About Asthma Emergency Department Visit Data, Hospital Discharge Data and Deaths

About Asthma Emergency Department Visits and Emergency Department Visit Rates

Asthma Emergency Department (ED) data are generated from two databases within the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS): the (1) Hospital Inpatient database and (2) Outpatient database were used to create county-specific asthma ED visit rates organized by regions within New York State. The SPARCS Hospital Inpatient database collects information on all hospital discharges from acute care and rehabilitation hospitals located in New York State. This database includes records for patients who are admitted to the hospital directly from the ED and for those who are hospitalized without first utilizing the ED. The SPARCS Hospital Outpatient database contains information on ED visits for individuals who visit the ED but are not hospitalized.

For the SPARCS Hospital Inpatient database, an asthma ED visit was defined as having been admitted to the hospital directly from the ED and having an admitting diagnosis with asthma (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code of 493). For the SPARCS Outpatient database, an asthma ED visit was defined as having a principal diagnosis with asthma (ICD-9-CM code of 493).

Population estimates used for computing the asthma ED visit rates were obtained by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Bureau of Biometrics from the United States (U.S.) Census Bureau. Asthma ED data are presented by various age groups and by total population. Asthma ED visits are based on the patient's county of residence.

Asthma ED visit data are presented as tables, maps and graphs at the state and county level. Tables display the latest available asthma ED visit data for a three-year time period. Tables include, for each county, the number of asthma ED visits for each of the three years, the total number of ED visits for the three-year period, the average population of the three-year period and the three-year average annual crude asthma ED visit rates per 10,000 population for age-specific groups. For the total population, crude and age-adjusted ED visits rates are presented. The crude asthma ED visit rate was calculated by dividing the total number of asthma ED visits for the three-year period by three to get the average number of asthma ED visits per year. The average number of asthma ED visits was then divided by the average population of the three-year period and multiplied by 10,000. The age-adjusted asthma ED visit rates were calculated using the 2000 U.S. Standard Population.

Within the table data, each county is linked to that specific county's trend data. The trend data for each county is presented by a graph and table with single year and three-year average asthma ED visit rates. Also included, for comparison, are three years of asthma ED visit rates for New York City (if that county resides within New York City) or asthma ED visit rates for Upstate New York (if that county resides within Upstate New York).

County three-year average asthma ED visit rates for each age group are also presented. A bar graph plots age-specific county asthma ED visit rates for eight regions and the New York State total. The New York State map displays age-specific county asthma ED visit rates by quartile.

About Asthma Hospital Discharges and Discharge Rates

Hospital discharge data from SPARCS were used to create county-specific asthma hospital discharge rates organized by regions within New York State. Asthma hospital discharges were selected if the principal diagnosis was asthma (ICD-9-CM code of 493). Population estimates used for computing the hospital discharge rates were obtained by the NYSDOH Bureau of Biometrics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Asthma hospital discharge data are presented by various age groups and by total population. Asthma hospital discharges are based on the patient's county of residence.

Asthma hospital discharge data are presented as tables, maps and graphs at the state and county level. Tables display the latest available asthma hospital discharge data for a three-year time period. Tables include, for each county, the number of asthma hospital discharges for each of the three years, the total number of asthma hospital discharges for the three-year period, the average population of the three-year period and the three-year average annual crude asthma hospital discharge rate per 10,000 population age-specific groups. For the total population, crude and age-adjusted hospital discharge rates are presented. The asthma hospital discharge rate was calculated by dividing the total number of asthma hospital discharges for the three-year period by three to get the average number of asthma hospital discharges per year. The average number of asthma hospital discharges was then divided by the average population of the three-year period and multiplied by 10,000. The age-adjusted asthma hospital discharge rates were calculated using the 2000 U.S. Standard Population.

Within the table data, each county is linked to that specific county's ten-year trend data. The trend data for each county is presented by a graph and table with single year and three-year average asthma hospital discharge rates. Also included, for comparison, are ten years of asthma hospital discharge rates for New York City (if that county resides within New York City) or asthma hospital discharge rates for Upstate New York (if that county resides within Upstate New York).

County three-year average asthma hospital discharge rates for each age group are also presented. A bar graph plots age-specific county asthma hospital discharge rates for eight regions and the New York State total. The New York State map displays age-specific county asthma hospital discharge rates by quartile.

About Asthma Deaths and Deaths Rates

The data presented here are county-specific asthma death rates, both crude and adjusted, organized by regions within New York State. Data are collected from death certificates. All deaths receive an ICD-9 code (before 1999) or an ICD-10 (1999 and later) indicating the principal reason for the death. The codes used for asthma are ICD-9 (493) or ICD-10 (J45-J46). Asthma deaths are based on county of residence. The source of the data is the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Biometrics and Health Statistics.

The death rates are calculated per 1,000,000 population. Population estimates used for computing the death rates were obtained by the NYSDOH Bureau of Biometrics from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Asthma mortality data are presented as tables, maps and graphs at the state and county level. Tables present three years of asthma data and include for each county, the number of asthma deaths for each of the three years, the total number of asthma deaths for that three-year period, the average population of the three-year period and the three-year average annual asthma death rate per 1,000,000 population (both crude and age-adjusted). The crude asthma death rate was calculated by dividing the total number of asthma deaths for the three-year period by three to get the average number of asthma deaths per year. The average number of asthma deaths was then divided by the average population of the three-year period and multiplied by 1,000,000. Age-adjusted asthma death rates were calculated using the 2000 U.S. Standard Population.

Within the table data, each county is linked to that specific county's ten-year trend data. The trend data for each county is presented by a graph and table with single year and three-year average asthma death rates. Also included, for comparison, are ten years of asthma death rates for New York City (if that county resides within New York City) or death rates for Upstate New York (if that county resides within Upstate New York).

In addition, crude and age-adjusted county three-year average asthma death rates are displayed by a bar graph and a map. The bar graphs plot crude and age-adjusted county death rates for eight regions and the New York State total. The New York State maps display crude and age-adjusted county death rates by quartile.

More information and links can be found at NYSDOH's Asthma Information.