Instructions for Using Step-by-Step Mode:
To go back one step, click "Previous Step" button (not browser "Back Button").
Instructions for Using Jump-to-Page Mode:
Primary Statistic - The basic numerical result in the output.
Primary statistics include: Population · Median Age · Percent in Age Group
Selecting - Click on desired setting, such as Population.
Example Statistic Selector
Rows - Are horizontal lines of data, such as the row for 1991. Row Sort - Rows can be sorted, low to high, or high to low. Columns - Go up and down, such as the column for "White" race. Multi-Tables - Also called "By Variable". Make a series of tables.
Selecting - Click on desired setting, such as "Age" or "Year".
Example Row, Column, or Multi-Table Selector
If a conflict between primary statistic and axis variable:
Examples of conflicting settings:
Data variables include - age, race, sex, year, county.
Selecting - Click on one or more values.
Under 1 1-4 5-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+
Example Data Variable Selector (for Age)
Certain data variables allow different "groupings". For example, 5-year or 10-year age groups.
To change the grouping in actual interface:
Example Data Grouping Selection
Sometimes, a conflict exists between a variable and a population-based rate. Vitalnet automatically prevents this from producing misleading output.
This is best shown with an example: Suppose there are 408,000 births, and the population is 12,000,000 females. The birth rate is 34 births per 1,000 females (408,000 / 12,000,000). Now, suppose we limit the analysis to women with 12 years education, with 108,000 births to such women. The result would seem to be 9 births per 1,000 such women (108,000/ 12,000,000). But of course this is totally wrong. The problem is caused because the denominator is not adjusted.
To resolve this problem, when Vitalnet makes a rate calculation, it automatically adds all categories to demographic variables that are not included in the population data set.
Other Settings include the following options:
Using pie charts:
Ways to customize Vitalnet pie charts:
Note: Pie charts are made ONLY if following conditions met:
Bar charts compare amounts of different things.
Ways to customize Vitalnet bar charts:
Note: Black and white chart uses hatch and gray-scale patterns.
Note: Bar charts are made ONLY if following conditions met:
Line charts show movement or change.
Ways to customize Vitalnet line charts:
Note: Black and white lines are rendered as dot and dash patterns.
Note: Line charts are made ONLY if following conditions met:
Maps display results geographically.
Ways to customize Vitalnet maps:
Time trend maps require:
References and research used to help design Vitalnet palettes:
To produce results:
To view results:
If graphics do not display in the output, try refreshing the browser.
To print results from your browser, do one of the following:
If too wide or long:
Spreadsheet or word processor printing:
To save results displayed in a browser, do one of the following:
To save a map as an image file, minus surrounding text:
Suggestions on naming files:
Area set - One or more areas combined.
ASCII file - A text file, with only alphabetical, numerical, and punctuation characters, like you would see in normal text. Vitalnet can produce output in ASCII format.
Bar graphs - A section of a Vitalnet table. Gives a useful graphical representation of the data. May be omitted from the output table.
CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. US federal health agency.
Cell - A space for a single numerical result in a table, at a row-column intersection.
Cell suppression - An asterisk "*" is placed in cells with fewer deaths than a limit set by the user. Row / column totals with exactly one suppressed cell in the row / column are also suppressed. If more than one cell in the row / column is suppressed, the row / column total is displayed.
Columns - Vertical groupings of data in a Vitalnet table, such as a column for each race group.
CSV format - Also called comma-separated-value format. A type of computer output that is readily imported into other software, especially spreadsheet software. Each output item is separated by a comma from surrounding items, and each output text item is surrounded by "double quotes". Vitalnet produces CSV output. A comma-separated-value file has "csv" extension.
Data mining - Finding unexpected relationships in a data set. Similar to exploratory data analysis. Vitalnet is excellent at data mining. Of course, keep in mind that the more you look, the more unusual events you will find, just by chance.
Data warehouse - Software system, such as Vitalnet, making large complex databases readily available for querying and analysis.
dBASE III format - A widely used file format derived from the database software of the same name. Files in this format may be readily imported into almost any data analysis, graphing, mapping, or other presentation software. Has dbf extension. Suppressed cells are represented as the number "-1". Vitalnet produces dBASE III output.
Denominator - The number on the bottom of a fraction. Population data are often referred to as "denominator data", as they are used as denominators to calculate population-based rates.
Export - Produce output that can be read into other computer programs. Vitalnet produces ASCII text, comma-separated-value (csv extension), HTML (htm extension), and dBASE III (dbf extension) files for export.
