Association of State Public Health Nutritionists

The aim of this article is to promote the use of knowledge visualization frameworks in the creation and transfer of complex public health knowledge. The accessibility to healthy food items is an example of complex public health knowledge. The United States Department of Agriculture Food Access Research Atlas (FARA) dataset contains 147 variables for 72,864 census tracts and includes 16 food accessibility variables with binary values (0 or 1). Using four-digit and 16-digit binary patterns, we have developed data analytical procedures to group the 72,684 U.S. census tracts into eight and forty groups respectively. This value-added FARA dataset facilitated the design and production of interactive knowledge visualizations that have a collective purpose of knowledge transfer and specific functions including new insights on food accessibility and obesity rates in the United States. The knowledge visualizations of the binary patterns could serve as an integrated explanation and prediction system to help answer why and what-if questions on food accessibility, nutritional inequality and nutrition therapy for diabetic care at varying geographic units. In conclusion, the approach of knowledge visualizations could inform coordinated multi-level decision making for improving food accessibility and reducing chronic diseases in locations defined by patterns of food access measures.

Despite the growing emphasis on collaboration in public health, there remains a dearth of literature providing tools for evaluation of coalitions and councils. This study employed social network gap analysis as an evaluation tool. Survey data collected from the Southeastern Health Equity Council (SHEC) members were used to assess connections among members as a whole, by committee, by state, and by health specialty area. Analysis of how well SHEC met the representation outlined in its strategic plan was also conducted. Recommendations for improving the network and opportunities to effectively recruit and advance the work of SHEC are discussed.