In preparation for each decennial Census, the Census
Bureau reviews the MCD and tract boundaries and makes
adjustments as deemed necessary to support that particular
census. In addition, as changes occur to the list of
counties and/or the areas defined by their boundaries,
the FIPS county list is adjusted. Thus, at least every
ten years, some or all of the geographic identifiers
are rendered obsolete, new identifiers are created,
and county boundaries are changed.
The HPSA and MUA/P source databases in HRSA are not
immediately updated to reflect changes in these identifiers.
However, once the new identifiers are available, newly-designated
areas use the most current set of identifiers. The existing
data are updated at a later date, if at all. For HPSAs
or MUA/Ps that have been withdrawn (i.e. are no longer
designated) the identifiers may never be updated. Currently-designated
areas are updated on an as-needed basis. Thus, for some
period of time, the geographic identifiers in the source
systems (and consequently in the HRSA Geospatial Data
Warehouse) represent a mix of data from more than one
time period.
Prior to April 2005, the vast majority of geographic
identifiers in both the HPSA and MUA/P databases were
1990 vintage. The corresponding county, MCD, and Census
tract spatial layers were used as the basis of the spatial
processing. Components that used unmatched identifiers
(i.e. those from the 2000 Census) simply were not included
in the final HPSA and MUA/P layers. The number of these
components was small enough that the resulting inaccuracies
were deemed by HRSA to be negligible for the purposes
of the Map Tool.
However, between the February 2005 and April 2005 HGDW
data refresh cycles, the geographic identifiers for
the majority of designated MUA/Ps were updated from
the 1990 to the 2000 Census geographies. In addition,
a significant number of new or revised HPSA designations
were also defined using the year 2000 identifiers. Thus,
significant errors in the final spatial data would have
been introduced had the building process not been altered.
Beginning with the April 2005 data release,
the HPSA spatial data are built according to the following
logic:
- All geographic identifiers are assumed to be year
1990, if they match a year 1990 county FIPS code,
year 1990 MCD identifier, or year 1990 Census tract
identifier.
- Any identifiers that do not match year 1990 data
are assumed to be year 2000 identifiers if they match
a year 2000 designation for the corresponding type
of geographic unit (county MCD, or Census tract).
- Any identifiers that do not match either year 2000
or 1990 identifiers are assumed to predate the 1990
data, or to be erroneous. The geographic components
that are associated with these identifiers are not
included in the spatial data.
HPSA "points"
In addition to HPSAs based on geography, some HPSAs
are designated based on population concentrations such
as correctional institutions or hospitals. These are
placed on the HGDW Map Tool through the process of geocoding,
or correlating a street address with a particular point
on the surface of the earth. If no address data are
included in the source data it is not possible to make
that correlation for a given designation record, and
no point is drawn on the map to represent that facility.
Beginning with the April 2005 data release,
the MUA/P spatial data are built according to the following
logic:
- All geographic identifiers are assumed to be year
2000, if they match a year 2000 county FIPS code,
year 2000 MCD identifier, or year 2000 Census tract
identifier.
- Any identifiers that do not match year 2000 data
are assumed to be year 1990 identifiers if they match
a 1990 designation for the corresponding type of geographic
unit (county, MCD, or Census tract).
- Any identifiers that do not match either year 2000
or 1990 identifiers are assumed to predate the 1990
data, or to be erroneous. The geographic components
that are associated with these identifiers are not
included in the spatial data.
HPSA "Points"
In addition to HPSAs based on geography, some HPSAs
are designated based on population concentrations such
as correctional institutions or hospitals. These are
placed on the HGDW Map Tool through the process of geocoding,
or correlating a street address with a particular point
on the surface of the earth. If no address data are
included in the source data it is not possible to make
that correlation for a given designation record, and
no point is drawn on the map to represent that facility.
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Other Data Sites
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| Health
Resources & Services Administration |
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| U.S.
Department of Health & Human Services |
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| U.S.
Government |
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