Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is the audience for the WCHI? 
   • The WCHI was designed and developed with a broad audience in mind. It is intended to serve as a data platform for public health leaders, organizations, community partners, and community members. However, anyone can access whatcomhealthinsights.org.

2. How did WCHCS decide which data and data sources to include? 
   • The WCHCS data team reviewed over 450 potential population health indicators compiled based on a comprehensive review of Community Health Assessments (CHA) across Washington, including Whatcom’s 2018 CHA and the WA State Department of Health indicators; national sources such as Healthy People 2030, County Health Rankings, and Seven Vital Conditions for Health and Wellbeing were also taken into consideration. 
   • Indicators were then further reviewed for common usage and best fit within the Population Health Framework. Data is mostly from publicly available sources.. This includes open-source Census data, and data that is restricted to public health practitioners but can be presented to the public once visualized and analyzed. 

3. Why are there no data on geography?
   • The ability to separate data by geography can be limited, depending on the data source. Geographic level data can sometimes be separated by zip code, school district, or census tract and accessing it at those different levels can each tell a different story.  In our next phase of WCHI development, we will separate data at the geographic level.

4. How frequently will data be updated?
   • Each data source is updated at different frequencies. Some are updated annually and others are every two years. The WCHCS data team will update data as new information is made available. Visit the Data Sources page to learn more about each source. 

5. What if I am looking for data that’s not on the WCHI?
   • You can use the feedback form at the bottom of each page to inquire with the WCHCS data team about data for a specific topic. 

6. How can I learn more about how to use the WCHI?
   • Further instructions on how to use the WCHI can be found on the Navigation/How To page under the About section.

7. Why was the WCHI created?
   • The WCHI was developed to provide meaningful and easily accessible population health data for Whatcom County. The aim is to give community partners, elected officials, and other community groups easy access to current data on an ongoing basis. This can help to inform partner’s planning, decision-making, grant applications, etc. It may also help to contribute to future health assessment. Providing this data via an online platform also increases transparency and makes data more accessible. 

8. Why is it just numbers, charts and graphs? Why aren’t there any qualitative studies or stories? 
   • The WCHI uses data from secondary sources, collected by organizations outside of Whatcom County Health and Community Services. Quantitative data are much easier and cost-effective to collect, whereas qualitative data in the form of stories or testimonies are much more time-intensive. Analysis of qualitative data can also be nuanced. It is intended that the WCHI will include qualitative stories in the future. 

9. Is the WCHI a community health assessment?
   • The WCHI data platform is not a community health assessment (CHA). However, it can serve as a tool for evaluating community health, informing either periodic, general assessments or focused assessments of specific health issues.

10. I have a suggestion. How can I communicate that?
    • Please use the link to the feedback form found at the bottom of each page to provide any suggestions or feedback.