Health Equity in Injury Data: Approaches for Injury Data Communication and Dissemination With a Health Equity Lens
Data Maven Team • 2024
Aaron Clark, Natasha Kataeva, Rivers Laraque-Ho, Sarah Milder, Samantha Sanvik, and Kristin Shaw
Developed in collaboration with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) and produced with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Health Equity in Injury Data offers practical strategies for communicating injury data through a health equity lens. The guide underscores a key idea: data visualizations are more than displays of information — they are stories that shape understanding, influence decisions, and can validate or challenge inequities. As the report describes, public health professionals have a responsibility to pair quantitative results with context, ensuring data on disparities does not unintentionally reinforce stigma or misinterpretation. Through clear examples, practical guidance, and accessible design, the resource offers tools for creating injury data visualizations that are equitable, inclusive, and impactful.
Data Maven’s role in this collaboration included writing, research, and technical expertise in data communication, health equity and accessibility. The guide was designed by Emily Aldrich of Aldrich Design and reviewed for accessibility and usability by Data Maven’s Zoe Portlas and Alexia Málaga. Members of the CSTE Injury Surveillance Workgroup and Health Equity Subcommittee provided valuable insight throughout the development process, shaping a resource that reflects the shared expertise and priorities of the applied epidemiology community.
