Texas VitalPro User's Guide

Population Data

Produced: Tue Jul 15 00:47:38 PDT 2014
Copyright 1998-2013 by Expert Health Data Programming, Inc.

Table of Contents


Chapter 1: Introduction 1-1: Advantages and Benefits 1-2: Data Within the Program 1-3: Accessing the Program 1-4: Confidentiality Policy Chapter 2: Understanding Results 2-1: Typical VitalPro Table 2-2: Table #1 to Interpret 2-3: Table #1, Interpreted 2-4: Table #2 to Interpret 2-5: Table #2, Interpreted Chapter 3: Using VitalPro Interface 3-1: Start at Main Menu 3-2: Use a Simple Submenu 3-3: Use Geographic Submenu 3-4: Back at Main Menu 3-5: Produce a Table 3-6: Switch to Designing a Map 3-7: Continue with Analyses 3-8: More Practice Analyses Chapter 4: Outlines of Submenus 4-1: Table Layout Submenus	Chapter 5: Table Variables 5-1: Main Statistic [Outcome] 5-2: Rows and Columns, Row Sorting 5-3: By Variable (Multi-Tables) Chapter 6: Data Variables 6-1: Geo Selection [Area Sets] 6-2: Range and Categorical Variables Chapter 7: Charts and Maps 7-1: Bar Chart Coloring 7-2: Bar Chart Layout 7-3: Line Chart Settings 7-4: Pie Chart Coloring 7-5: Pie Chart Layout 7-6: Map Coloring 7-7: Map Layout 7-8: Map Color Palettes 7-9: When Charts and Maps are Made Chapter 8: Other Parameters 8-1: Decimal Places 8-2: Trend Analysis 8-3: CSV and DBF Output Checklist of Key Tasks Glossary

Chapter 1: Introduction

Nature of the software - Vitalnet is a health data warehouse / data analysis system. Vitalnet makes analyzing data faster, easier, and more reliable. This user's guide describes VitalPro, which runs directly on a PC or LAN.

Advice about user guide - We have made the software as self-explanatory as possible. You don't have to read this user's guide. If you pay attention to the menus, you can use the software.

However, we recommend you read the user's guide. 1) Many users learn better from a written text. 2) It is helpful to have an overview of what the software can do, to know it's capabilities, before using it. 3) The user's guide explains many concepts necessary for properly interpreting and using the data.

Tutorial - This user's guide incorporates a tutorial, to help you get started using the software. Tutorial sections are highlighted as shown in this example:

Sample Tutorial Step - Press 'A' to add Texas as one area set.

Here's how this user's guide is organized:

· Chapter 1: Introduction - Describes general characteristics of Texas VitalPro.
· Chapter 2: Understanding Results - Shows and explains typical VitalPro tables.
· Chapter 3: Using VitalPro Interface - Describes and shows how to use VitalPro menus.
· Chapter 4: Outlines of Submenus - Lists program menus and capabilities.
· Chapter 5: Table Variables - Explains how table variables specify table layout.
· Chapter 6: Data Variables - Documents and explains variables such as race and age.
· Chapter 8: Other Parameters - Explains chart, map and other various parameters.
· Checklist of Key Tasks - Lists essential tasks and provides overview.
· Glossary - Defines terms related to population data and VitalPro.

Citation for VitalPro - Expert Health Data Programming, Inc., Texas VitalPro User's Guide: Data Warehouse Software for Analyzing Texas Population Data. Bellevue, Washington. 1998-2013. Browse www.ehdp.com for more information about the software or to contact EHDP.

Acknowledgements - We gratefully acknowledge the suggestions and ideas we have received from Texas Department of State Health Services staff and other users. Please contact us at 888-709-5319 or at www.ehdp.com if you have suggestions or requests.

Copyright 1998-2013 by Expert Health Data Programming, Inc. All rights reserved. VITALNET, VITALWEB, and VITALPRO are trademarks of Expert Health Data Programming, Inc.

1-1: Advantages and Benefits

· VitalPro makes it easy to analyze Texas population data.

Fast - You get results in seconds or minutes. Depending on the analysis, alternate methods could easily require hours or days to complete.

Reliable - VitalPro automates data analysis, and automatically incorporates needed complex algorithms and relationships. In constrast, analyses with SAS, SPSS, and other generic stats software are tedious, error-prone, and labor-intensive.

Flexible - A wide variety of tables and maps may be produced. You may set table rows and columns however you want. Standard parameters may be selected and combined as needed. VitalPro provides many options. You do not need to set every option. All options are set to a reasonable default value.

Efficient - You can make a whole series of tables with one keystroke (multi-tables). Bar, pie, and line charts allow for quick scanning for trends.

Easy to use - Operations are menu-driven. Scrolling windows are used to select items from lists. You don't need to know any special codes such as FIPS codes.

Online help - If needed, context-sensitive help is also available from each menu. In addition, you may select from a list of on-line help topics, providing advice on topics related to VitalPro and data analysis. The on-line help complements the information in this user's guide.

Output documentation - All output is fully documented, so there is no confusion or question about the exact analysis that was done, and so the analysis can be exactly replicated if needed.

Makes charts and maps - VitalPro automatically makes charts (bar, line, and pie) and maps. The charts and maps can be customized in a wide variety of ways, as explained later.

Integrates with other software - VitalPro automatically displays HTML output in your desktop browser. In addition, an extensive set of alternative formats is automatically made with each analysis: ASCII text format, delimited format (for importing into spreadsheets), and dBASE III format (for importing into statistical, GIS, mapping, graphing and other software).

Can be customized - Let us know if other capabilities you would like added. We want to further improve Vitalnet to meet your needs.

1-2: Data Within the Program

· This program links and analyzes population and geographic data.

