Reflections on COVID-19 and Data in Public Health
Epidemiology curves, outbreak maps, and line graphs of the volatile stock market are flashing across the news and my social media feeds at a breakneck pace these days. The constant updates on the COVID-19 pandemic have made me think a lot about the role data and data visualizations are playing in this public health emergency. As an evaluator working in public and behavioral health, I look at data all the time – from state level substance use rates to survey results on community public health priorities – and work to make sense of complicated data so that it is accessible and understandable for everyone. Recently, the evaluator side of my brain has been working overtime each day to process all the COVID-19 data that I see.
Whether you’re looking at this rapidly spreading virus or the decade-long opioid crisis, having accurate and timely data available is important, and how we display, interpret, and understand data matters a lot. Here are three points about using and sharing data that are especially relevant during this time:
1. We need data and well-done data visualizations to interpret it. At OMNI, we rely on data visualization all the time and view it as an indispensable tool in the service of equity -- clearly and simply communicating data provides an opportunity for stakeholders of all backgrounds to be informed and have an understanding of data without having academic training or skills in statistical interpretation.
2. Data is relevant to everyone, so we should be sharing it. Data is critical for decision-making and presenting data effectively helps us make sense of the fast-changing world around us. The need to share data with everyone and give everyone power to make informed decisions feels more critical now than ever.
3. Data must be shared with context and explanation to promote reasoned, science-based decisions. We’re all trying to sift through data and the media panic to make informed choices. At every level from government leaders to business managers to families, we are all facing many hard decisions right now, from when to shut down institutions to where COVID-19 testing is needed to when it’s time to hit the supermarket for a food resupply. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all method for this. Each audience has its own concerns and priorities, so we need data that is relevant to each of our needs and the decisions we face.
In many ways, this pandemic has put me in the position that our clients and partners are often in when we start work together – bombarded with data on a topic that may not be familiar to them and feeling unsure what to do next. From my new makeshift home office, I’m trying to take this opportunity to really sit with these feelings of uncertainty and identify what is helpful for me to move forward with my personal and professional lives right now. When I see a really well-done visual, I want to make note of what made it effective. When I hear a government official give information that helps me make a decision, I want to dissect it and figure out why it was effective. Communicating data clearly is what I try to do day in and day out, so this might just be the perfect time for a crash course in improving my skills and making me a better partner to the communities OMNI will continue to serve long after COVID-19 subsides.