This project highlights how geography affects health. Where people live, how close they are to services, whether their neighbourhood is safe, what jobs or schools are nearby, and the quality of their air and water, can all influence their health and well-being. Mapping this kind of information helps health system leaders understand local needs and make better decisions about care and resources.
The Maritime Health Atlas is a web-based interactive tool that shows how health and health care use vary across Nova Scotia. It includes data on health status, access to services, and social factors that affect health. Users can explore information at different geographic levels, such as community health networks and management zones, thanks to a system of 55 community clusters created through the Small-Area Rate Variation (SARV) project.
The Atlas started with data from Nova Scotia and now includes some data from New Brunswick. The long-term goal is to expand to include all three Maritime provinces. By making population health information more accessible and easier to understand, the Atlas supports better health policy, system planning, and health outcomes for people across the Maritimes.
Read: Mapping Population Health: How the Maritime Health Atlas is improving health care planning
The current version of the Atlas is undergoing a renewal to improve its features and functionality.
The MSSU has transitioned the Health Atlas to Dalhousie’s Healthy Population Data under Daniel Rainham.