Geographic information - This program includes a database of Texas counties and regions, linked to the population data sets. Boundary files are included for making maps.

Population data - The Center for Health Statistics at DSHS provides 1980-1999 Texas population data. The Texas State Data Center at Texas A&M provides Texas population data for 2000 and beyond. The Texas State Data Center periodically revises its estimates for years between censuses, but the changes are typically small. The population variables included within the program are age, county of residence, race, sex, and year.

1-3: Accessing the Program

· Access VitalPro on a standalone PC or via LAN.

Local access (PC's and local area networks) - You may use Texas VitalPro on a stand-alone PC or laptop running any version of Windows. Texas VitalPro may also be run from a local area network. Generally, VitalPro runs faster from a standalone installation, since it does not have to send data over the network.

Execution speed - VitalPro is fast. The program has been tested to produce rapid results on any Windows PC, and simply runs faster on faster computers. Analyses that might otherwise take hours to days to set up and run are done in seconds or minutes.

The program execution speed depends on: 1) the type of PC you are using, 2) the characteristics of the network you are working on, 3) the specific analysis. It typically takes a second or two to generate output.

1-4: Confidentiality Policy

· Texas VitalPro users must comply with confidentiality requirements.

Confidentiality policy - Your use of Texas VitalPro indicates your agreement to the following conditions: You will not try to use Texas VitalPro results nor let anyone else use Texas VitalPro results for any purpose other than statistical analysis. If you discover the identity of a population number, you will advise the Director of the Center for Health Statistics at the Texas Department of State Health Services of the incident, will safeguard or delete the information that would identify the individual, will make no use of the knowledge, and will inform no one else of the discovered identity.

Chapter 2: Understanding Results

What's in this chapter - Before jumping in and using the program (next chapter), it is advised to get a good understanding of the results of the program. This chapter explains the organization and content of VitalPro tables.

This chapter explains the four sections of a VitalPro table:

· Header - Basic analysis parameters.
· Data section - Numerical results.
· Bar graphs - Graphical results.
· Footnotes - Other analysis parameters.

In addition, this chapter shows examples of actual Texas VitalPro tables, to give you an idea of what is possible. You are given an opportunity to practice interpreting sample tables.

2-1: Typical VitalPro Table

· Each table has four parts: header, data section, tabular chart, footnotes.

Population
Tabulated by Age and Sex
Years: 2000 
Place of Residence: Galveston, Harris

Age                Male      Female       Total
-----------------------------------------------
Birth-19        566,937     547,337   1,114,274
20-39           582,844     574,295   1,157,139
40-59           454,842     471,562     926,404
60-99+          155,304     202,304     357,608
-----------------------------------------------
Total         1,759,927   1,795,498   3,555,425

Horizontal Bar Graphs (X = 38,856 Population, x = 19,428):

Age         Male            Female         
-------------------------------------------
Birth-19    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXx XXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
20-39       XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
40-59       XXXXXXXXXXXx    XXXXXXXXXXXX   
60-99+      XXXX            XXXXX          
-------------------------------------------

Analysis Footnotes:
Unique ID, for Keeping Track of Analyses: 414MRQKR
Output Produced: Sat Apr 14 10:55:52 2001, by Texas VitalNet
Population Data Source (Pre-1990): TDH State Health Data (1/95)
Population Data Source (1990+): TAMU TX State Data Center (8/98)

Header: Documents the analysis. The table analyzes 2000 population for Galveston and Harris counties.

Data Section: Contains the results, organized into columns and rows. In this example, there is one column for each sex and one row for each of four age groups. Verify there were 471,562 women age 40-59, 1,759,927 males, and a total of 3,555,425 residents. Each result, such as 471,562, is called a "cell".

Tabular Chart: Represents the results in a simple graphical format. In this example, each 'X' (big X) symbol represents 38,856 population. The tabular charts are optional. The tabular chart clearly shows that the greatest population is in the 20-39 age group, for both sexes.

Footnote: Documents less important aspects of the analysis, such as when the table was produced. Assigns a unique ID to the table for future reference.

2-2: Table #1 to Interpret

Here is a sample table (footnotes omitted) for you to practice on. Try interpreting the table by filling in the spaces below. Then, check your answers with those on the next page.

Population
Tabulated by Race-Ethnicity and Sex
Years: 2000 
Place of Residence: Galveston, Harris

Race               Male      Female       Total
-----------------------------------------------
White           814,096     846,813   1,660,909
Black           288,063     333,237     621,300
Hispanic        552,787     512,603   1,065,390
Other           104,981     102,845     207,826
-----------------------------------------------
Total         1,759,927   1,795,498   3,555,425

Horizontal Bar Graphs (X = 56,454 Population, x = 28,227):

Race        Male            Female         
-------------------------------------------
White       XXXXXXXXXXXXXXx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Black       XXXXX           XXXXXX         
Hispanic    XXXXXXXXXX      XXXXXXXXX      
Other       XX              XX             
-------------------------------------------

Header	Outcome (main statistic):	___________________
	Years analyzed:	___________________
	Geographic areas analyzed:	___________________
	Age groups analyzed:	___________________
		___________________
	Rows variable:
Data Section	Columns variable:	___________________
	How many females, total:	___________________
	How many Hispanic males:	___________________
		___________________
	Population count symbolized by big 'X':
Tabular Chart	OUT_1_TTL_L	___________________

2-3: Table #1, Interpreted

Here is the same table, and a suggested interpretation. If you had a problem, try reading through the answers again or ask a local data analyst for help.

