Background

PlainHealth is a data journalism portal that examines causes-of-death data from the CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The team draws from the public NCHS Leading Causes of Death dataset (1999-2017), with age-adjusted rates from CDC WONDER, to produce clear state-level cause-of-death analyses. Content is compiled by our editorial team from official source data, and the team maintains independence by not accepting payment from any entity.

Editorial approach

The PlainHealth Editorial editorial process follows PlainHealth's Editorial Standards for Data Journalism. Every dataset we cover is traced back to its originating public source, and we publish the provenance of each statistic on the page so readers can verify it independently. We do not accept compensation, sponsorship, or influence from entities we cover.

When we present derived numbers (rankings, ratios, comparisons), the methodology page documents exactly how the figure was computed. If a number cannot be computed consistently across every entity in the dataset, we either disclose the gap or omit the comparison rather than present misleading data.

How content is produced

Raw source figures shown on a data page are reproduced directly from the upstream source agency, and the originating dataset is named and dated on the page. Where a figure is derived (a ranking, ratio, score, or estimate computed from those raw inputs) rather than a raw agency number, it is computed using a documented formula (see the methodology page) and labeled accordingly — "estimated," "modeled," or a named score — never presented as an unmodified source value. The plain-language summaries and explanations that surround those figures are written to help readers interpret the data, while the underlying values are computed directly from the source, not hand-entered.

Source attribution is shown on every page; the methodology underlying any derived figure is documented at the link above. We follow the guidance of Google Search Central's Helpful Content principles — write for readers, document sources, and disclose the editorial process — and welcome any factual flag at the contact link below.

Corrections and feedback

If you find an error, stale figure, or missing context on any page we publish, please use the contact page or write to hello@plainhealthdata.com with the URL and the issue. We aim to respond within 72 hours and to publish corrections with a visible revision note.

Areas of focus

• cause-of-death data
• mortality statistics
• CDC NCHS public datasets

Contact and identity

• Email: hello@plainhealthdata.com
• Publisher: https://plainhealthdata.com