In collaboration with the Spatial Sciences Institute at USC, the SC CTSI provides services for investigators with an interest in linking geospatial and patient health data. We help researchers access census-tract-level data such as exposure to environmental risk factors (e.g., air and water quality metrics), socio-economic and environmental conditions (e.g., median income, education, access to food), and neighborhood demographics (e.g., population density, race, ethnicity). Incorporated into research datasets, these data can power research on social and environmental determinants of health without the need to disclose patient addresses. SC-CTSI/CRI and ISI staff can consult with teams interested in these data in their research, to understand the nuance of these variables in context.
42 social and environmental measurements from 6 different data sources (e.g., CDC, Cal EPA, ACS/US Census Bureau) are available, including:
- Median income
- Education
- Housing
- Access to food
- Population density
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Air quality
- Water quality
More measurement are being added all the time.