Population
Tabulated by Race-Ethnicity and Sex
Years: 2000 
Place of Residence: Galveston, Harris

Race               Male      Female       Total
-----------------------------------------------
White           814,096     846,813   1,660,909
Black           288,063     333,237     621,300
Hispanic        552,787     512,603   1,065,390
Other           104,981     102,845     207,826
-----------------------------------------------
Total         1,759,927   1,795,498   3,555,425

Horizontal Bar Graphs (X = 56,454 Population, x = 28,227):

Race        Male            Female         
-------------------------------------------
White       XXXXXXXXXXXXXXx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Black       XXXXX           XXXXXX         
Hispanic    XXXXXXXXXX      XXXXXXXXX      
Other       XX              XX             
-------------------------------------------

Header	Outcome (main statistic):	Population
	Years analyzed:	2000
	Geographic areas analyzed:	Galveston, Harris Counties
	Age groups analyzed:	All ages

	Rows variable:	Row for each race
Data Section	Columns variable:	Column for each sex
	How many females, total:	1,795,498
	How many Hispanic males:	552,787

	Population count symbolized by big 'X':	56,454
Tabular Chart	OUT_1_TTL_L	OUT_1_ANS_L

2-4: Table #2 to Interpret

Here is another table. Fill in the spaces below. Then, check your answers on the next page.

Median Population Age (Years)
Tabulated by Area Set and Sex
Years: 2000 
Place of Residence: Harris, Hidalgo, Kerr

                            Male               Female                Total
Area Set      Median, Population   Median, Population   Median, Population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kerr              40.9    20,139       45.8    22,393       43.4    42,532
Harris            31.0 1,644,682       32.4 1,675,755       31.7 3,320,437
Hidalgo           25.3   268,839       27.3   277,812       26.3   546,651
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total             30.2 1,933,660       31.8 1,975,960       31.0 3,909,620

Horizontal Bar Graphs (X = 3.1 Years, x = 1.5):

            Male            Female          Total          
Area Set    Median          Median          Median         
-----------------------------------------------------------
Kerr        XXXXXXXXXXXXXx  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
Harris      XXXXXXXXXX      XXXXXXXXXXx     XXXXXXXXXXx    
Hidalgo     XXXXXXXXx       XXXXXXXXX       XXXXXXXXx      
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total       XXXXXXXXXX      XXXXXXXXXXx     XXXXXXXXXX

Header	Outcome (main statistic):	___________________
	Years analyzed:	___________________
	Geographic areas analyzed:	___________________
		___________________
	Rows used in this example:
Data Section	Columns used in this example:	___________________
	Harris County median population:	___________________
	Total population for areas analyzed:	___________________
	Female median population for Kerr County:	___________________
		___________________
	Median population symbolized by big 'X':
Tabular Chart	OUT_2_TTL_L	___________________

2-5: Table #2, Interpreted

Here is the second table again, and our interpretation of the results.

Median Population Age (Years)
Tabulated by Area Set and Sex
Years: 2000 
Place of Residence: Harris, Hidalgo, Kerr

                            Male               Female                Total
Area Set      Median, Population   Median, Population   Median, Population
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kerr              40.9    20,139       45.8    22,393       43.4    42,532
Harris            31.0 1,644,682       32.4 1,675,755       31.7 3,320,437
Hidalgo           25.3   268,839       27.3   277,812       26.3   546,651
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total             30.2 1,933,660       31.8 1,975,960       31.0 3,909,620

Horizontal Bar Graphs (X = 3.1 Years, x = 1.5):

            Male            Female          Total          
Area Set    Median          Median          Median         
-----------------------------------------------------------
Kerr        XXXXXXXXXXXXXx  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
Harris      XXXXXXXXXX      XXXXXXXXXXx     XXXXXXXXXXx    
Hidalgo     XXXXXXXXx       XXXXXXXXX       XXXXXXXXx      
-----------------------------------------------------------
Total       XXXXXXXXXX      XXXXXXXXXXx     XXXXXXXXXX

Header	Outcome (main statistic):	Median population
	Years analyzed:	2000
	Geographic areas analyzed:	Harris, Hidalgo, Kerr

	Rows used in this example:	Row for each area
Data Section	Columns used in this example:	Column for each sex
	Harris County median population:	31.7
	Total population for areas analyzed:	3,909,620
	Female median population for Kerr County:	45.8

	Median population symbolized by big 'X':	3.1 years
Tabular Chart	OUT_2_TTL_L	OUT_2_ANS_L

Chapter 3: Using VitalPro Interface

What's in this chapter - Finally, you will get to use the program! This is probably what you have been waiting for! You will learn to navigate the interface, select parameters, and produce a few tables like those you learned about in the previous chapter.

Some advice about learning - As you use the program, we encourage you to explore and try things. Don't be shy. You cannot cause any damage by using the program. The program does a lot, and there are a lot of options, because analyzing data has lots of options. But running the program is pretty simple, once you know the basic way it works.

Open default browser - Your PC has a "default browser" set up. That's the browser that normally displays HTML files (web pages) for you. Before you start VitalPro, open the default browser. Eventually, when you make output from VitalPro, the output will display in the browser. Each browser is a little different, but any browser will work fine, including Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera.

Access the program - A tutorial runs through this chapter. All procedures you are expected to do as part of the tutorial are highlighted in a different type style, as shown below. At this point, do the following:

Start Texas VitalPro by clicking on the icon.

The icon may look like a doctor's bag, or may be a different desktop icon. If you do not have an icon, ask your network manager to set things up to start VitalPro from an icon. If you can't start the program or have some other issue, get assistance from another Texas VitalPro user. Or, contact us.

You will start at the Main Menu (shown on next page).

3-1: Start at Main Menu

· You will constantly return to the Main Menu.

Main Menu on Startup

After VitalPro starts, you are presented with the Main Menu, as shown above.

