1

An Introduction to the Minnesota

Epidemiological Profile

Minnesota State Epidemiological Workgroup

andMinnesota Institute of Public Health

Fall Forums

2

Agenda

Introduction What’s in the Profile?

Interpreting the Data

Activity and Discussion

3

Purpose of Training

By participating in today’s session, you will be better able to:

• Describe the purpose, format and content of the MN Epi Profile

• Describe how the MN Epi Profile fits with the Strategic Prevention Framework

• Begin to use the MN Epi Profile to identify needs related to substance abuse prevention

4

Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF)

5

Assessment

Needs

Resources

Readiness

6

A Shift in Thinking

“The statistical study of the distribution

and determinants of disease in populations*.”

*Source: www.mesotheliomafyi.com/glossary

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A Shift in Thinking

Applying Epidemiology to

Substance Abuse Prevention is a relatively new

concept

8

Ways to Use Data

Prevention professionals can use data to proactively identify:

• Substance use problems• Level of capacity to address those

problems• Readiness of the community to

implement prevention measures

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What does the profile provide?

• Provides information about needs• SPF and the

profile allow customized prevention

10

Use of the MN Epi Profile

How can the profile beused as a tool bypreventionprofessionalsat the state andcommunity level?

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Agenda

Introduction What’s in the Profile?

Interpreting the Data

Activity and Discussion

12

What’s in the Profile?

• Consumption• Consequences• Risk Factors Are Not Addressed

Consumption

Consequence

Risk Factors

Alcohol Tobacco Illicit Drugs

Students reporting anyuse of alcohol

in past 30 days

Impaired driving incidents per 1000

population

N/A

Deaths from lung cancer per 1000

population

Adults reportingsmoking 100

cigarettes in lifetime& smoke everyday

N/A N/A

Adult prison inmates in MN sentencedfor drug offenses

Percent of populationreporting illicit druguse in past 30 days

13

Activity

• Using the Profile and your yellow worksheet, look up the following data for your county and for the state:

12th Grade Male and Female Binge Drinking (p.150)

12th Grade Male and Female Drinking or Using Drugs and Driving (p. 152)

12th Grade Male and Female Riding With Friends After Using Alcohol or Drugs (p. 154)

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Data Sources

• Alcohol-Related Disease Impact

• Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

• Fatality Analysis Reporting System

• MN Dept. of Corrections-Probation Survey and Inmate Profile

• Smoking-Attributable Mortality, Morbidity and Economic Costs

• Crash Facts and Minnesota Impaired Driving Facts

• Minnesota Dept. of Public Health-Human and Economic Cost of Alcohol Use

• Minnesota Student Survey• National Survey on Drug

Use and Health• National Vital Statistics

System• Uniform Crime Reports

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Census

A census is a survey of an entire population

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Sample

A sample is a subset of the population considered

representative of groups of people to whom results can be

generalized

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Surveys

A questioning or canvassing of persons selected at random or by quota to obtain information

or opinions to be analyzed

18

Rates

• A rate is the quantity, amount, or degree of something measured per unit of something else

• A percentage is a type of rate

19Do the percentages add up to 100?

Page 60

“The Rate Trap”

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Economic Cost

Health Care Costs OtherImpacts

Productivity Impacts

Alcohol Disorders

Treatment, Prevention, Programs

Loss of productivity

due to alcohol-related illness

Motor vehicle crashes

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Economic Cost in the Profile

Page 194

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Costs of Motor Vehicle Crashes

Page 192

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Agenda

Introduction What’s in

the Profile? Interpreting

the Data Activity and

Discussion

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Data Interpretation

• Introduction to Basic Epidemiological Descriptors Magnitude Severity Time Trends

• Data interpretation and critical analysis

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Magnitude

• How big is the problem?

• How many people are affected?

• What percentage of the population is affected?

