After analyzing data, it is time to decide how you want to share it! The use of the data collected from your assessment is a critical step in meeting the needs of disaster-affected communities. The data can promote and enhance evidence-based local programs, services, and policies to improve the reproductive health of women, as well as support advocacy efforts. Since the information about the post-disaster reproductive health needs of women aged 15-44 in the United States is limited, the data from your assessment may be of interest to a broader community of public health officials working to improve the health of women and infants who experience disasters. For these reasons, it is important to think about how you will use and disseminate your data once it has been collected.
Key considerations for reporting:
- Decide who will benefit most from your results. You will need to identify possible stakeholders early in the planning process. Stakeholders to consider may include: your state Title V Director; community members; partner organizations such as state or local March of Dimes programs or Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies coalitions; state or local mental health agencies, disaster response agencies, professional organizations, and other agencies that provide services to women such as family planning programs. Stakeholders should include those who are involved in implementing the assessment as well as any groups who may benefit from your data once the assessment is complete. If you are the primary person who would benefit from this data, you do not necessarily need to create a report for your own use. Simply writing the key findings and potential recommendations may be sufficient for your needs and to keep the results saved for those who may need to reference the report in the future.
- Determine what to include in your report(s). It is important to write a summary report of your assessment. These reports are likely to be in the form of presentations or detailed reports but may also include media and press releases based on your organization. Consider the audience for each report and write according to their needs. Suggested sections for formal reports include executive summary, background, methodology, findings, and discussion. The actual names of the sections depend on your audience and whether you must follow specific guidelines for your organization or a conference abstract or publication.
- Present the data using graphs, charts, and icons if sharing with external stakeholders. There are many resources available online for different types of visuals and step by step guidance for how to create charts and graphs. Check out some of these resources for inspiration!
- Microsoft Office guidelines for data visualization
- Develop specific, actionable recommendations based on the findings. If you are unsure what can be done to address your region’s needs, host a data party with other staff in your office and share the analyzed, anonymous data to brainstorm potential solutions.
- Disseminate findings to partners and other appropriate parties. It will be important for you to consider the most appropriate methods of dissemination for your community. You may want to budget for refreshments as well as hard copies of the report if you intend to disseminate your findings in a meeting of community partners. Dissemination to other interested parties can be done inexpensively by distributing a digital copy of the report or offering a web-based presentation.
- Work with partners and other appropriate parties to use the data. Data may be used to:
- develop or modify programs or services, such as the addition of or referrals to services that women report they need;
- develop or modify systems of care, such as changes in locations or hours of services to reduce reported barriers; and/or
- develop new or modify existing policies, such as offering services based on a sliding fee scale for women who lost insurance after disaster; or advocate for needs, such as advocacy for increased access to mental health and obstetric services among pregnant women with high disaster exposure.
- Consider reporting your results to professional organizations and publications, if appropriate. Final data can be communicated to other professionals at conferences, such as the annual Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Conference. In addition to reporting your results at conferences, consider submitting them to academic or trade journals.
For the In-depth approach, you may need to provide detailed findings to your agency and other stakeholders. Reports may include the following elements.
- An introduction that briefly describes the purpose and design of the assessment
- Short written summaries of all data results
- Tables of data that was collected that support your findings – Read comments carefully to redact any potentially identifying information if you want to include example quotes
- Specific, actionable recommendations based on the results
Appendix I includes sample reports. The detailed report may be most applicable to the In-depth approach, but explore which options fit best for you and your stakeholders.
