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Module 5: Bar Chart

This module focuses on the bar chart, one of the more common types of graph used in public health.

Reviewed 15 April 05 /MODULE 5

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Composition of Food Commercials on Black Prime Time and General Prime Time

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Black Prime Time General Prime Time

Perc

enta

ge o

f pop

ulat

ion

Fast Food

Candy, Chocolate

Soda

Other Beverages (coffee,water etc)Other Deserts

Bread, Grains

Other (snacks,restaurants, etc)Chicken, Turkey

Alcohol

A Typical Bar Chart

Source: Am J Public Health, Mar. 2003;93:440

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Characteristics of Bar Charts

• Consist of horizontal or vertical bars with a space between bars

• Ideal for nominal and ordinal scales• Avoid numbers at top or end of bars • Avoid scale breaks

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Source: Am J Public Health, May 2004;94:760

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Source: Am J Public Health, May 2004;94:793

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Source: Am J Public Health, May 2004;94:872

7

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Source: Am J Public Health, Mar. 2004;94:386

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Source: Am J Public Health, Mar. 2004;94:386Percentage of Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) owing to broad care needs (long-term care

and management)

89.7%

8.7%

1.4%

0.1%

89.0%

5.3%

3.7%

2.0%

72.1%

3.9%

1.8%

46.5%

46.1%

2.6%

4.7%

22.2%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%

Broad Cause: group I

Broad Cause: group II

Broad Cause: group III

Broad Cause: undetermined

Broad Care needs:acute andepisodic

Broad Care needs:long-term, highmortality

Broad Care needs:long-term, lowmortality

Broad Care needs: undetermined

Percentage of DALYs

Older than 5 yearsYounger than 5years

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Source: Am J Public Health, Dec. 2003;93:2034

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Source: Am J Public Health, July 2000;90:1068

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Source: Am J Public Health, July 2000;90:1068

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Source: Am J Public Health, July 2000;90:1068

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Bar Chart with Scale Break

425

525

625

725

825

925

1025

1125

1225

1325

1425

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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Bar Chart with Scale Break

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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Bar Chart without Scale Break

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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Bar Chart with Scale Break

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9425

525

625

725

825

925

1025

1125

1225

1325

1425

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

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Bar Chart with Scale Break

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Hig

h

3rd

Qua

rtile

2nd

Qua

rtile

Low

High3rd Quartile

2nd QuartileLow

912.

3

861.

8

829.

1

807

0

150

300

450

600

750

900

1050

Age & Sex Adjusted Total Mortality Per

10,000

Income Inequality Quartiles

Per Capita Income Quartiles

Age and Sex Adjusted Total Mortality rates by Income Inequality Quartiles and Per Capita Income Quartiles, in 3067 Counties in the

Contiguous United States

Bar Chart without Scale Break

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Source: Am J Public Health, May 2003;93:772

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Average Life Span by Peerage Type

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Baronet

Scottish Lord

Baron

Viscount

Earl

Marquess

Duke

Life Span, yInherited-Title HoldersFirst-Title Holders

Source: Am J Public Health, May 2003;93:772

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Source: Am J Public Health, Dec. 2003;93:2121

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Source: Am J Public Health, June 2004;94:1050

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Source: Am J Public Health, June 2004;94:1050

Conditions for Which Patients were referred for treatment

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Endocrine

Blood

General

Circulatory

Respiratory

Gynecologic

Headache

Digestive

Skin

Anxiety

Arthritis

Back and Neck

Con

ditio

n

Number of Patients