New National Data Tool Available On Chronic Diseases And Risk Factors That Most Impact Public Health

The new Chronic Disease Indicators are now available, along with a new, interactive website.  These key indicators for chronic diseases, conditions, and risk factors have expanded from 97 to 124, and now include the topic areas of disability, mental health, older adults, reproductive health, and school health.  

“These indicators are possibly the most useful tools available to prioritize the public health agenda in the nation,” said John Robitscher, CEO of the National Association of Chronic Disease (NACDD). 

NACDD, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), spearheaded the review and update of these indicators. 

According to Wayne H. Giles, MD, MS, Director of the Division of Population Health at CDC “Access to updated, standardized data is critical for implementing effective public health practices, programs, and policies.” 

In addition to the new indicators, an online database has been redesigned and re-launched.  The website, www.cdc.gov/cdi is the only integrated source for comprehensive access to a range of key indicators derived from vital statistics, disease registries, national health surveys, inpatient and emergency department databases, Medicare claims data, policy tracking systems and the U.S. Census.  The website, allows users to compare data on the prevalence of chronic diseases in 40 large metropolitan areas, as well as at the state and national levels. 

“Monitoring the health of the population is Essential Public Health Service #1,” said CSTE Executive Director Dr. Jeffrey Engel. “Since chronic diseases are the leading causes of preventable death, disability and illness in the nation, it is critical that chronic disease indicators are available to measure trends and the effects of interventions aimed at reducing upstream determinants of preventable conditions.” 

The Chronic Disease Indicators were originally established in the late 1990s to provide public health agencies with access to the most relevant, up-to-date and uniformly defined chronic disease data at the state and county level. In 2010, chronic disease represented seven of the top 10 causes of death in the United States.  

For more information, visit: www.chronicdisease.org, www.cste.org and www.cdc.gov.