The Massachusetts Racial Equity Data Road Map: Data as a Tool Toward Ending Structural Racism

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Equity
• Data Science

Background:

• Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) prioritized health and racial equity in 2015.
• A staff capacity survey revealed needs in data collection and use for promoting racial equity.
• MDPH launched a quality improvement project to enhance data utilization for racial equity initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To improve the use of data for actionable strategies that promote racial equity in public health.
• To identify and address challenges hindering the effective use of data in racial equity work.

Main Methods:

• Value stream mapping to analyze existing data-use processes.
• Key informant interviews and program director surveys to identify challenges.
• Cause-and-effect diagramming to organize challenges and identify solutions.

Main Results:

• Key informants emphasized considering structural, historical, and community contexts in data interpretation.
• Program directors cited limited staff time, unclear metrics, competing priorities, data quality issues, and vague expectations as barriers.
• The MDPH Racial Equity Data Road Map (Road Map) was developed and piloted to address these challenges.

Conclusions:

• The Road Map offers strategies for data collection and use to target racial inequities effectively.
• It serves as a resource for community engagement, contextualizing data, and designing root-cause solutions.
• Public health systems can leverage this framework to develop data-driven programs and policies for improved racial equity.