The Main Menu is the "command center" - You move to submenus to modify parameters, but return to the Main Menu to make a table. The Main Menu lists all parameters currently selected. The Main Menu provides an overview.

Highlighting a parameter - One of the parameters is always highlighted. In the example above, "Main Statistic" is highlighted. You move the highlight by pressing an arrow key. The parameter list scrolls as needed. Note that you do not use a mouse to run the program. Do the following:

Press down arrow key to move the highlight down.
Keep pressing down arrow to scroll down.

The menu tells you what to do - Every VitalPro menu has text at the bottom with guidance on what to do next. For example, the Main Menu text indicates you can press an arrow key (move highlight), the ENTER key (change highlighted setting), P (produce output), Q (quit), or '?' (help).

Changing window appearance - The font size for the command window running VitalPro may be changed from the command window toobar, to suit your screen. The size "8 x 12", as shown, is a reasonable size. Also, the command window may be toggled to full screen (and back) by pressing ALT-ENTER (hold down ALT key and press ENTER key).

3-2: Use a Simple Submenu

· Access a submenu by highlighting an item and pressing ENTER.

Main Menu with Parameter Highlighted

Selecting parameter to change - To change a parameter, highlight the parameter (using the arrow keys) and press ENTER.

Quick changes - Some parameters have a very simple submenu. Try this:

Highlight "Spreadsheet Format" by using arrow keys.
Press ENTER to access the submenu. Select TSV format.
Press ESCAPE (or '=') to return to the Main Menu.

More complex changes - For more complex parameters, a more complicated submenu will appear and help you change the parameter. For example, to change the geographic selection, you would highlight the parameter "Geographic Areas", and press ENTER. Do the following:

Use arrows keys to highlight "Geographic Areas".
Then, press ENTER to access the Area Sets submenu.

3-3: Use Geographic Submenu

· Each submenu guides you step-by-step in selecting parameters.

Area Set Menu

Submenu with scrolling window - This is a typical VitalPro submenu. It has a scrolling window with a list of items (area sets). One or more of the items may be highlighted by using the arrow keys.

Letters are action items - This submenu has a list of actions, such as " B Delete all sets". Pressing the letter (such as 'B') carries out the action.

Adding an area - Carry out the following steps to add an area:

1. Press 'B' to delete all areas sets. Confirm if asked.
2. Then, press 'A' to add some areas.
3. Highlight "Public Health Region 1 (PHR 1)", and press ENTER to add.
4. Then, press ESCAPE (or '=') to return to area set menu.
5. Note that an item is added to the scrolling window.
6. Finally, press ESCAPE (or '=') to return to the Main Menu.

3-4: Back at Main Menu

· Access a submenu by highlighting an item and pressing ENTER.

Main Menu after Geographic Selection

Make sure you're back - You should now be back at the Main Menu. Note that "Geographic Areas" has been modified (it is now set to Public Health Region 1). If you are not back at the Main Menu, get assistance from a co-worker familiar with using Texas VitalPro. Or (in almost all cases), simply press the ESCAPE key a few times.

3-5: Produce a Table

· Press 'P' at the Main Menu to make a table.

Check that you at the Main Menu - You should now be back at the Main Menu. You have used the submenus to select a few parameters, and are now ready to produce your first table!

Press the letter 'P' to produce a table similar to the following (bottom of table not shown):

Time required - The amount of time required depends on which parameters are selected and what kind of computer you are using, but is typically a few seconds.

Examining the table - The output will automatically appear in your default desktop browser (which you previously had open). The bottom of the output (not shown above) contains links to spreadsheet, text, and dBASE III output. There may be links to bar, pie, or line chart output.

1. View (and print) the output in your browser.
2. Click on some of the links at the bottom of the output.
3. If desired, delete the browser window (CTL-W).
4. Click on the VitalPro Main Menu to return to the program.

3-6: Switch to Designing a Map

· At any time, you may switch to designing a map.

Main Menu before Switching to Maps

You have used the submenus to select parameters. And you have made a table. You should be getting the hang of the program by now. If not, talk with a coworker or contact us.

VitalPro also makes PNG and PDF maps. You can customize the maps in a wide variety of ways to meet your needs: Add area labels; Switch between boundary types (eg, regional boundaries); Set the number of colors to use; Select a color palette; Set the range type to "equal width" or "equal count"; Select time trend maps (map for each year range).

Since tables and maps are so fundamentally different (eg, maps don't have rows, tables don't have colors), VitalPro displays a different menu system when designing a map.

1. At the main menu, highlight "Output Type" (first option).
2. Press ENTER, and on submenu select "Map" as output type.
3. Back on the main menu, press "P" to produce a typical map.

3-7: Continue with Analyses

· VitalPro lets you quickly carry out a wide variety of analyses.

Explore the menus - Once you get the hang of it, using VitalPro is pretty easy. If you have gotten this far, you understand the basic program operation. Don't be afraid to experiment and try out different options. Once you have made a table (or map), look it over. If it meets your needs, you're done. If the output is not quite right, look over the parameters on the Main Menu, highlight the parameter you want to change, and press ENTER. A submenu will lead you through the modification process. After setting all parameters as desired, return to the Main Menu and produce another table (or map) by pressing 'P'. Try it:

1. At the Main Menu, modify a parameter or two.
2. Then press 'P' to produce and view another output table (or map).
3. Try some of the sample analyses shown later.

On-line help - Although VitalPro has been designed to be as self-explanatory as possible, it also includes extensive on-line help. To access on-line help from any menu, press '?'. A help screen will appear, with information related to the current menu. After viewing the help screen, a scrolling list of help topics may be viewed, for your selection. Try it:

At the Main Menu, press '?' and explore the help system.

