Relationship between health outcomes and health factors
analysis of 2016 data in the pacific Northwest Robert Wood Johnson foundation county health Rankings and roadmaps
pp. 177-187
in: Joachim P. Sturmberg (ed), Putting systems and complexity sciences into practice, Berlin, Springer, 2018Abstract
Intuitively, we have an understanding that Health Outcomes are related to Health Factors. In general, better Health Factors lead to better Health Outcomes. However, that relationship is complex and follow nonlinear dynamics. In many instances, some geographic areas have much better (or worse!) Health Outcomes than would be predicted by their Health Factors. In this study, we investigate that complex relationship in the counties in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. We have found a unique binomial relationship with distinct computational signatures. Understanding this complex relationship is important as it has fundamental and practical implications for improving health disparities.
