Limitations
Data from PLACES can be used to better understand the burden and geographic distribution of health-related issues, and assist in the planning of public health interventions. However, the CDC notes the following limitations for using the data:
- Do not compare different levels of geography. For example, do not compare a census tract number to a county number.
- Model-based local estimates should not be used to evaluate the effect of local public health programs, policies or interventions.
- Do not use these data for ranking the overall health of any location.
- The current modeling procedure does not support using the estimates to track changes at the local level over time.
Because data are model-based, directly collected survey data should be used whenever possible. For example,
use the Oregon BRFSS data for county estimates and not county estimates from PLACES.
PLACES approach and methods
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) used a multilevel regions and post stratification approach that links health surveys with population demographic and socioeconomic information to model data at the county, census tract, city and ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA).
The methods and validations for PLACES are listed on the PLACES Methodology and Validation page.
How to use PLACES
When you click on the link below you access the PLACES interactive map.
- There will be a descriptive pop-up when you first enter. Click anywhere to dismiss the pop-up.
- Zoom into Oregon, as you zoom you will first see counties, then census tracts.
- To see ZCTAs, click on the layers button
and click on ZCTAs to make them visible; click on Tracts to make them stop showing.
Note that all data are unadjusted (not adjusted for differences in age distributions between areas).