Quitting VitalPro - The '=' or ESCAPE key always returns to the previous menu. Later, when you are done, you may press the 'Q' key from the Main Menu to quit VitalPro.

Some suggestions for avoiding misinterpretation:

Double-check table header and footer to verify it was the analysis you intended.
Use confidence intervals to help decide if differences are statistically significant.
Use fewer rows and columns for simpler presentation.
Use more rows and columns if more comparisons and detail needed.
Acknowledge the possibility of census miscounts.
Acknowledge difficulty estimating population in years between censuses.
Use confidence intervals to help decide if differences are statistically significant.
If uncertainties remain, contact local data experts for advice.

3-8: More Practice Analyses

For additional practice, and to gain more understanding of how Texas VitalPro can speed and simplify data analysis, carry out the following sample analyses. If a variable is not listed (eg, Sex), then all values are selected (eg, Male and Female). Do the following:

For each analysis, select the parameters as shown below.
Then, press 'P' from the Main Menu to produce output.

1. 1995 population by age, one table for each county:

Statistic - Population	Area sets - All
Second format - Delimited	Row for each - Age group	Races - All
Table for each - Area set	Ages - 20-year groups	Years - 1995

2. Counties ranked by median age of population:

Statistic - Median population age	Area sets - All counties	Years - 1995
Column for each - One only	Row for each - Area set	Races - All
Table for each - One only	Ages - All ages

3. Time trend for median age of female population:

Statistic - Median population age	Area sets - All counties	Years - All
Column for each - One only	Row for each - Year	Races - All
Table for each - One only	Ages - All ages	Sex - Female

4. Race / sex breakdown of population for one area

Statistic - Population	Area sets - Travis	Years - 2000
Column for each - Sex	Row for each - Race	Races - All
Table for each - One only	Ages - All ages	Sex - Both

Chapter 4: Outlines of Submenus

What other menus and options are available? - If you have done the examples in the previous chapter, you should have a good understanding of how to use VitalPro menus to select parameters. However, you have just scratched the surface of the capabilities and power of VitalPro. For your reference, the following pages list all of the Texas VitalPro menus. The purpose of the list of menus is to help you become aware of what is available so that you can take fullest advantage of the software. Do this:

Viewing the outlines on the next pages, explore VitalPro menus.

First, design table layout:

Statistic Menu
Row Variable Menu
Row Sorting Menu
Column Variable Menu
Multi-Tables Menu

Next, modify data variables:

Age Groups Menu
Area Sets Menu
Race Groups Menu
Sex Menu
Year Ranges Menu
Other Settings from Main Menu

When ready, carry out an action:

Produce Table and Charts
Produce Map
Exit VitalPro

4-1: Table Layout Submenus

· Using Texas VitalPro, explore menus for designing table layout.

Statistic Menu sets type of result:

· Population
· Median Population Age
· Percent in Age Grouping

Row Menu selects "Row Variable":

· Age
· Area of Residence
· Race
· Sex
· Year

Column Menu has same options.
Multi-Table Menu has same options.

Row Sorting Menu options:

· Rows unsorted
· Rows sorted by total data, high to low
· Rows sorted by total data, low to high

4-2: Data Variable Submenus

· Using Texas VitalPro, explore menus for modifying variables.

Race Menu / Sex Menu:

· Select categories as sets
· Delete one / all sets
· Merge sets into new set
· Split previously merged set

Year Ranges Menu:

· Use standard grouping, eg 2-year
· Extend upper / lower end of range
· Split range into individual years
· Delete a year range

Age Groups Menu:

· Use standard grouping, such as 10-year
· Extend upper / lower end of group
· Split group into separate groups
· Delete an age group

Area Sets Menu:

· Add some areas (submenu)
· Delete one / all area sets
· Merge area sets into new set
· Split area set into sub-areas
· Show and print list of areas

Other Main Menu Settings:

· HTML Output Font
· Spreadsheet Format
· Tabular Chart
· Unique ID

· Decimal Place Digits
· Table Percents
· Trend Confidence Level

· Bar, line, & pie chart settings
· Map settings

· Output directory
· Output file prefix

Chapter 5: Table Variables

What's in this chapter - This chapter explains what we call "table variables". Table variables are the basic variables that determine the layout of an output table. VitalPro allows great flexibility in designing your table. Critically, VitalPro prevents incompatibilities from occurring.

Table variables are: Main Statistic, Row Variable, Row Sorting, Column Variable, and Multi-Tables.

5-1: Main Statistic [Outcome]

· The Main Statistic is the basic type of number in a table (or map).

What is a Main Statistic? - Every table has a Main Statistic. The Main Statistic (or outcome) is the basic type of data generated in an output table.

Available Statistics -

Population
Median population age
Percent population in age group

Each statistic is defined in the glossary, and on-line help files give calculation methods.

5-2: Rows and Columns, Row Sorting

· Table rows and columns may be set however you want.

Rows and columns - Rows are horizontal lines in a data table. Columns go up and down.

Every table has a row variable and a column variable.
Rows and columns may be set to any of the following:

· Only one row / column (not set to a variable)
· One row / column per selected age group
· One row / column per selected area set
· One row / column per selected sex
· One row / column per selected race set
· One row / column per selected year set

Sorted rows - Any table may be sorted as follows:

· Rows sorted from high to low, by total data
· Rows sorted from low to high, by total data

Unsorted rows - Examples of rows in standard order (unsorted rows) include:

· Area sets in alphabetical order, such as Bexar before El Paso.

5-3: By Variable (Multi-Tables)

· You may automatically produce a series of tables.

