News Feature | August 28, 2014

Online Tool Shows Potential Public Health Outcomes

Katie Wike

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

Potential Public Health Outcomes

A web-based tool can predict how certain public health initiatives will affect outcomes at city, state, and even national levels.

Community Health Advisor, a new online healthcare tool, can be used to predict the impact of public health policies. The webpage cites as one example, “Enacting a large tobacco tax in Louisiana could reduce smoking prevalence by 1.3 percent in one decade. Other benefits include preventing more than 1,600 cases of respiratory disease and 1,500 cardiovascular events statewide while saving $4.3 million in medical care costs over the 10-year period.”

Health Data Management reports this tool enables public health officials and other users to more accurately estimate which public health initiatives will have the most significant effects on health, mortality, and medical costs.

Another prediction featured on the website reads, “Creating zoning laws that require places for physical activity across Mississippi could reduce obesity prevalence by 1.6 percent in one decade. Other benefits include preventing nearly 12,000 diabetes cases and 90 obesity-attributable deaths statewide while saving $200,000 in medical care costs over the 10-year period.”

Users can choose from different selections to create a prediction for a certain geographic area should a certain policy be applied - for up to 30 years in the future. Some of these predictions could include:

  • the proportion of residents who will start smoking or quit
  • the change in obesity and overweight
  • trends in illness or disease, including cancers, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes
  • how many more years people are likely to live and whether they will have full health
  • the cost of medical care from illnesses related to smoking and obesity

“This tool is the first to provide estimates of future health outcomes and medical costs from public health interventions for every county in the country,” said George Isham, M.D., senior adviser, HealthPartners, and member of the National Commission on Prevention Priorities. “It helps lawmakers, community leaders, employers and others make informed decisions about where to make public health investments.”