The Ohio Department of Health Public Health Data/Research Policy Advisory Committee is an advisory body to the Department for data collection, data analysis, and research activities. The Committee has developed data collection/storage and methodological standards to be used by ODH employees and external users of ODH data, which can be found here.

Data stewardship The Department's policy about data access and release establishes roles and responsibilities for staff. Data Stewardship

Data collection standards The Ohio Department of Health has developed certain data standards to be used in all the department's public health system.  This will result in significant efficiencies in data collection and analysis, improved communications between programs, external agencies and local health departments, and efficient implementation of electronic data reporting systems. Recognizing the potential impact that a project of this magnitude will have in the daily activities of anyone involved in the Public Health System, we solicited feedback regarding the proposed standards during the development phase from as many stakeholders as possible. Even though the implementation of data standards will be gradual, most programs eventually will be affected by these standards. These are the data content and collection standards to be used in Department's public health system.

Each section below includes the developed standards for variables that have a reference standard from a Standard Developing Organization (SDO).  Variables that do not have a reference standard from a SDO have been developed internally using a recommended ODH standard.

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Demographic Variables
• Encounter/Billing Variables
• Location/Address Variables
• Provider Variables

Methodological Standards

• Age adjusted rates: The year 2000 standard population should be used when calculating age-adjusted rates.
   
• Disclosure limitation: Tabulations of confidential Ohio Department of Health data shall be suppressed when the table denominator value minus the table numerator value is less than 10.

Mailing Address:

Ohio Department of Health

Center for Public Health Statics and Informatics

Robert J. Campbell, Ph.D., Deputy Director

246 North High Street

Columbus, OH 43215

Telephone: (614) 995-5591
Fax: (614) 728-4638

E-mail: datacenter@odh.ohio.gov

Last Updated: 8/25/2009