Policy Environment
The policy environment includes a wide range of government regulations that impact individuals throughout their lives. This encompasses public health policies (e.g., those related to tobacco, alcohol, nutrition, and urban planning), environmental policies (e.g., air quality and noise control, access to green spaces), and social policies (e.g., education, employment, social inclusion, and income security). The variability in policies across different regions and time periods offers valuable insights for understanding their effects.
Public Health
The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care dataset documents how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States. It uses primary data collected by Medicare. Data are organized topically by year, with multiple levels of geographic specificity usually provided for each topic.
Source: Dartmouth University
Citation: Jennifer Ailshire and Matthew M. Young. 2018. Contextual Data Resource (CDR): Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care by Hospitals, HSAs, HRRs, Counties and States, 1992-2011. Version 1.0. Los Angeles, CA: USC/UCLA Center on Biodemography and Population Health.
Years: 2001-05, 2003-05, 2003-07, 2006-07, 2008-09, 1992-2019
State Policy & Politics Database
The State Policy & Politics Database (SPPD) is a compilation of annual data on state policies and politics that are particularly relevant for population health. The SPPD includes several categories of policies, including labor and economic policies (e.g., minimum wage levels, right to work laws), social safety net policies (e.g., earned income tax credits, SNAP), behavior-related policies (e.g., tobacco taxes, opioid prescribing), as well as the political ideology of the states’ government and citizens. Most measures are available annually from 1980 to 2021.
Source: Center for Aging and Policy Studies.
Citation: State Policy & Politics Database. 2024. Version 1.2. Created by the Center for Aging and Policy Studies (grant NIA P30AG066583).
Years: 1932-2022