Population
Tabulated by Race-Ethnicity and Sex
Years: 1990 
Place of Residence: Anderson

Race            Male   Female    Total
--------------------------------------
White         17,023   15,656   32,679
Black          7,714    3,387   11,101
Hispanic       2,910    1,037    3,947
Other            174      123      297
--------------------------------------
Total         27,821   20,203   48,024

*** Tables omitted to save space ***

Population
Tabulated by Race-Ethnicity and Sex
Years: 1990 
Place of Residence: Zavala

Race           Male   Female    Total
-------------------------------------
White           446      511      957
Black           277        8      285
Hispanic      5,392    5,482   10,874
Other            26       20       46
-------------------------------------
Total         6,141    6,021   12,162

Purpose of multi-tables - Suppose you want to make a separate table for each county. It would be tedious to select the first county, make a table, select the second county, make a table, etc. Multi-tables automates the production of such a series of tables into one operation. The multi-table setting may be one of the following:

· Only one table (the default)
· One table per selected age group
· One table per selected area set
· One table per selected race set
· One table per selected year set

Chapter 6: Data Variables

What's in this chapter - This chapter lists and explains data variables you may modify using the Texas VitalPro interface. VitalPro allows great flexibility in selecting and modifying data variables. You may select variables into ranges and "sets" just about any way needed.

Here are the data variables covered in this chapter:

· Age groups
· Race
· Sex
· Years

· Geographic selection (area sets)

6-1: Geo Selection [Area Sets]

· Every table has a geographic specification.

Geographical Areas - Texas VitalPro analyzes data to the county level. Texas has 254 counties, organized into regions (a group of several counties), as follows:

· 11 Public Health Regions (PHR's) (Effective 3/1/93)
· 24 Councils of Government (COG's)

You may select any combination of areas - VitalPro makes it easy to compare results between different groupings ("sets") of geographic areas ( Counties and County groupings), or limit analysis to specific geographic areas. One or more geographic areas may be combined into an area set, and compared with other sets.

Selection is quick and easy - All geographic operations are grouped together on one submenu, to allow quick and easy selection of any combination of areas desired. A previous interface snapshot shows the main geographic menu.

6-2: Range and Categorical Variables

Race Groups

You may select any combination of race groups to analyze. Races may be combined into "sets" as needed. A separate submenu allows easy selection. Keep in mind that differences in health status between races may be due to socio-economic differences.

Each count is classified as White, Black, Hispanic, or Other, as assigned by the Texas State Data Center.

Age Groups

VitalPro lets you combine and analyze age groups in just about any way needed. You may select any contiguous combination of age groups to analyze, such as 22-34. Or, you may select a set of ranges, such as birth-19, 20-39, 40-64, 65-99+.

The program will let you know which age groups are available for use. Standard age groupings, such as 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year age groups are easily selected. Age groups may be combined in just about any way desired.

Up to age 21, 1-year ages are used (for example, 3 or 11-17). For 22 and over, an age group may use any combination of 5-year groups (for example, 40-44 or 30-49). The highest group is currently 75-99+ (75 and over).

Sex

You may select Male, Female, or both sexes combined.

Years

You may select any continuous range of one or more years to analyze, such as 1980-1983. In addition, you may select a set of year ranges for comparing, such as 1990-1991, 1992-1993, 1994-1995. The program will let you know which years are available for use. Standard groupings, such as 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year groups are easily selected. Year groups may be combined in just about any way desired.

Chapter 7: Charts and Maps

What's in this chapter - This chapter explains about settings for VitalPro charts and maps.

VitalPro makes three kinds of graphic charts. Each kind if best suited for a particular purpose:

Bar Charts

- Compare amounts of different things.
- For example, which race group has a higher birth rate?
- Or, which sex has more deaths from a particular cause?

Line Charts

- Show movement, trends, comparisons.
- For example, which age group has a higher death rate?
- Or, is a particular rate changing (up or down) over time?

Pie Charts

- Show parts of a whole, a quick overall comparison.
- For example, what proportion of deaths occur in males?
- Or, what proportion of births are to teenage moms?

Maps are a special kind of graphical data display, to show geographic differences in rates and counts. VitalPro also makes maps, in png and pdf formats.

VitalPro charts and maps can be extensively customized, as explained in this chapter.

- Background	- Line Width	- Height	- Line Colors
- Grid Lines	- Symbols	- Symbol Radius	- Text Size

Background Color, eg White (10 options)

Alice Blue

Light Yellow

Width of Lines, eg Thin (3 options)

Thin

Thick

Include or Omit Grid Lines

Include

Omit

Include or Omit Data Point Symbols

Include

Omit

Line Chart Height, eg 4 cm (9 options)

3 cm

5 cm

Symbol Radius, eg 2 mm (10 options)

1.0 mm

1.4 mm

Colored Lines, or Black + White

Colored

Black + White

Font Size, eg 9 pt (8 options)

10 pt

14 pt

7-4: Pie Chart Coloring

There are three settings for customizing Vitalnet pie chart coloring:

- The background color behind the chart.
- The color palette to use for the pie chart.
- The first color in the palette to use.

Below are shown the three settings, with a few examples for each:

Background Color, eg White (10 options)

Cornsilk

Grey

Light Cyan

Colors for Pie Chart, eg Bright (3 options)

Bright

Subdued

Mixed Colors

Slice #1 Color to Use, eg B (10 options)

Color A

Color B

Color C

7-5: Pie Chart Layout

There are four settings for customizing Vitalnet pie chart layout, as shown below:

Slice #1 Clock Setting, eg 3:00 (12 options)

Noon

3:00

6:00

How to Label Pie Chart, eg Legend

Line + Label

Label Only

Legend

How to Display Slice Percents

Under Label

After Label

Omit Percents

Pie Chart Radius, eg 3 cm (9 options)

2.0 cm

2.5 cm

3.0 cm

7-6: Map Coloring

There are three settings for customizing Vitalnet map colors:

- The color palette to use for the map.
- The number of colors (ranges) to use.
- The "range type" for dividing up the colors.

