11/15/11 – Are Data Sexy*?
by Ned Calonge, MD, MPHPresident & CEO, The Colorado Trust
To a researcher like me data can indeed be "sexy," if you use the slang definition that includes words like "engaging," "interesting" and even "appealing." However, I recognize this is not true for many or even most regular people, for whom data alone is insufficient to move them to take action or seek change. I'll admit I've yet to hear of a pie chart moving people to raise money for or rally behind a cause. On the other hand, anecdotal stories and examples that are emotionally compelling may well inspire engagement. Such stories should be backed by solid data to help us move beyond the anecdote and beyond problem recognition toward effective solutions. This is where CHAS comes in.
The Colorado Health Access Survey – or CHAS – is the most extensive survey of health care coverage, access and utilization in Colorado. This morning, we released initial findings from the 2011 CHAS, with comparisons to the 2008-2009 baseline survey. A program of The Colorado Trust, CHAS is administered every other year via a random sample telephone survey of more than 10,000 households across the state - providing detailed information that is representative of the five million-plus Coloradans. The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) manages the data collection and analysis of the CHAS.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the findings are not particularly encouraging. The weak economy, lingering unemployment and the still-increasing cost of health insurance combined make health insurance inaccessible to many Coloradans. In fact, survey findings shows that more than 1.5 million – or nearly one in three – Coloradans have either no health care coverage at all, or their health insurance does not adequately cover the costs of medically necessary services relative to family income.
Chase Wiggins of Denver exemplifies key findings from the survey: he is young – 28 years old, employed full time at a fast-food restaurant, low-income and has been without health insurance for years. The 2011 CHAS findings show more Coloradans are "chronically" uninsured; more than 60% of uninsured Coloradans have not had health insurance for at least a year, up from 56% in the baseline 2008-2009 survey. Young, working-age adults, between the ages of 19 to 34, have the highest rate of uninsurance (28% in 201l). And the percentage of Coloradans with employer-sponsored insurance dropped from 64% in 2008-2009 to 58% in 2011.
When Chase first went to work for the restaurant three years ago, his employer didn't offer any form of health insurance support. Two years ago, the company began offering a health care insurance plan to its employees – but relative to his salary, the premium was too expensive and the coverage was minimal, so he elected not to enroll and remains uninsured. Still, Chase says that even as he is young and healthy, he worries about his future without health insurance.
Regardless of the fate of federal health care reform, the precarious health situation faced by Chase – and some 1.5 million Coloradans like him – must be addressed. We believe the solid (though admittedly non-sexy) information gained through the Colorado Health Access Survey plays an important role in helping guide our efforts to improve access to health care for Coloradans. I invite you to learn more about CHAS by visiting the new website, www.COHealthAccessSurvey.org. I'm also happy to talk personally with groups and organizations that want to better understand this resource.
*Finally, I want to hear from our readers. Would you have been equally moved to read this blog posting if it were titled "Are Data Critical?" v. "Are Data Sexy?" I'm counting on your feedback, as I'm considering the headline: "Even Tebow Needs Data" for my next blog post. Most of all, I want to hear your questions and thoughts about the CHAS.
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