Increasing Equitable Data Access and Empowering the Next Generation of Researchers

Access to data is essential for conducting effective research and generating action-ready evidence on policies and programs. Unfortunately, state, local, and Tribal communities face barriers to establishing effective data systems and accessing data available from other sources. For example, federal data systems are often complex, difficult to access, and can only be interpreted by those with domain expertise. So how do we increase equitable data access to empower a new generation of researchers who can bring a fresh perspective to our programs and policies and help move the needle?

In this webinar, experts from Georgetown University, Northwestern University, and Mathematica discussed current efforts to increase access to data for the public good and grow the pool of researchers who can help answer urgent questions about tomorrow's challenges. Participants discussed ways state, local, and Tribal communities can access person-level data to help the communities inform their own unique strategies to address health inequity. Other discussion topics  included the following:

• The emergence of community-powered data analytics: leveraging digital and data capabilities to identify and address inequities
• The need to expand secure access to federal data sets
• How administrative data can be used to address issues of public well-being
• How state, local, and Tribal agencies are leading the way in health data modernization

Ngan MacDonald, Mathematica’s director of data innovations and chief of data operations for the Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine at Northwestern University, moderated a panel of experts that includes Amy O’Hara, director of the Federal Statistical Research Data Center at Georgetown University, and Deliya Wesley, senior director of health equity at Mathematica.