Filter variable - A variable solely used to filter which records are included in the output. For example, for a single table with race rows and sex columns, age is a filter variable.
Footer - Last part of a Vitalnet table. Lists other details of the analysis, such as the date and time produced, and the data sources. Each table is assigned a unique ID, listed in the footer, to assist you in keeping track of and organizing analyses.
Header - First part of a Vitalnet table. Lists basic parameters you selected to define the table, such as years analyzed.
HSA - Health Service Area. Groupings of California counties. There are 14 HSA's.
Import - Read information into a computer program. ASCII text, CSV files, HTML, and dBASE III files from Vitalnet are easily imported into word processing, spreadsheet, data analysis, mapping, graphing, and other presentation software programs.
Least-squares - A standard method for fitting the best straight line to a set of points. Produces a 1 -intercept and a slope defining the least-squares line.
Median population age - A measure of the overall age of a population. Half the population is younger than the median, half is older. Assuming a population of 100,000 people, 50,000 people would be older than the median age, 50,000 younger.
Multiple age groups - One age group for each row or column of a table. Example: Birth-19, 20-39, 40-59, 60-99+.
NCHS - National Center for Health Statistics. US health statistics agency. Part of the CDC.
Percent total population in age group - A population statistic. Useful for assessing the relative age of the population. If the total population is 100,000, and 8,000 are under age 10, the percent of the total population under 10 is 8 percent.
Population - The number of people living in an area.
Primary Statistic - The basic type of numerical result displayed in a table, chart, or map. For example, population.
Rows - Horizontal lines in a Vitalnet table, such as a row for each race group.
Row sort settings - Vitalnet rows may be sorted in ascending or descending order.
Set - A combination of one or more things. For example, several areas may be combined into an area set.
Single age group - Only one age group (30-49, for example) is selected. A single age group is used for tables that do not have age columns or age rows.
Statistic - See "Primary Statistic".
Table - A set of results produced by Vitalnet. A table has several parts:
UNIX - A widely used computer operating system. Vitalnet can run on UNIX, either remotely, locally, or by client-server.
Windows - A widely used set of PC operating systems, including Windows 3.1, 95, 98, NT, 2000, and XP. Vitalnet will run under any version of Windows.
World Wide Web (WWW) - A widely used part of the internet that may be easily accessed with a web browser. Vitalnet runs on the WWW.
The "Primary Statistic" (numerical outcome) is the basic type of number in a Vitalnet table. It is best understood by looking at the examples below.
Median Population Age - The age at which half of the population is older, and half younger. For example, a median age of 42.3 indicates that 50% are younger than 42.3 years, 50% older. Median population age is a good indicator of the overall youth or age of the population.
Percent Total Population in Age Group - For example, the age group birth-4 is selected, and 7.2% of the population is less than five years old. This statistic may be used to assess trends in population age distribution.
Definition - A "confidence interval" is a range of values within which the true value of a variable is thought to lie, with a certain degree of confidence (80%, 90%, 95%, etc). A "confidence level" is the degree of confidence, such as 95%.
Selection - A larger percentage (such as 99%) is more stringent than a smaller percentage (such as 80%). Use 95% if you are unsure.
Interpretation - The smaller the interval, the more reliable the result. Two results that overlap at the 95% level are less likely to be significantly different than results which don't overlap.
Methods - The method Vitalnet uses to calculate confidence intervals depends on the context. The method is listed in the footnotes to the table.
Z * Rate / Sqrt (Events) - This method is recommended by the NCHS. Technical Appendix of the Vital Statistics of the United States, Vol II, Mortality, Part A
Poisson distribution - This method is valid if events are relatively rare, which usually applies to health events. Scientific Tables, Diem and Lentner (ed), Giegy, 1970, page 189.
VitalWeb Wizard uses data from authoritative sources.
Population data - All California population data were provided by the Department of Finance.
Internet resources related to Population Data:
For additional assistance with analyzing and interpreting the data, contact:
"Discover the future of health data", "We care about your health data", Birtha, Epidemic, Epigram, Medtrend, Multicod, Oncogram, Poptrend, Pregdata, Vitalnet, VitalPro, VitalPro for DOS, VitalPro for Unix, VitalPro for Windows, VitalWeb, VitalWeb Standard, and VitalWeb Wizard are trademarks of Expert Health Data Programming, Inc. (EHDP). VITALNET and VITALWEB are registered trademarks. More information
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