This timely book provides public health professionals with a thoughtful framework for turning data into action. The authors skillfully illustrate how understanding our own positionality, combined with rigorous data practices and meaningful community engagement, leads to more effective public health decisions. Through real-world examples, they show that while data are critical, they don’t solely dictate action; rather, they serve as a foundation for inclusive dialogue and consensus-building. Data-Informed Decision Making is an essential guide for public health practitioners seeking to make their data work matter.

In public health, we often speak about ‘moving the needle’ on health outcomes, but this requires more than good intentions — it demands sophisticated approaches to collecting, analyzing, and acting upon data. This outstanding resource provides what today’s public health professionals need: a roadmap for transforming numbers into meaningful change. The authors offer invaluable guidance on navigating competing priorities, building community consensus, and addressing data access barriers that many of us encounter daily. This is essential reading for public health professionals committed to creating responsive, effective systems of care through strategic, data-informed decision making.