CDC neighborhood-level health outcomes mapping project goes national

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday announced the expansion of its effort to provide viewable, downloadable county-level data on health-related outcomes and chronic disease prevalence.

CDC’s PLACES initiative, formerly known as the 500 Cities Project, looks at 27 health measures by county, incorporated and census-designated places, census tracts and ZIP code, in the process reaching many smaller and rural areas previously unreported in the program.

CDC said that by focusing on areas where chronic diseases persist the project can aid local health departments’ and organizations’ efforts to designate resources.