500 Cities: Local Data for Better Health, 2018 release

This is the complete dataset for the 500 Cities project 2018 release. This dataset includes 2016, 2015 model-based small area estimates for 27 measures of chronic disease related to unhealthy behaviors (5), health outcomes (13), and use of preventive services (9). Data were provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Population Health, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch. The project was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in conjunction with the CDC Foundation. It represents a first-of-its kind effort to release information on a large scale for cities and for small areas within those cities. It includes estimates for the 500 largest US cities and approximately 28,000 census tracts within these cities. These estimates can be used to identify emerging health problems and to inform development and implementation of effective, targeted public health prevention activities. Because the small area model cannot detect effects due to local interventions, users are cautioned against using these estimates for program or policy evaluations. Data sources used to generate these measures include Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data (2016, 2015), Census Bureau 2010 census population data, and American Community Survey (ACS) 2012-2016, 2011-2015 estimates. Because some questions are only asked every other year in the BRFSS, there are 4 measures (high blood pressure, taking high blood pressure medication, high cholesterol, cholesterol screening) from the 2015 BRFSS that are the same in the 2018 release as the previous 2017 release. More information about the methodology can be found at www.cdc.gov/500cities.

Cite as: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. 500 Cities: Local Data for Better Health, 2018 release. https://data.cdc.gov/d/rja3-32tc