%ADrSouza, M.%AWentzien, D.%ABautista, R.%ASantana, J.%ASkivers, M.%AStotts, S.%AFiedler, F.%D2018%I %K %MOSTI ID: 10100278 %PMedium: X %TData-intensive Undergraduate Research Project Informs to Advance Healthcare Analytics %XThe overarching framework for incorporating informatics into the Wesley College (Wesley) undergraduate curriculum was to teach emerging information technologies that prepared undergraduates for complex high-demand work environments. Federal and State support helped implement Wesley’s undergraduate Informatics Certificate and Minor programs. Both programs require project-based coursework in Applied Statistics, SAS Programming, and Geo-spatial Analysis (ArcGIS). In 2015, the State of Obesity listed the obesity ranges for all 50 US States to be between 21–36%. Yet, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mortality records show significantly lower obesity-related death-rates for states with very high obesity-rates. This study highlights the disparities in the reported obesity-related death-rates (specified by an ICD-10 E66 diagnosis code) and the obesity-rate percentages recorded for all 50 US States. Using CDC mortality-rate data, the available obesity-rate information, and ArcGIS, we created choropleth maps for all US States. Visual and statistical analysis shows considerable disparities in the obesity-related death-rate record-keeping amongst the 50 US States. For example, in 2015, Vermont with the sixth lowest obesity-rate had the highest reported obesity-related death-rate. In contrast, Alabama had the fifth highest adult obesity-rate in the nation, yet, it had a very low age-adjusted mortality-rate. Such disparities make comparative analysis difficult. Country unknown/Code not availablehttps://doi.org/10.1109/SPMB.2018.8615591OSTI-MSA