PHACS, or Public Health in Arkansas’ Communities Search, is a one stop shop for community health data broken down by county in Arkansas.
The web-based repository of maps and reports allow community members to visualize social-economic and behavioral factors for health, access to health care, and outcomes focusing on chronic diseases prevalent in Arkansas. It focuses on public health indicators by county and other local regions that can be used for program planning and finding health care resources.
Since PHACS first went live in 2010, it has been used by hundreds of people across Arkansas to find county level public health data. PHACS is designed for community groups, college and high school students, researchers, and lay community. The tool gives maps for over 100 health indicators, including demographics, social or economic factors, access to care, preventive behavior, and health outcomes. It also provides health profile reports for each county in Arkansas.
The system includes over 3,000 health care facilities across the state. The goal is not only to display health related conditions geographically to identify disparities, but also to relate the same information for access to health care facilities provided in those areas. People within the communities can use this resource to find providers that offer free or sliding scale services, accept Medicare or Medicaid, or offer translators.
To begin searching in PHACS, click here.