Frequently Asked Questions

The Missouri Health Data Tool is a reporting and mapping platform designed to help users easily find community and state health data. This tool now includes data from the 2016 and 2022 Missouri County-Level Studies (CLS) and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from 2014-2024. Users can access detailed county, regional, and state data on health conditions and behaviors. In the Map Room, visitors can create custom maps using data from both the CLS and BRFSS, as well as over 120 national secondary sources.

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Anyone can use the Missouri Health Data tools. No account or registration is required.

The report data come from the 2016 and 2022 Missouri County-Level Studies and the BRFSS, spanning 2014-2024. The CLS is a survey of approximately 50,000 Missourians, conducted by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services with support from the University of Missouri-Columbia Health and Behavioral Risk Research Center. The BRFSS is a national phone survey conducted annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to track health-related behaviors across the state. Download the data package for access to both the CLS and BRFSS to access analytic data for counties, select cities, regions, and the state of Missouri. For more information, please see the 2022 Missouri County-level Study Overview.

In the County Level Study, crude rates show the estimated percentage and number of people within a population living with a condition without considering the age of the population. Age-adjusted rates account for differences in the age distribution of a population. Since some conditions or diseases occur more frequently in older individuals, it may be better to use age-adjusted data when comparing groups or areas with different age distributions. Age-adjusted data are not available for population subgroups.

State Comparison is used to report the significance in the difference between county (or region) estimates when compared to the state averages. Significance is determined using statistical methods which consider the number of respondents to the survey, the magnitude of the estimated difference, and the degree of confidence – which in this case is set at 95%. If the statistical test finds that the estimate is significantly different, the State Comparison field will indicate "higher" or "lower" based on the direction of the difference. If no significant difference is found, the field will indicate "not significant".

Map Room data are provided by the Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES) from over 120 national secondary sources and a variety of state-based sources. All map layers include release date information for easy reference and link back to the original data source.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reviews and responds to email inquiries from the public. Technical support is provided by the Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES). Please send your question or request to our team by emailing cares@missouri.edu or emailing MOhealthdatasupport@health.mo.gov.