Policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention: data sources in two states.
BACKGROUND
Investigators in South Carolina and Alabama assessed the availability of data for measuring 31 policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention. The indicators were intended to determine policy and environmental support for adopting heart disease and stroke prevention guidelines and selected risk factors in 4 settings: community, school, work site, and health care.


METHODS
Research teams used literature searches and key informant interviews to explore the availability of data sources for each indicator. Investigators documented the following 5 qualities for each data source identified: 1) the degree to which the data fit the indicator; 2) the frequency and regularity with which data were collected; 3) the consistency of data collected across time; 4) the costs (time, money, personnel) associated with data collection or access; and 5) the accessibility of data.


RESULTS
Among the 31 indicators, 11 (35%) have readily available data sources and 4 (13%) have sources that could provide partial measurement. Data sources are available for most indicators in the school setting and for tobacco control policies in all settings.


CONCLUSIONS
Data sources for measuring policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention are limited in availability. Effort and resources are required to develop and implement mechanisms for collecting state and local data on policy and environmental indicators in different settings. The level of work needed to expand data sources is comparable to the extensive work already completed in the school setting and for tobacco control.
Pluto
Delores M
DM
Prevention Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208, USA. dmpluto@sc.edu
Phillips
Martha M
MM
Matson-Koffman
Dyann
D
Shepard
Dennis M
DM
Raczynski
James M
JM
Brownstein
J Nell
JN
D000407:Alabama; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006291:Health Policy; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013022:South Carolina; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*