A statewide resource developed in part by East Tennessee State University to help communities better understand — and respond to — the needs of older Tennesseans has earned recognition from public health professionals across the state.

The ETSU Center for Rural Health and Research (CRHR), housed in the ETSU College of Public Health, was awarded for its work developing the Tennessee Multi-Sector Plan for the Aging Data Dashboard. During the Tennessee Public Health Association’s 2026 annual conference, held Sept. 23-25 in Murfreesboro, they were recognized as the TPHA Partners and Leadership Award winners.

The recognition honors the team’s work on the Tennessee Multi-Sector Plan for Aging Data Dashboard Version 2, a collaboration between the CRHR and the Tennessee Department of Health’s Office of Healthy Aging.

Designed as a one-stop resource for aging-related information across Tennessee, the interactive dashboard brings together demographic, health, healthcare access and socioeconomic data and resources for all 95 counties.

But the goal is not simply to make more data available. It is to make that information useful to policymakers, community organizations, healthcare partners, researchers and local leaders working to improve the lives of Tennesseans as they age.

“Our goal has never been simply to put more data in front of people,” said Dr. Qian Huang, research assistant professor with the CRHR. “We want communities and decision-makers to have information they can use to understand local needs, identify disparities and take meaningful action to support healthy aging.  

“By pairing statewide data with the voices and experiences of older Tennesseans, we can provide a fuller picture of what aging looks like in communities across Tennessee.”

Beyond the numbers

One of the key additions to Version 2 is “Beyond the Numbers: Voices from the Focus Groups,” which places the experiences of older Tennesseans alongside the dashboard’s quantitative indicators.

Those perspectives help provide context that numbers alone may not capture — from the challenges older residents encounter in their communities to what they value about where they live and how they experience the services and resources available to them.

Considered alongside the quantitative data, these community perspectives provide another lens for understanding the experiences of older Tennesseans, adding context and nuance that may not be reflected in the numbers alone.

The dashboard is designed to support decisions ranging from community planning and resource allocation to efforts addressing healthcare access, economic security, social engagement, and chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The team recognized by TPHA includes Huang, Dr. Kayla Alvis, Fatimah Olawuyi, Ginny Kidwell, Denise Chavez Reyes, Olivia Sullivan, Peter Adediji and Nicholas Joyner.

The Center for Rural Health and Research works with communities and partners to advance health and improve the quality of life in rural and underserved areas. Its work reflects ETSU’s broader role as Tennessee’s largest public Academic Health Sciences Center and its commitment to improving health throughout Appalachia and beyond as the flagship institution of Appalachia.

Explore the Tennessee Multi-Sector Plan for Aging Data Dashboard Version 2 at https://bit.ly/4d20T6x.