# An Urban Population Health Observatory System to Support COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness, Response, and Management: Design and Development Study

**Authors:** Whitney S. Brakefield, Nariman Ammar, Olufunto A. Olusanya, Arash Shaban-Nejad  
**arXiv:** [2106.11067](https://arxiv.org/abs/2106.11067)  
**Date:** 2021-06-16  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/2106.11067v1/

## Key points

- Study aimed to redefine Healthy People 2030's Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) taxonomy for COVID-19
- Developed a prototype for the Urban Population Health Observatory (UPHO), a web-based platform
- Collected and integrated data from various sources
- Classified data into drivers and outcomes
- Used data science techniques to calculate measurable indicators
- Studied interventions to mitigate undesirable outcomes
- Generated and classified indicators of social determinants of health linked to COVID-19
- Prototype design presented with use case scenarios for four different users
- UPHO platform can be adopted globally for chronic and infectious diseases
- Provides insights into immediate and long-term health policy responses to public health crises
- Assists public health organizations and policymakers in reducing health disparities and achieving health equity
- Contributes to understanding the impact of social determinants on COVID-19 outcomes
- Valuable tool for monitoring population health and informing public health policies and interventions

## Summary

The study conducted by Brakefield et al aimed to redefine the Healthy People 2030's Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) taxonomy to accommodate the COVID-19 pandemic and develop a prototype for the Urban Population Health Observatory (UPHO), a web-based platform that integrates classified group-level SDoH indicators with individual- and aggregate-level population health data. The process of building the UPHO involved collecting and integrating data from various sources, classifying the data into drivers and outcomes, using data science techniques to calculate measurable indicators, and studying interventions to mitigate undesirable outcomes. The study generated and classified indicators of social determinants of health linked to COVID-19. To demonstrate the functionalities of the UPHO platform, a prototype design was presented along with use case scenarios for four different users. The UPHO platform serves as an apparatus for implementing effective interventions and can be adopted globally for chronic and infectious diseases. It provides novel insights into immediate and long-term health policy responses to not only the COVID-19 pandemic but also future public health crises. By assisting public health organizations and policymakers, UPHO contributes to reducing health disparities, achieving health equity, and improving urban population health. Overall, this study contributes to understanding the impact of social determinants on COVID-19 outcomes and provides a valuable tool for monitoring population health and informing public health policies and interventions.