The Massachusetts Racial Equity Data Road Map: Data as a Tool Toward Ending Structural Racism

BACKGROUND: In 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) adopted a Title V maternal and child health priority to “promote health and racial equity by addressing racial justice and reducing disparities.” A survey assessing staff capacity to support this priority identified data collection and use as opportunities for improvement. In response, MDPH initiated a quality improvement project to improve use of data for action to promote racial equity. METHODS: MDPH conducted value stream mapping to understand existing processes for using data to inform racial equity work. Key informant interviews and a survey of program directors identified challenges to using data to promote racial equity. MDPH used a cause-and-effect diagram to identify and organize challenges to using data to inform racial equity work and better understand opportunities for improvement and potential solutions. RESULTS: Key informants highlighted the need to consider structural factors and historical and community contexts when interpreting data. Program directors noted limited staff time, lack of performance metrics, competing priorities, low data quality, and unclear expectations as challenges. To address the identified challenges, the team identified potential solutions and prioritized development and piloting of the MDPH Racial Equity Data Road Map (Road Map). CONCLUSIONS: The Road Map framework provides strategies for data collection and use that support the direction of actionable data-driven resources to racial inequities. The Road Map is a resource to support programs to authentically engage communities; frame data in the broader contexts that impact health; and design solutions that address root causes. With this starting point, public health systems can work toward creating data-driven programs and policies to improve racial equity.