New Mexico’s Racial and Ethnic Disparities Report Card

1. New Mexico’s Racial and Ethnic Disparities Report Card Vicky Howell, Ph.D., Office of Policy and Performance New Mexico Department of Health

2. Overview of the Report Card • Funded through a State Partnership Grant to Improve Minority Health from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health • Modeled after North Carolina’s report card • Developed in a user-friendly format for the public • Updated annually • Generated the American Indian Health Disparities Report Card • Imitation is the best form of flattery – Delaware used New Mexico’s 2006 format

3. Purpose of the Report Card In New Mexico • Serves as the focal point for planning and activities geared towards reducing health disparities • Creates a cohesive approach to identifying health disparities • Increases awareness of health disparities • Elicits private, public and community input on possible solutions • Drives the activities of the Office of Health Equity

4. Format – Changes over Time • Added trend graphs (2007) • Added national comparisons and gender data (2007) • Added section on changes in disparity (2008) • Added Pertussis indicator (2008) • Added table of contents (2009) • Added summary data (2010) • Adding fall-related deaths (2011)

5. Topics Covered • Mother and Child Health(prenatal care, infant mortality, teen births) • Chronic Disease (adults with diabetes not receiving services, diabetes deaths, adult obesity, youth obesity) • Infectious Diseases (adults 65+ no pneumonia vaccination, pneumonia & influenza deaths, Chlamydia, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, Pertussis) • Violence and Injury (motor vehicle deaths, suicide, youth suicide, homicide) • Risk Behaviors(smoking, drug induced deaths, alcohol-related deaths)

7. Methodology • Indicators reflect areas in which New Mexico’s rates are higher than the national rate (e.g. suicide), or • Demonstrate large disparities between populations (e.g. hepatitis B, infant mortality), or • Demonstrate both high New Mexico rates and large disparities between populations (e.g. teen births, drug-induced deaths)

8. Methodology • Rates are calculated using standard practice for vital statistics and survey data • Handled small populations by using a 3-year rolling average • Disparity ratio calculated based on comparison of rates but only for populations with at least 20 cases during time period • Reference (comparison) group is determined by using the population with best (lowest) rate and at least 20 cases during time period

9. Sources of Data • Vital Statistics (Birth and Death Certificates) • Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System • Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey • Infectious Disease Surveillance

10. Uses of Report Card • Program Planning • Grant Writing • Academic Classes • Conferences • Legislative Hearings • Public Events • Community Awareness/Planning/Activities

11. Challenges • Challenges -Grades (love them or hate them) • Perception of Rating Populations Not Disparities • Program Perception of Rating Program Performance • Small Populations • Total New Mexico population just over 2 million • Black/African-American population of <50,000 • Asian population of <30,000

12. Lessons Learned • Realized that the report card needed to be community-friendly vs. a technical epidemiological report in order for it to be used effectively • Consolidation of data on health disparities all in one document increases awareness • Serves as a key reference for planning, targeted activities and evaluation • Color and pictures help • Can’t please everyone (e.g. grades)

13. Key Collaborations • Within the Division • Policy, data, and desktop publishing perspectives • External to Division • Advisory group • Data sources

14. Link to New Mexico’s Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Report Cardhttp://nmhealth.org/dpp/health_disparities.shtml