The Nova Scotia Health Atlas base geography files are now available.

The following files can be downloaded:

Zipped Shapefiles:
1. Community Clusters
2. Community Health Networks
3. Community Health Management Zones

Please note: The currently available geographic files are developed based on the 2011 census geography. The 2016 based set of the above geographies is under construction. The expected time of release is August 2017.

Documents:
4. Population by Cluster-CHN-MZ geography-Census2011 (.xlsx)

This Excel table shows how the hierarchy of four geographic units (Dissemination Areas (DAs), Community Clusters, Community Health Networks and Management Zones) are grouped, and how the population of each area was estimated based on the 2011 Census.

5. Coding and Population Estimates for the NS Health Atlas Geographies: A technical primer on population data and how to use population weighing for split DAs (.pdf). This brief technical document explains: 1) how area units in the Community Clusters, Community Health Networks and Management Zones are coded, 2) which DAs are split and assigned weights for population calculation, and 3) how the Excel population table above can be used to summarize population data (DA-level census count data).