Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Tool

The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Interactive Mapping Tool, developed by the Arizona Housing Analytics Collaborative (AzHAC), is designed to help users explore and address social determinants affecting social, economic, and health outcomes in Arizona’s geographic communities. This tool supports two primary purposes:

1. Strategic Planning: Users can assess community needs (e.g., access to child care, SNAP resources) to plan resource allocation strategically.

For example: 

• Allocation of New Resources: Overlay selected SDOH data with future/new services to align existing resources with high-need areas.

• Reallocation of Existing Resources: Target existing resources by identifying high-need areas within a city or county.

2. Service Identification and Prioritization: The tool aids in identifying areas where services can have the most significant impact under specific program requirements or budget limitations.

For example: 

• Service Planning: Use data to plan service provision based on criteria like poverty levels or population characteristics.

• Prioritization: For geographic areas with multiple needs, prioritize services/resources based on specific factors (e.g., maximize the impact on underserved or under-resourced populations).

• Replication: Leverage community assets to replicate successful approaches in other communities. 

The tool features multiple data “buckets” (e.g., population characteristics, community resources, neighborhood attributes, social indicators) covering demographics, education, job access, housing, transportation, food access, healthcare, and neighborhood characteristics. Each bucket includes specific indicators, and users can filter data by county or city, select variables, and view distributions across mapped areas.

Using this tool will support various objectives to 

• allocate new or existing resources more efficiently and equitably;

• provide services to specific areas or populations in need;

• prioritize underserved or underresourced Arizona communities

• replicate successful approaches in other communities. 

For assistance, troubleshooting, or analytical support, contact AzHAC at azhac@asu.edu with “SDOH Inquiry.”