Introduction
Asthma affects millions of lives annually in the United States; however, we now know that it can be effectively managed with proper medical treatment and lifestyle adjustments. These treatments are easily accessible in New Jersey from pharmacies and health clinics. In addition to medication, regular monitoring and avoidance of triggers can support better asthma control. The Madison Borough Health Department is responsible for local public health efforts.
Data
The United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) collaborates with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the CDC Foundation on the PLACES project. PLACES provides local-level estimates of asthma prevalence and management based on data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for 2020 and 2021. This data helps local health departments understand the burden and distribution of asthma and plan public health interventions.
Results
In Morris County, the estimated prevalence of asthma (%) was 8.6 with 95% CI ( 7.5, 9.7) in 2021. According to Census 2010, there were 510,981 people live in Morris. In the census tract with Drew University, the estimated prevalence of asthma (%) was 9.6 with 95% CI ( 8.4, 11.1) in 2021. According to Census 2010, there were 4,296 people live in this tract.
Conclusion
Understanding the local differences in asthma prevalence helps local and county health departments identify where targeted interventions can reduce asthma burden and health disparities. This data is crucial for planning public health strategies that improve access to medical treatments and support lifestyle adjustments.
Health measures are also valuable in an environmental sense, offering insights into how our built and natural environments influence asthma and overall health. Access to comprehensive, localized data enables better health outcomes and more resilient communities.
About the data
The CDC Places data sets are part of a series, spelling out the acronym as Place Level Analysis and Community Estimates. The latest estimates are for 2020 and 2021 for U.S. Census Tracts.
Other data sources visualized in the images here and on web maps are from the New Jersey Office of GIS (including County and Municipal Boundaries of New Jersey).
A webmap of the county level PLACES results can be found here:
A webmap of the census tract results for Madison can be found here:
