Chartbook
Will the data be updated?
Yes, the Office on Women's Health routinely updates Quick Health Data Online as data become available.
How often will the online database be updated?
The Office on Women's Health plans to provide quarterly updates. If you would like to be notified of such updates, please send your request and e-mail address to OWHcomments@qrs-inc.com.
I have a new data source that I would like to see included on your system. Is this possible?
E-mail your data request to OWHcomments@qrs-inc.com and the needed data will be considered for inclusion in future releases.
Where can I direct additional questions and/or comments about the system?
The Project Sponsors welcome comments on the system, including perceptions on the use of the database, variables included in the system, variable extraction and presentation procedures, and any other items about the website. Please provide comments to: OWHcomments@qrs-inc.com.
Some variables were reported with zeros while others are blank. What is the difference?
Zero values are reflective of NO occurrences of the event in that period of time. Blanks represent unavailable data either due to suppression or because it was not reported or provided. For information on suppressions and reporting, please see Methods and Sources.
How did you calculate rates?
Detailed information on calculations, age adjustment and other methodology is provided in the online Sources documentation. The most commonly presented rates are calculated as follows:
- Death Rate = (# deaths / total population) * 100,000
- Disease Rate = (# observed counts of disease / total population) * 100,000
- Birth Rate = (# of births / total population) * 1,000
- Fertility Rate = (# of births / female population age 15-44) *1,000
- Pregnancy Rate = ((# of births + abortions + fetal deaths) / female population age 15-44) *1,000
- Maternal Death Rate = (# of maternal deaths / # of births) * 100,000
Do you have a list of all the variables in the system?
A complete variable list is provided in the online Sources documentation. It can be accessed from the left navigation bar by clicking on the link titled Sources and then using the link to "information on all sources in the system." Click on the "Complete Variable List" in the Sources documentation Table of Contents to see variables arranged by Group and Sub-Group. Source documentation may also be reached directly.
How can I see more information about the variables in the system?
At any point in the selection process, a more detailed description of an element can be obtained by
highlighting the variable of interest and clicking on the blue "Details" button to the right of the
selection window. Once the "Details" button is clicked,
a fuller description of the element appears in your browser window, as shown below.
More detailed information regarding the source of a data variable and explanatory information may also be obtained by clicking on the "Sources" button to the left of the "Details" button. Complete Sources documentation can also be accessed from the left navigation bar by clicking on the link titled Sources and then using the link to "information on all sources in the system." Or go there directly.
How do I use the Advanced Search feature?
Advanced Search allows users to filter variable lists by gender, race/ethnicity, and year. Users
may also enter keywords to filter data. Once a user has selected the category and sub-category of data, click
on the box next to "Advanced Search." When this box is selected, the Advanced Search field will expand and users can
use drop down boxes to filter sex, race/ethnicity and year, as shown below.
Users may also choose to enter a keyword to limit the number of variables listed. Users should enter their text into the Keyword box then click on the green search button. Please note that the keyword filter is very sensitive. In addition, the system often uses abbreviations in variable names (e.g., "Dis" instead of "Disease"). As a result, users are encouraged to use simple keywords or to consider using just the first several letters of a keyword rather than the full word.
I'm using Advanced Search but no data are being displayed.
Advanced Search filters a sub-category of data at the discretion of the user. Users must be aware that not all genders, races/ethnicities, or years are available for all categories and sub-categories of data. If, no data are appearing while using Advanced Search filters, please remove some or all of the filters.
Reports
Why is my report blank?
Among the reasons for this are:
- No geographic areas were selected. Make sure you have selected at least one valid geographic area.
- An invalid geographic area was selected. For example, if state data were selected in Step 1 and counties were selected in Step 2, no data will appear in the output report. Note, any drop-down data category ending in "- State" contains only state, regional and national level data.
- Geographic areas were selected where the data have been suppressed due to small numbers.
- Data are not available either because the state does not release the data requested, does not collect the data, and/or did not respond to particular survey questions.
I only see some of the counties/states I requested. How can I see the rest?
If you have selected more than 45 geographic regions, the generated
report will exceed one page. To view additional pages use the arrows at the top
of the screen, as shown below. If you would like to see a particular geographic area, you can
search for it by entering the term in the search box and using the "Find / Next" options, also
shown below.
Charts
How can I get a chart to print on one page instead of two?
All reasonably sized charts will print on a single page by selecting Landscape under Print Options. In general, the chart feature shrinks the horizontal dimensions to fit onto a single page. It may also be necessary to adjust the print margins on the "Page Setup" menu to zero.
Can I rescale the x- or y-axis on charts?
Users cannot rescale charts. The charting tool is a fixed routine and cannot be manipulated by individual users. If the user wants to create separate graphs that have the same scale, the data can be easily exported to Excel and graphs can be created and scaled to user-specified values.
Maps
Can I reset the ranges used on maps?
Users may not directly set the data ranges used on maps. Users may, however, determine the number of classes that are mapped by using the "No. of Classes" feature on the upper right corner of the mapping page. Users may also adjust the way data breaks are generated, by using the "Classification Method" option. Note that in cases where a majority of cells are zeros, setting the Classification Method to "Equal Intervals" may be more effective than the default "Quantile" option.
Can I generate a map that shows only the selected state? When I generate a map now, it always shows parts of adjacent states.
The mapping routine produces a rectangular area. As a result, virtually all maps will show surrounding jurisdictions.
Exporting
How do I export my data into Excel or another format?
To export data, click on the down arrow next to the "Select a Format" window
on the tool bar, and highlight the format desired (e.g., Excel, Acrobat (pdf) file) and
then click Export, as illustrated below.
Can I cut and paste tables, graphs and maps into a Word or PowerPoint document?
Yes, users can copy charts, maps and tables into Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and other packages in one of two ways:
- With your cursor, hover over a map, chart or table. The Image Toolbar should appear with options to Save, Print or Email your image. Clicking on the save tool (the one that looks like a diskette) will save the image in the user's Picture file. When working in another application (e.g., a Word document), users can insert the saved image using the application's Insert/File/Picture commands.
- Another approach is to simply right click on the map or chart and select Copy. The item may then be directly pasted into the desired document or file.
Where can I get information about data sources?
On the left navigation bar, click on the Sources link. Click on the link for "information on all sources in the system." Or go there directly.
Note: this list will grow as additional users'
questions are received.