Tutorial

How to Use This Site | Tip Sheet | Analyzing Indicators | Causation vs. Correlation | Percent Change

How to Use This Site:

Data by Topic allows users to run a customized search.  After choosing a topic, you may refine your search by selecting one or more counties or regions.  After selecting location(s), you can further refine your search using the tool bar at the top.   Depending on the topic, you may choose one or more years and choose demographic options. 
To get started from the home page, simply click on one of the three topics: alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs, or click on the Data by Topic tab in the upper right corner.

Data by Location allows users to view multiple indicators (or topics) for one specific county or region.  Once you choose a location, you will be presented with population statistics from the U.S. Census.  Use the tool bar at the top of the page to select one or more indicators.
To get started from the home page, click on a county using the map of Minnesota, click on a region or state link below the map, or use the Data by Location tab in the upper right corner.

Data Sources: A link to the respective data source will appear below each table unless you use the tool bar to “hide” this information.  A fuller description of the data source can be found by scrolling down to the bottom of the page.

Tools:  By clicking on the Tool tab, you can choose Community Resources, Reading Room, Tutorial or Toolbox.

  • Lists of Community Resources are provided at the state-, region-, and county-level.  You may scroll down, or click on a region link at the top of the page to jump to the resources for that region.  Under each region, counties are listed alphabetically.
  • The Reading Room is arranged by topic, location, and demographic.  Use the tabs at the top to jump directly to a specific section.  Some suggested sites for further reading can be found in multiple sections.  For example, a report on tobacco use among youth would be listed under Topic: Tobacco and under Demographic: Youth.
  • The Tutorial currently provides tips on translating data into policy.  Soon, tutorials will be available on interpreting data, reading tables and graphs, calculating rates, understanding time trends, differentiating between cause and correlation, and between percent difference and percent change.
  • The Toolbox contains materials used in the Epi Profile Training that was part of the Fall Forums in 2007.  Soon, a guide to using the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Prioritization Matrix we be available.

Soon you will be able to search by demographic, and create charts, graphs and maps for a given topic.

Data Use Tip Sheet

Download the PDF [219 kb]

Analyzing Indicators

Download the PDF [170kb]

Causation vs. Correlation

Download the PDF [104kb]

Percent Change

Download the PDF [81kb]