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MagnitudeBenefits and Limitations

• Good way to describe the problem

• Percentages for smallsamples not useful

• Raw counts may not tell the whole story when comparing

large and small samples

Magnitude

Limitations

Benefits

27

Magnitude

• Counts and Percentages in the Profile• Benefits• Limitations

Page 35

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Magnitude

• Using data to interpret magnitude Subgroup data Disparity and

disproportion

Page 25

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MagnitudeSubgroup Data

Looking for possible targeted

interventions within subgroups

Page 47

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MagnitudeDisparity and Disproportion

Gender Distribution of MSS Respondents

49%51%

Male

Female

Gender Distribution of Chewing Tobacco Users

90%

10%

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MagnitudeDisparity and Disproportion

Racial Distribution of MSS Respondents (In Percentages)

76.2

4.4

1.5

4.7

2.9

5.25.1

WhiteBlack/AANative AmericanAsian American/PIHispanic/LatinoBiracialDK/NA

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MagnitudeDisparity and Disproportion

Racial Distribution of Meth Use (In Percentages, Used in the Last 12 Months)

75

3

2.3

4.3

3.7

6.3

8.37

WhiteBlack/AANative AmericanAsian American/PIHispanic/LatinoBiracialDK/NA

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MagnitudeDisparity and Disproportion

All MSS Respondents

Not much difference in the distributions. What does that tell us?

Meth Users

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Activity

• Review Impaired Driving Handout Table 1.04 (blue worksheet)

• Expect an even distribution of DUI arrests Sunday through Saturday

• Disproportionate number of arrests Friday - Sunday

• Ask why?

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Severity

• How “bad” is the problem?

• How does my community compare?

• Comparison Ratios• Discussing

meaningful differences and acceptable ratios

36

SeverityBenefits and Limitations

• Good way to trackhow your community

compares to state andnational numbers

• Meaningful differences and acceptable ratios are subjective concepts

Severity

Limitations

Benefits

37

Comparison

Page 96

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Comparison

The ratio of Big Stone County : MN is 1.4

Ratio = 66/

46.4 = 1.4

Page 148

Page 149

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Activity

• Using the data you looked up earlier (yellow worksheet), calculate your local county ratios

• Divide your county’s percentage by the statewide percentage to find the ratio

County Percentage = Ratio

State Percentage

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Good News…Bad News

• “Our data is lower than the state’s, so we don’t have a problem!”

• Keep looking at the data - what else does it show?

• Use other data sources, maybe use recent local example

41

Comparison

• What is an acceptable comparison ratio?

• What is a meaningful difference?

42

Time Trends

• Reading Time Series Graphs

• Thinking Critically• “Environmental”

Causes of Trends

43

Time TrendsBenefits and Limitations

• Incorporates the element of time

• Good for critical analysis of a community

• Usefulness depends on amount of available data

• Hard to evaluateinterventions

Time Trends

Limitations

Benefits

44

Time Trends

Page 80

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Time Trends

Example: Drug Z Use (percentage of adults, 30 day use) 1999-2002

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1999 2000 2001 2002

Drug Z Use

46

Time Trends

Example: Drug Z Use (percentage of adults, 30 day use) 1990-2002

01020304050607080

Drug Z Use

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Summary: Benefits and Limitations

• Good way to describe the

problem

• Percentages for smallsamples not useful

• Raw counts may nottell the whole story

when comparing large and small samples

• Good way to trackhow your communitycompares to state and

national numbers

• Meaningful differences and

acceptable ratios are subjective concepts

• Incorporates theelement of time

• Good for criticalanalysis of a community

• Usefulness dependson amount of available data

• Hard to evaluateinterventions

Magnitude

Severity Time Trends

Limitations

Benefits

48

Agenda

Introduction What’s in

the Profile? Interpreting

the Data Activity and Discussion

49

Data Interpretation Activity

• Review and Discuss Information• Calculations• Critical Thinking • Sharing Information

50

What’s Next

• Profile Updates• Website• For more information

contact your RegionalPrevention Coordinatoror the Minnesota Institute of Public Health