The Illinois Department of Public Health has updated and expanded its open-data Public Health Community Map to better illustrate fluctuations in the quality and accessibility of healthcare across the state.
The map now takes into account several maternal and child health data categories, including birth weight, breastfeeding, prenatal care, teen birth rate and instances of smoking during pregnancy. Other categories added to the map include the prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving deaths, uninsured individuals under 65, unemployed job-seekers and children living in poverty.
Additionally, the department has updated the map's existing data regarding asthma, behavioral health, cardiovascular health, diabetes, emergency visits, pneumonia and readmissions.
With these additions and updates, the map will more accurately portray the distribution of quality healthcare across Illinois and can therefore be used to inform initiatives to increase access to quality care and, ultimately, improve outcomes.