Making the Case for Data: Fact over Supposition
After Hurricane Katrina, Houston became a refuge for evacuees. Within a day of the storm, the Houston EMA had used its data system to identify the geographic origins of HIV-positive hurricane victims, says Charles Henley of Houston’s public health department. The data showed that Houston had taken in just 167 of 3,000 HIV-positive evacuees from Louisiana. This information allowed HRSA to focus on identifying where the other evacuees had fled to provide assistance proportionately.