Let's Talk Data. / Social Determinants of Health

Bridging Health Disparities with Data: mySidewalk's Journey to Data-Driven Empowerment

In a world where data dictates directions, mySidewalk stands as a beacon of innovation, guiding hospitals, healthcare organizations, researchers, health equity officers, and community leaders toward a future free of health disparities. As we gear up for an inspiring presentation at th …

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The Loneliness Epidemic in America

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The COVID-19 pandemic is a collective trauma on a global scale. In a matter of weeks, our lives were upended. We bunkered down in our homes, many of us expecting to be back in the office or classrooms in a few weeks. There was fear of the disease, of course, but there was also isolati …

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3 Ingredients You Need in a Successful Community Health Assessment

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Community Health Assessments (often fondly referred to as CHAs) have a reputation as dense, dry, and overwhelming. On my first day as Deputy Director of the Kansas City, Missouri Health Department, I walked into my new office to see a two-inch thick printed report on my desk. The CHA …

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A Complete Picture of Health: Introducing the80

80% of what makes us healthy or unhealthy happens outside of the doctor’s office and in our neighborhoods and greater enviornment. COVID-19 placed a spotlight on health inequities and the critical role Community Health Workers play in helping members navigate numerous systems of care …

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Data-Powered Advocacy: The Vitalyst Health Data Dashboard Story

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There should be no such thing as an "Equity Dashboard"

On January 26th, President Biden signed multiple Executive Orders addressing America’s shameful legacy of structural racism in the carceral system, housing and the economy. This comes as welcome news for the hundreds of communities we serve at mySidewalk who have been at the front lin …

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A Quick Guide to the (New) 10 Essential Public Health Services

A Quick Guide to the (New) 10 Essential Public Health Services

My 14-year-old daughter recently discovered an old photo album (with actual photos in it! Not digital ones!) of mine from my carefree youth. She laughed way too hard at our late 90’s, early 00’s fashion choices; there was a lot of white eyeliner and pleather happening. Caption: Some o …

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Vitalyst Spark: The Health Data Challenge, Part 1

Every day we come to work thinking about how data can make a better world. There are few “probletunities” as exciting and impactful as connecting health care, public health, and health outcomes through data. Listen in as Dr. Sarah Martin, VP of Health Solutions, and Stephen Hardy, CEO …

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2 SDoH Reports Every Public Health Director Needs

2 SDoH Reports Every Public Health Director Needs

During a pandemic, the needs of your community increase. As a public health leader, you need the right data so you can respond effectively. You need information that helps you provide transparency and address the factors that impact the health of your community. mySidewalk's goal is t …

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Spotlight: Highlighting Root Causes of Inequity in KCMO

Healthy environments and systems of fair access are vital priorities for public health. Working towards these priorities isn’t always straightforward. Meaningful, lasting change is the result of communities coming together to address the core issues that affect us. Recognizing how res …

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Mapping Health Equity: Start With Race

Race and health are tragically linked. Race is not a risk factor for disease; racism is. Racism leads to inequities in health outcomes, including low birth weight, high blood pressure, and poor self-rated health. A legacy of oppression inevitably led to the unequal impact of COVID-19 …

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COVID-19 Affects People Differently Based On Where They Are

COVID-19 Affects People Differently Based On Where They Are

I’ve been interviewing folks on the mySidewalk leadership team about how they’re viewing COVID-19 through a disaster recovery lens. I learned from our CEO, Stephen Hardy, that disaster recovery 101 begins by accepting that you can’t put things back to how they were before. Your goal i …

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