Students and staff of The Rensselaer IDEA's Health INCITE program are developing a new data visualization tool that examines how and why COVID-19 impacts regions differently. Using daily updated data, COVIDMINDER compares community risks, mediation tools, and outcomes related to COVID-19 by state across the United States, and by county within New York State.
“Your community directly affects your health outcomes, and we’re seeing that play out in the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kristin Bennett, the project director and the associate director of The Rensselaer IDEA.
The web-based tool is being developed by the Rensselaer team behind the award-winning MORTALITYMINDER, a similar tool that identifies social and economic factors contributing to declining life expectancy at the community level. According to Bennett, in comparing how factors such as health behaviors, health-care access, and social economic status contribute to the leading causes of death nationwide, MORTALITYMINDER revealed that “where you live has a huge impact on your chances of dying prematurely.”