MGH Guides: Health Data Sources: Visualizing Health Data

Visualize Data Resources

Visualizing Health Data

Often data can be more easily understood in the form of visualizations than spreadsheets of numbers. The links below can help you understand and create your own health data visualizations so that you can more effectively communicate your message.

10 Useful Ways to Visualize Your Data
Provides ideas of the different ways to visualize data
Create a Map Chart Using Excel
Microsoft provides a brief tutorial on making a Map Chart of data using Excel
What is Data Visualization?
Visualizing Health
Visualizing Health has an array of premade specific graphs, charts, and other forms of data visualization that pertains to health risks. Watch the short video below to see how it works.

Transcript- Visualizing Health
Transcript document for the Visualizing Health video.

Mapping Public Health Data

These web resources will help you map out public health data. If you need help using any of these tools, please Ask a Librarian.

Chronic Disease GIS Exchange (CDC)
Explore a wealth of spatial, environmental and public health GIS resources.
PolicyMap
Has some freely accessible health data.
HealthMap
Brings together disparate data sources, including online news aggregators, eyewitness reports, expert-curated discussions and validated official reports, to achieve a unified and comprehensive view of the current global state of infectious diseases and their effect on human and animal health.
NCHHSTP Atlas (CDC)
Access data reported to CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP). Use HIV, STD, hepatitis, and TB data to create maps, charts, and detailed reports, and analyze trends and patterns.
Community Commons
Providse public access to thousands of meaningful data layers that allow mapping and reporting capabilities so you can thoroughly explore community health.