Enhancing Policymakers' Understanding of Disparities: Relevant Data from an Information-Rich Environment

Enhancing policymakers' understanding of disparities: Relevant data from an information-rich environment. The Milbank Quarterly 2010; 88(3):382-403.

22 Pages Posted: 4 Jul 2014

See all articles by Noralou Roos

Noralou Roos

University of Manitoba - Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS)

L. L. Roos

University of Manitoba - Manitoba Centre for Health Policy

Marni D. Brownell

University of Manitoba - Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS); University of Manitoba - Manitoba Centre for Health Policy

Emma Fuller

The University of Western Australia

Date Written: 2010

Abstract

CONTEXT: Information-rich environments, with access and funding provided by government, make it possible to organize longitudinal administrative data to support analyses of policy-relevant questions. This paper describes insights into children's well-being and social equity obtained from data available in Manitoba, Canada, and highlights findings that have engaged policymakers.

METHODS: Analyses draw on Manitoba-linked data providing information over time (going back to 1970 in some files) and across space (with residential location documented every six months) for each provincial resident. Routinely collected data from the Ministries of Health, Education, and Family Services and Consumer Affairs have been integrated with a population registry.

FINDINGS: Identifying risk factors and presenting outcomes by social groups and by local communities capture the attention of policymakers. Linking an individual's area of residence to census and health data has led to developing measures of population health status and socioeconomic status. These measures focus on whether delivery patterns track health and educational needs, and a population registry makes it possible to describe who is (and is not) served by each program.

CONCLUSIONS: The nature of health and social research has been changed by the development of information-rich environments. Many findings in Manitoba could not be replicated without a population registry. Engaging decision makers through effective presentations can ensure continuing support for diverse efforts based on these environments, and this article suggests ways of better communicating with policymakers.

Keywords: Administrative data, Registry, Population health, Policy analysis

Suggested Citation

Roos, Noralou and Roos, Leslie Leon and Brownell, Marni D. and Fuller, Emma, Enhancing Policymakers' Understanding of Disparities: Relevant Data from an Information-Rich Environment (2010). Enhancing policymakers' understanding of disparities: Relevant data from an information-rich environment. The Milbank Quarterly 2010; 88(3):382-403., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2006620

Noralou Roos (Contact Author)

University of Manitoba - Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) ( email )

750 Bannatyne Ave
Winnipeg, R3E 0W3
Canada

Leslie Leon Roos

University of Manitoba - Manitoba Centre for Health Policy ( email )

University of Manitoba Bannatyne Campus
Winnipeg
Canada

Marni D. Brownell

University of Manitoba - Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) ( email )

750 Bannatyne Ave
Winnipeg, R3E 0W3
Canada

University of Manitoba - Manitoba Centre for Health Policy ( email )

University of Manitoba Bannatyne Campus
Winnipeg
Canada

Emma Fuller

The University of Western Australia ( email )

35 Stirling Highway
Crawley, Western Australia 6009
AUSTRALIA

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
20
Abstract Views
421
PlumX Metrics