Below are shown the three settings, with examples for each:

Color Palette for Map (36 options)

Blue

Orange-Red

Grey

Red-Blue

Number of Map Colors (Ranges) (8 options)

3 Colors

5 Colors

7 Colors

9 Colors

Equal Interval or Equal Count Ranges

Equal Interval

Equal Count

7-7: Map Layout

There are various settings for customizing Vitalnet map layout:

- Font for Map (if Area Labels Used).
- Boundaries to Use.
- Cell Suppression.
- Time Trend Maps (not shown here).
- Vitalnet always makes both PNG and PDF map output.

Text Font for Map (9 options)

Monospace Bold

Sans-Serif Normal

Sans-Serif Bold

Boundaries to Display (6 options)

County

HSR

Border

Cell Suppression (0 options)

Suppression Off

Suppress < 5

Suppress < 30

7-8: Map Color Palettes

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Diverging Palette	BW	CB
									Brown-BlueGreen	-	Y
									Pink-Green	-	Y
									Purple-Green	-	Y
									Purple-Orange	Y	Y
									Red-Blue	-	Y
									Red-Grey	-	-
									Red-Yellow-Blue	-	Y
									Red-Yellow-Green	-	-
									Spectral	Y	-
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Sequential Palette	BW	CB
									Blue	Y	Y
									Blue-Green	Y	Y
									Blue-Purple	Y	Y
									Green-Blue	Y	Y
									Green	Y	Y
									Grey	Y	Y
									Orange	Y	Y
									Orange-Red	Y	Y
									Purple-Blue	Y	Y
									Purple-Blue-Green	Y	Y
									Purple-Red	Y	Y
									Purple	Y	Y
									Red-Purple	Y	Y
									Red	Y	Y
									Yellow-Green	Y	Y
									Yellow-Green-Blue	Y	Y
									Yellow-Orange-Brown	Y	Y
									Yellow-Orange-Red	Y	Y

BW - OK for black and white photocopying.
CB - OK for people with red-green color blindness.
All palettes are suitable for desktop color printing.

References and research used to help design Vitalnet palettes:

LW Pickle, M Mungiole, GK Jones, AA White, "Atlas of United States Mortality", National Center for Health Statistics, 1997.
CA Brewer, "Color Use Guidelines for Mapping and Visualization", in "Visualization in Modern Cartography", Elsevier, 1994.
ColorBrewer web site displays tested color palettes.

7-9: When Charts and Maps are Made

Whenever you make a table, VitalPro also automatically makes accompanying charts. But it only makes the charts when they make sense. VitalPro does not let the user shoot themselves in the foot. If the chart would not make sense, VitalPro does not make it.

Bar charts are only made if the following conditions are met:

· 1 to 20 rows (groups of bars).
· 1 to 10 columns (bars per group).
· No suppressed results (for stacked bar chart).

Line charts are only made if the following conditions are met:

· Range rows (such as age or year).
· Ranges are continuous (not 2000, 2002).
· Rows not sorted. No suppressed results.
· No more than 10 lines (10 columns).

Pie charts are only made if the following conditions are met:

· Cumulative data (counts, some rates).
· One set of numbers (one row or column).
· 2 to 9 pie slices. No suppressed results.

Map output may be produced at any time that you have switched to designing a map. Otherwise, tables (along with any accompanying charts) are made. VitalPro is always ready to produce a map or table. It's only the charts that are sometimes not made, as explained above.

Chapter 8: Other Parameters

What's in this chapter - This chapter explains various other key parameters, that are not table variables and are not data variables.

Here are the other parameters covered in this chapter:

· Decimal Place Digits
· Trend Confidence Level

8-1: Decimal Places

VitalPro allows specification of the number of decimal places in your results. For example, the number 64.29 has two decimal places. The number 64 has zero decimal places.

8-2: Trend Analysis

· VitalPro automatically carries out trend analyses.

Purpose of trend analysis - When analyzing data with a year for each row, you usually want to know: Is there a trend up or down? Is the rate increasing or decreasing?

Least-squares line shows the trend - VitalPro automatically carries out a "least-squares" analysis for a time series. This finds the best straight line to describe the data for each data column. The line is defined by the value for the first year ("y-intercept"), and the amount of change per year ("slope").

Confidence intervals show if significant trend - VitalPro calculates a confidence interval for the slope. If the confidence interval doesn't include 0, there is a significant trend.

Population
Tabulated by Year and Sex
Place of Residence: Texas

Year                 Male       Female         Total
----------------------------------------------------
1995-1997      28,369,279   28,922,310    57,291,589
1998-2000      29,726,292   30,373,548    60,099,840
2001-2003      31,240,811   31,934,698    63,175,509
----------------------------------------------------
Total          89,336,382   91,230,556   180,566,938

Horizontal Bar Graphs (X = 2,128,980 Population, x = 1,064,490):

Year         Male            Female         
--------------------------------------------
1995-1997    XXXXXXXXXXXXXx  XXXXXXXXXXXXXx 
1998-2000    XXXXXXXXXXXXXX  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
2001-2003    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXx XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
--------------------------------------------

Detailed Least-Squares Analysis, to Detect Linear Trend:

 Column    1995-1997 Y-intercept        Slope    95% CI (1 df, t=12.706)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Male               28,343,028   +1,435,766    +858049 to +2013483 **
 Female               28,903,991   +1,506,194    +1103047 to +1909341 **
  Total               57,247,019   +2,941,960    +1961096 to +3922824 **
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Y-intercept and slope may be used to draw least-squares line.
If confidence interval (CI) does not include 0, trend is significant [**].

