New local-level health data now available from the California Health Interview Survey

AskCHIS™ Neighborhood Edition (NE), the online health data query tool that has been a valuable resource for public health stakeholders, releases its latest update today that incorporates data from the 2021–2022 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).

AskCHIS NE lets users examine small area estimates that provide health and demographic data on Californians by progressively more-detailed levels: legislative district, county, city, ZIP code, and census tract.

The nation’s largest population-based state health survey, CHIS compiles responses from more than 20,000 households in California each year. Drawing on those responses, AskCHIS NE provides data on select health topics: chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes, delays in receiving medical care, health and mental health status, physical activity, food insecurity, and more.

Using a sophisticated modeling technique called Small Area Estimation, AskCHIS NE provides local health departments, policymakers, legislators, community organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders the data needed to target health interventions based on a neighborhood’s specific needs.

“AskCHIS NE is a powerful tool that helps us at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research empower people to transform data into policies and programs that contribute to a more equitable California for all,” said Todd Hughes, CHIS director.

This year, AskCHIS NE also has a revamped look and feel, having been moved to the Tableau platform. This change enables a seamless transition for the 2021–2022 CHIS data into maps that reflect changes in census tract boundaries implemented after the 2020 Census, while still allowing exploration of the earlier CHIS data using maps with the older boundaries. The new platform keeps the features users appreciated most — like creating customizable maps and charts as well as data tables that can be exported.

Register for a free account on the UCLA CHPR website.