![RUHS COVID-19 impact hub showing associated increases in self harm](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/datasmart/files/ruhs_3.png?itok=WSBqLT75) # Advancing Health Equity in Riverside County September 04, 2024 [ Betsy Gardner ](/betsy-gardner) In 2022, a collaborative team at Riverside University Health System - Public Health (RUHS - PH), embarked on a project to address health disparities in COVID-19 mortality rates. The mission, funded by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant, was to develop a COVID-19 disparities dashboard, an interactive tool designed to reveal demographic differences in how the pandemic impacted various communities. This initiative was a collaborative effort between the Riverside County’s Epidemiology and Program Evaluation Team and Health Equity Program. RUHS - PH employees Andrea Perez, GIS Research Specialist; Rina Katayama Hutajulu, Research Specialist; and Epidemiologist Sandra Escobar talked with Data-Smart about the project, and how this work not only captured the impacts of COVID-19 but also currently serves as a hub for understanding and addressing broader health inequities in Riverside County. COVID-19 didn't create health disparities — it exposed and amplified them, said Perez, who pointed out how this exacerbated the disparities and issues that existed before the pandemic. Populations that were already facing significant challenges were hit hardest, including low-income residents, Black, Hispanic and Native folks, and those with preexisting health conditions. And while these disparities were the ones initially identified through the CDC grant, community listening sessions highlighted that issues like mental health became even more urgent during the pandemic. ## The Process: From Data to Dashboard Creating [the disparities dashboard](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ba19a68c15934ba884552a4ce2401198) was no small feat. The project required meticulous data gathering, cleaning and mapping by Hutajulu and Perez. According to Escobar, the team decided to go beyond the typical approach of breaking down data just by race and ethnicity, recognizing the importance of geography in understanding health disparities. This led them to utilize ArcGIS technology. “A lot of the research shows that many of the disparities that exist are almost always by zip code,” said Escobar. “We know place plays a big role.” ArcGIS Experience Builder allowed them to visualize disparities at the zip code level. Initially, Hutajulu and Perez planned to map down to the Census tract level, but in order to preserve privacy and data anonymity the team ultimately had to map at the more aggregate zip code level. Despite these limitations, the team persevered, utilizing data from sources such as the California Integrated Vital Record System (Cal-IVRS), the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange (CalREDIE), the Esri Community Analyst, the American Community Survey (ACS) and coroner reports. Their goal was to provide actionable information to help communities and decision-makers respond effectively to the pandemic's impact. ## Community Input: The Listening Sessions One of the biggest drivers of the work was the listening sessions that Escobar and the Health Equity Program at RUHS-PH helped run. The team conducted 17 different sessions with community partners, and it was there that the mental health theme emerged as a predominant concern. These sessions were emotionally charged — emotions rooted in the hardships and loss exacerbated by COVID-19. “With some of the listening sessions that we had, we had people who were really angry at us because we represented the government,” said Escobar, “and they were frustrated and there were a lot of emotions — there were times when people were angry and when they were crying.” The listening sessions not only informed the dashboard's content and what data would be collected and mapped by Hutajulu and Perez, but also served as a reminder that this data was representing communities that had been deeply affected by the pandemic. Ultimately, the team made the decision to have the [Community COVID-19 Impact Hub](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ba19a68c15934ba884552a4ce2401198) prioritize two health indicators: [COVID-19 and At-Risk Populations](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ba19a68c15934ba884552a4ce2401198/page/Covid-19/), and [Mental Health](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ba19a68c15934ba884552a4ce2401198/page/Mental-Health/?views=Mental-Health-Index,Story-Map). Below are two example maps, one that looks at race/ethnicity and COVID-19 mortality, and one that shows non-fatal self-harm and/or self-inflicted injuries. Both are shown over the zip code layer: The Race/Ethnicity indicator map shows the demographic composition for each Riverside County zip code. Race/ethnic demographic groups are represented by different colored dots. American Indian and Alaska Native individuals are represented by light