methodology

We have used data from a number of sources to develop the Cost Calculator and the Return on Investment Tool. Click on each data source for additional details:

Population estimates — Estimates of the population at the county level by age, gender, and ethnicity using US Census Data.

Prevalence rates for chronic conditions – Estimates at the county level by age, gender, and ethnicity from the California Health Interview Survey.

Cost of chronic conditions – Estimates of the cost of each chronic condition by age, gender, and ethnicity using updated data from the CDC’s Cost Calculator.

Health outcomes – Estimates of the health outcome losses from each chronic condition using data from a meta-analysis of published data.

The final data combines the information from these data sets to estimate:

  • Number of cases in a county
  • Total healthcare cost
  • Total health outcome losses

This information is provided in aggregate (i.e., for all conditions in all counties of California) or separately by:

  • 2 genders
  • Females and males/other
  • 58 counties/regions
  • Available by individual counties (58), multiple counties, or by regions
  • Regions Include:
  • Bay Area counties
  • Northern and Sierra counties
  • Sacramento area counties
  • San Joaquin Valley counties
  • Other Southern California counties
  • 63 ages
  • Ages 18 to 80+
  • 5 Ethnicities
  • Asian
  • Non-Hispanic White
  • African American
  • Hispanic
  • Other ethnicities
  • 6 Chronic conditions
  • Arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Including chronic heart failure, chronic heart diseases, hypertension, and stroke,
  • Depression
  • Diabetes

Information on how the estimates provided by the Cost Calculator and the Return on Investment Tool can be found at:

Cost Calculator Methodology
Return on Investment Methodology