These maps illustrate the burden of heart disease and chronic lower respiratory disease as causes of death among residents Cuyahoga County and Cleveland, respectively.

 Chronic lower respiratory disease (CLRD) ranks fourth among the leading causes of death in Ohio and in the United States in 2002, and in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County during 1999-2002.  CLRD is a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. It includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma. Tobacco use is strongly associated in the development and progression of CLRD.  Exposure to air pollutants, irritants and allergens, genetic factors, and respiratory infections can be significant factors in the progression and occurrence of asthma. Deaths due to asthma can occur at almost any age, while children under 5 years of age may be diagnosed with severe bronchiolitis instead of asthma.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death nationally and locally. As a proportion (percentage) of all causes of death, heart disease represents from a third to half of all causes of deaths in urbanized areas. 

With larger populations comes a wider variety to the causes of death. One may find that areas with smaller populations, as seen in the second map (Cleveland) may have a larger proportion of deaths due to heart disease.

However, the confluence of heart disease along the central corridor of the county along the Cuyahoga valley is of great concern. From downtown Cleveland and Tremont to Old Brooklyn and South Broadway, into Newburgh Heights, Brooklyn Heights to Independence, there is a greater proportion of heart disease than in other areas of the County.

In both maps, no adjustment is made for smoking.  Because smoking history is not part of a standard death certificate, no adjustment for smoking can be made. Also, these results are not adjusted for age.

The original data were provided the Ohio Department of Health. Geocoding, a process of matching the resident address with the neighborhood or municipality was performed by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Data were analyzed by the Cleveland Department of Public Health.

Contact dbruckman@city.cleveland.oh.us for more information