purple dots; Asian individuals are represented by orange dots; Black/African American individuals are represented by blue dots; Hispanic/Latinx individuals are represented by yellow dots; Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander individuals are represented by light green dots; White individuals are represented by dark green dots; multi-race individuals are represented by purple dots and individuals of other demographics are represented in pink dots (data from the 2021 Esri Community Analyst US). Total COVID-19 mortality rate per 100,000 people for each zip code is shown as the base layer, with the highest rates of COVID-19 mortality in dark blue. The Self-Harm indicator map shows the non-fatal self-harm/self-inflicted injuries rate per 100,000 people for each Riverside County zip code, with the highest rates in dark purple. Layered over this, shown as dash lines, are the zip codes that have [California Healthy Places Index 3.0 quartile scores](https://www.healthyplacesindex.org/) of one, which indicates zip codes with the highest need for resources. The team plans on mapping additional indicators on the hub such as housing and education. ## Healing as a Community The RUHS - PH team also wanted to highlight community stories, recognizing the strength that different communities showed in the face of significant pandemic-era hardships. This is particularly evident in the ArcGIS StoryMap section of the Community COVID-19 Impact Hub, which featured stories of resilience and community support. These dual-language narratives, such as the one describing how communities came together to distribute food and masks, provided context and validation to the experiences of those who lived through the pandemic. ![Members of the Sikh community providing and packing meals for those in need](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/datasmart/files/ruhs_1.png) Members of the Sikh community provide meals for those in need in Riverside, California. (United Sikh Mission, from RUHS - PH)The dashboard became more than just a map or a collection of statistics — it became a tool for healing. By highlighting both the data and the human stories behind it, being responsive to the community requests for mental health attention, and conducting so many trauma-informed listening sessions, the RUHS - PH team helped bridge the gap between government representatives and the community, fostering a sense of understanding and mutual respect. The team was intentional about making the dashboard accessible by including an ‘About’ section that provides information and interpretations of the data visualizations and sources. They included instructions for language translations, audio/visual accessibility and used tools like ColorBrewer to ensure color-definicent accessibility. The website is also mobile friendly, allowing users to navigate the hub on their phones. To encourage continuing engagement with community members, a feedback survey with questions on how to improve was also included on the dashboard. ## Overcoming Challenges and Looking Forward One of the significant challenges the team faced was ensuring the sustainability of the dashboard, especially as the grant funding nears its end. To address this, Hutajulu developed an R script to automate the calculation of age-adjusted rates, reducing the need for manual updates. The team also utilized ArcGIS tools to streamline the data update process, ensuring that the dashboard remains a valuable resource even after the grant period ends. The team is committed to maintaining the dashboard as a living tool for the community. The automation processes they've implemented will allow for more efficient updates, ensuring that the dashboard remains relevant and accessible. The dashboard represents more than just a response to the pandemic—it symbolizes a commitment to health equity in Riverside County. Rather than a static product of its time, it is a foundation for ongoing efforts to address health disparities and promote equity in Riverside County. ## About the Author ### Betsy Gardner ![Headshot of Betsy Gardner](/sites/g/files/omnuum10826/files/styles/hwp_1_1__100x100_scale/public/2025-05/Betsy%20Headshot%20resize.jpg?itok=k2OsSp1g) Betsy Gardner is the editor of Data-Smart City Solutions and the producer of the Data-Smart City Pod. Prior to this, Betsy worked in a variety of roles in higher education, focusing on deconstructing racial and gender inequality through research, writing, and facilitation. She also researched government spending and transparency at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Betsy holds a master’s degree in Urban and Regional Policy from Northeastern University, a bachelor’s degree in Art History from Boston University, and a graduate certificate in Digital Storytelling from the Harvard Extension School. See also:- [ COVID-19 ](/topics/covid-19) - [ Data Visualization ](/topics/data-visualization) - [ Public Health ](/topics/public-health) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)