Significant Upward Trends for Population

8-3: CSV and DBF Output

· Results may be saved to a spreadsheet, DBF, or text file.

Saving to a second format - The output in your desktop browser always includes (at the bottom of the output) links to spreadsheet (csv, tsv, or dif), text (txt), and dBASE III (dbf) output. To view or download one of the second formats, simply click on one of the links.

CSV file (comma-separated-value) (for spreadsheets) - CSV output has a comma between each output item, and each text item is surrounded by "double quotes", as shown below. CSV format is ideal for importing into spreadsheet software. TSV (tab-separated-value) format is similar, but uses tabs instead of commas between items.

Browser differences - Internet Explorer automatically displays CSV output in Excel (if installed). Other browsers may be configured to automatically display CSV output in a spreadsheet program.

"Population"
"Tabulated by Race-Ethnicity and Sex"
"Years: 1990"
"Place of Residence: PHR 1"

"Race","Male","Female","Total"
"--------------------"
"White",250520,269745,520265
"Black",17348,18589,35937
"Hispanic",85674,82065,167739
"Other",5259,4938,10197
"--------------------"
"Total",358801,375337,734138

"Analysis Footnotes:"
"Unique ID, for Keeping Track of Analyses: 414YARTW"
"Output Produced: Sat Apr 14 10:41:02 2001, by Texas VitalNet"
"Population Data Source (Pre-1990): TDH State Health Data (1/95)"
"Population Data Source (1990+): TAMU TX State Data Center (8/98)"

Example of CSV Output

DBF file (useful for many other applications) - Results may also be saved to a dBASE III database file (dbf extension). Database files are excellent for importing into almost any data analysis, graphics, spreadsheet, mapping or other presentation software. Field names are automatically imported along with the data. Suppressed cells are represented by the number "-1".

DBF file limitations - 1) Header and footer information listing analysis parameters is not included in database files. To help out, you may want to make the name of the dBASE file the same as the table ID, such as "405MFAQB.DBF" so you can refer to the table later. 2) Only 128 columns may be saved to a dBASE III file. This rarely presents a problem, because unlimited rows are allowed.

Checklist of Key Tasks

This checklist gives an overview of the main capabilities of the software, and the tasks you would normally do to analyze the data.

Table layout:

· Select outcome (main statistic)
· Select row variable and sorting
· Select column variable
· Select multi-tables (table series)

Age groups:

· Select grouping (eg 5-year groups)
· Split a group (eg, 10-11 --> 10 + 11)
· Delete a group

*** For low end of a group:

· Decrease (eg, 11-13 --> 10-13)
· Increase (eg, 11-13 --> 12-13)

*** For high end of a group:

· Decrease (eg, 10-12 --> 10-11)
· Increase (eg, 10-12 --> 10-13)

Viewing output:

· Produce output from main menu
· View HTML output in browser
· View text output in browser
· View pie / bar / line charts
· View CSV / TSV in spreadsheet

Other tasks:

· Switch to designing a map
· Switch to designing a table

· Change output directory
· Change output prefix

· Use help system

Race sets:

· Select some race sets
· Delete a race set
· Merge some sets
· Split a race set

Area sets:

· Select some area sets
· Delete an area set
· Merge some sets
· Split an area set

Chart & map settings:

· Modify bar chart settings
· Modify line chart settings
· Modify pie chart settings
· Modify map settings

Other settings:

· Change decimal places
· Turn on row percents
· Turn on column percents

Glossary

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.

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.

Councils of Government (COG's) - Groupings of Texas counties. There are 24 COG's.

CSV format - Comma-separated-value format. CSV files are readily imported into spreadsheet software. Each output item is separated by a comma from surrounding items, and each output text item is surrounded by "double quotes". A comma-separated-value file has "csv" extension. Similar to TSV format.

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".

DIF format - Data interchange format. DIF files are readily imported into spreadsheet software. The DIF format is too complex to explain in this glossary. Has "dif" extension.

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 (txt), comma-separated-value (csv), HTML (htm), and dBASE III (dbf) 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 required but less important details of the analysis, such as the date and time produced, and data sources. The footer contains a unique ID to assist in keeping track of analyses.

Header - First part of a Vitalnet table. Lists key analysis parameters, such as years analyzed.

Import - Read information into a computer program. ASCII text, CSV, TSV, DIF, 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 Y-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 table row (or column). Example: 0-19, 20-59, 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.

PHR - Public Health Region. Groupings of Texas counties. There are 11 PHRs.

Population - The number of people living in an area.

Public Health Regions (PHR) - Groupings of Texas counties. There are 11 Public Health Regions.

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 (Main Statistic) - The basic type of numerical result displayed in a table, chart, or map. For example, birth rate, death rate, population, pregnancy rate, etc.

Table - A set of results produced by Vitalnet. A table has several parts:

• Header - lists basic analysis settings
• Data section - numerical results
• Horizontal bar graphs - graphical representation of the data
• Footer - lists other analysis settings

Tabular chart - A section of a Vitalnet table. Gives an scaleable graphical representation of the data. May be omitted from the output table.

TSV format - Tab-separated-value format. TSV files are readily imported into spreadsheet software. Each output item is separated by a tab from surrounding items, and each output text item is surrounded by "double quotes". A tsv-separated-value file has "tsv" extension. Similar to CSV format.

Unix - A popular set of computer operating systems. Vitalnet can run on Unix.

Windows - A widely used set of PC operating systems. Vitalnet runs 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.

Copyright 1998-2013 by Expert Health Data Programming, Inc.

Texas VitalPro User's Guide Population Data

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