Data Source Descriptions

Administration for Community Living

is a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The administration funds various community programs, social services, and training and research initiatives that help older adults and people with disabilities live independently. Their State Program Reports, available through the AGing, Independence and Disability Program Data (AGID) Portal

, provide data annually on Older Americans Act services.

American Community Survey

is an ongoing statistical survey coordinated by the U.S. Census Bureau that provides detailed information on U.S. population demographics. Data are derived from the bureau directly via its 1-year

and 5-year

data sets, or using the public use microdata sample (PUMS) file.

American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation

is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about the adverse health effects of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, as well as the benefits of smoke-free environments. The foundation produces lists and maps covering laws regarding clean air, e-cigarettes, marijuana and tobacco sales in pharmacies. Data are accessed via the Lists & Maps

webpage.

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

is the nation's largest phone-based population survey. The survey, coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with states, territories and federal agency sponsors, provides information about health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions and use of preventive services. Data are accessed via the BRFSS

website.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

program produces data on employment and wage estimates for nearly 800 occupations at national, state and metropolitan levels. Data are obtained through the Occupational Employment and Wages Query System

.

Care Compare

, a tool provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), helps find and compare providers and services by furnishing detailed information about every Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. Users can find detailed information on health inspections, staffing and various other quality measures. Data are accessed via the data archive

for nursing homes including rehab services.

CDC COVID Data Tracker

is used to track COVID-19 case, hospitalization, death and vaccination rates across the United States. Data on special populations are also available.

CDC WONDER

is a query system for analyzing public-use data for U.S. births and deaths, among other topics. Data are produced by the National Center for Health Statistics. Data are obtained from the Multiple Cause of Death

, Natality

and Single-Race Population Estimates

files.

Characteristics of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Households

is a report put out by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service annually since 1976. It provides information about the demographic and economic circumstances of SNAP participants and households each fiscal year.

Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS)

data is produced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research, which manages specific housing data from the American Community Survey. These data demonstrate the extent of housing problems and needs, particularly for low-income households. Data are accessed via the Consolidated Planning/CHAS Data

website.

Current Population Survey

is an ongoing statistical survey sponsored jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that collects information monthly about employment, earnings and education in the nation. Voting data are obtained from their Voting and Registration Supplement

. Data are available every two years following national elections. Volunteerism data are obtained via the Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement

and are released biennially in odd years.

Fatality Analysis Reporting System

uses state data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to produce a census of public motorway accidents resulting in fatalities within 30 days of a crash. Data are obtained via the Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool (FIRST)

.

Mapping Medicare Disparities (MMD) Tool

is a comprehensive source of information from the CMS Office of Minority Health, offering data on eliminating health disparities and improving the health of minority populations. This tool features health outcome measures for disease prevalence, costs, hospitalizations for 60 chronic conditions, emergency department use, readmissions rates, mortality, preventable hospitalizations and preventive services. Data are obtained via the MMD by Population

website.

National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)

is the nation’s largest membership organization for hospice and palliative care workers and providers. Their annual NHPCO Facts and Figures

report draws from CMS hospice claims data. Information provided includes hospice patient characteristics as well as location and level of care.

National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES)

is a registry developed by CMS to improve the efficiency of electronic health information transmission. NPPES assigns a unique National Provider Identifier (NPI)

number to covered health care providers and health plans to conduct all administrative and financial transactions under HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Data are accessed via the NPI files

website.

Shaping Long-Term Care in America Project

is conducted at the Brown University Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research and is supported in part by the National Institute on Aging. The project website provides long-term care data, including facility characteristics, resident characteristics and long-term care policies by state, county and facility.

The State of Senior Hunger in America

is an annual report put out by Feeding America. The report documents the prevalence of food insecurity among older adults in the United States. It identifies the geographic sociodemographic variation in food insecurity based on data from the December Supplement to the Current Population Survey. Two years of data are combined to produce state-level estimates.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

performs various federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. National Safe Drinking Water Act data is reported by states and compiled from the Safe Drinking Water Information System

database for public water systems (data obtained via the Enforcement and Compliance History Online

website). State-level air pollution data are obtained via a special request to the agency.