Estimating Geographic Variation and Disparities in Disease Prevalence using the National Health Interview Survey

Oregon Convention Center 

The United States continues to experience substantial demographic disparities in health and well-being. To inform more equitable delivery of health services and achieve health equity, there is need for reliable estimates of disease prevalence and other health-related factors for various geo-demographic groups. Sample surveys are central to population-based estimation of disease prevalence. However, national surveys are often designed to achieve adequate precision nationally and may lack the sample size for more granular estimates. Obtaining more granular statistics relies heavily on models and auxiliary data, which may vary in timeliness, availability, and quality. We will describe challenges in obtaining timely state-level estimates of disease prevalence by various demographics using data from the National Health Interview Survey. We will outline the steps involved in selecting predictors; determining the appropriate model and software; and producing, validating, and reporting the estimates. Model-based estimates will be compared with those obtained through the direct design-based method, as well as with estimates from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System when available.