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Geographical patterns of heart disease in the Northeastern United States
Insights
This study mapped heart disease mortality clusters in the New York-New Jersey-Philadelphia region. Southern New Jersey showed high cardiovascular disease risk, while the Central Corridor had low rates.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
- Cardiovascular Disease Research
Background:
- Investigated spatial patterns of mortality from four heart disease types.
- Focused on a 49-county region from New York through New Jersey to Philadelphia.
- Utilized age-adjusted mortality rates for white males and females from 1968-1972.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify county clusters with similar heart disease mortality rates.
- Determine high and low-risk areas for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
- Explore associations between mortality rates and environmental/socioeconomic factors.
Main Methods:
- Spatial analysis of mortality data across a 49-county region.
- Identification of distinct geographic clusters based on disease rates.
- Comparison of mortality patterns between different clusters and disease types.
Main Results:
- Identified four distinct county clusters within the study region.
- Southern New Jersey emerged as a high-risk zone due to high major cardiovascular disease rates.
- A Central Corridor cluster exhibited relatively low rates for all investigated diseases, contrasting with the Urban Spur's varied ischemic disease patterns.
Conclusions:
- Spatial variations in heart disease mortality exist within the New York-New Jersey-Philadelphia corridor.
- Specific geographic clusters present unique risk profiles for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
- Further research is planned to analyze subsequent data periods and risk factors for a more comprehensive understanding.
Abstract:
A 49-county region surrounding the urban corridor from New York through New Jersey to Philadelphia was the focus of an investigation of the spatial patterns of mortality from four types of heart disease: major cardiovascular, acute ischemic, chronic ischemic and cerebrovascular. The data used were age-adjusted mortality rates for white males and white females for the period 1968-1972. Central to the research was interest in the existence of county clusters with similar rates, high and low risk areas and possible associations of mortality rates with environmental and socioeconomic conditions. The tasks completed in this first phase of a projected multi-phase project led to the identification of four country clusters within the region. High major cardiovascular rates appear to make the Southern New Jersey cluster a high risk zone. In contrast, a Central Corridor cluster has relatively low rates for all the diseases. No clear pattern was in evidence for the Northwestern Periphery cluster. Finally, a stark contrast between acute and chronic ischemic rates appeared in the Urban Spur. The next step in this research will be to search for either consistency or deviation from these patterns in the 1973-1976 period. A risk factor data set will be created to analyze the patterns in greater detail.