These numbers are from the American Lung Association State of the Air 2008 report
(2005-2007 results). I have added calculations for percentages.
The percentages and numbers for pediatric and adult asthma are statewide percentages (taken from state-wide surveys) and therefore are not indicative of individual counties or metro areas. These are simply estimates of possible at-risk populations. The other estimated percentages are still of interest
in general for the counties (they were statistics the ALA obtained from nhsi and nhlbi).
Please do not read too much into the percentages (since they are estimates), and also other risk factors are not accounted for such as smoking and food habits, etc.
The percentages of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, diabetes were calculated as a percentage of population over 18. Pediatric asthma and adult asthma are basically statewide percentages. Cardiovascular disease was calculated as a percentage of the total population, since this was how I read the methodology.
You may sort by the percentages of cardiovascuar disease or emphysema for example. Or you may sort by the weighted average number or ranking of ozone days or short term particle pollution days for example.
| States | Region | total pop | pop under 18 | pop 65 and over | pediatric asthma | adult asthma | chronic bronchitis | emphysema | cv disease | diabetes | wt avg ozone days | wt avg short particle day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NJ | Union Co | 524658 | 130760 24.9% | 65865 12.6% | 11887 9.1% | 32748 8.3% | 13751 3.5% | 6786 1.7% | 144705 27.6% | 31213 7.9% | | 12.0 |
| NJ | Atlantic Co | 270644 | 65045 24.0% | 37532 13.9% | 5913 9.1% | 17028 8.3% | 7116 3.5% | 3625 1.8% | 76563 28.3% | 16562 8.1% | 8.0 | 1.2 |
| NJ | Bergen Co | 895744 | 197496 22.0% | 132209 14.8% | 17954 9.1% | 57784 8.3% | 24722 3.5% | 12979 1.9% | 269595 30.1% | 58817 8.4% | | 3.7 |
| NJ | Camden Co | 513769 | 128429 25.0% | 62967 12.3% | 11675 9.1% | 32060 8.3% | 13199 3.4% | 6534 1.7% | 140105 27.3% | 30146 7.8% | 27.3 | 5.7 |
| NJ | Cumberland Co | 155544 | 38024 24.4% | 19413 12.5% | 3457 9.1% | 9765 8.3% | 3945 3.4% | 1910 1.6% | 41492 26.7% | 8859 7.5% | 11.0 | |
| NJ | Essex Co | 776087 | 198343 25.6% | 90495 11.7% | 18031 9.1% | 48128 8.3% | 19542 3.4% | 9471 1.6% | 205500 26.5% | 43978 7.6% | | 3.3 |
| NJ | Gloucester Co | 285753 | 67124 23.5% | 32921 11.5% | 6102 9.1% | 18242 8.3% | 7405 3.4% | 3575 1.6% | 77712 27.2% | 16632 7.6% | 12.7 | 1.0 |
| NJ | Hudson Co | 598160 | 130946 21.9% | 65061 10.9% | 11904 9.1% | 39035 8.4% | 15188 3.3% | 6875 1.5% | 155093 25.9% | 32594 7.0% | 11.5 | 6.3 |
| NJ | Hunterdon Co | 129348 | 30035 23.2% | 14459 11.2% | 2730 9.1% | 8311 8.4% | 3504 3.5% | 1767 1.8% | 37446 28.9% | 8136 8.2% | 17.7 | |
| NJ | Mercer Co | 365449 | 84231 23.0% | 43772 12.0% | 7657 9.1% | 23431 8.3% | 9501 3.4% | 4593 1.6% | 99797 27.3% | 21345 7.6% | 17.2 | 3.0 |
| NJ | Middlesex Co | 788629 | 181367 23.0% | 94772 12.0% | 16488 9.1% | 50584 8.3% | 20432 3.4% | 9833 1.6% | 214212 27.2% | 45744 7.5% | 20.3 | 1.0 |
| NJ | Monmouth Co | 642030 | 154596 24.1% | 82609 12.9% | 14054 9.1% | 40536 8.3% | 17154 3.5% | 8802 1.8% | 184980 28.8% | 40218 8.3% | 13.3 | |
| NJ | Morris Co | 488475 | 116696 23.9% | 61578 12.6% | 10609 9.1% | 30944 8.3% | 13038 3.5% | 6642 1.8% | 140120 28.7% | 30418 8.2% | 20.3 | 1.3 |
| NJ | Ocean Co | 565493 | 131100 23.2% | 117194 20.7% | 11918 9.1% | 35242 8.1% | 15837 3.6% | 9098 2.1% | 180668 31.9% | 39985 9.2% | 20.5 | 1.7 |
| NJ | Passaic Co | 492115 | 127258 25.9% | 59297 12.0% | 11569 9.1% | 30353 8.3% | 12395 3.4% | 6072 1.7% | 130981 26.6% | 28092 7.7% | 9.7 | 3.0 |
| NJ | Warren Co | 109737 | 26452 24.1% | 14269 13.0% | 2405 9.1% | 6920 8.3% | 2899 3.5% | 1472 1.8% | 31130 28.4% | 6743 8.1% | | 1.7 |
| NJ | NJ Totals | 7601635 | 1807902 23.8% | 994413 13.1% | 164356 9.1% | 481112 8.3% | 199449 3.4% | 100035 1.7% | 2130100 28.0% | 459480 7.9% | | |
| All States Info | total pop | pop under 18 | pop 65 and over | pediatric asthma | adult asthma | chronic bronchitis | emphysema | cv disease | diabetes | wt avg ozone days | ||
| Yrly particle Pass | 144968781 | 35450023 24.5% | 17817941 12.3% | 3222756 9.1% | 8900962 8.1% | 3725035 3.4% | 1827567 1.7% | 39389136 27.2% | 8451886 7.7% | | ||
| Yrly Particle Fail | 47024001 | 12098580 25.7% | 5261998 11.2% | 1099884 9.1% | 2846454 8.2% | 1168859 3.3% | 555959 1.6% | 12190347 25.9% | 2596401 7.4% | | ||
| Ozone A | 6017415 | 1346061 22.4% | 814035 13.5% | 122369 9.1% | 360716 7.7% | 160463 3.4% | 80466 1.7% | | | 0 - 0.2 | ||
| Ozone B | 6509310 | 1674464 25.7% | 797027 12.2% | 152226 9.1% | 406226 8.4% | 163920 3.4% | 80278 1.7% | | | 0.3-0.9 | ||
| Ozone C | 15156293 | 3609961 23.8% | 2151902 14.2% | 328182 9.1% | 872014 7.6% | 400503 3.5% | 205192 1.8% | | | 1.0-2.0 | ||
| Ozone D | 7198179 | 1639337 22.8% | 1058261 14.7% | 149032 9.1% | 413060 7.4% | 194139 3.5% | 100545 1.8% | | | 2.1-3.2 | ||
| Ozone F | 175378757 | 43955790 25.1% | 20441256 11.7% | 3996013 9.1% | 10875304 8.3% | 4439068 3.4% | 2145510 1.6% | | | 3.3+ | ||
| Ozone Avg - All | 227268090 | 56219254 24.7% | 27444372 12.1% | 5110896 9.1% | 14025715 8.2% | 5802213 3.4% | 2831715 1.7% | | | |
The state data uses 24-hour averaged PM data for determining the Air Quality Standard (AQS) and gives a grade and weighted average based on the number of days. This is termed the short term particle pollution data. Unhealthy days (in terms of short term particle pollution) start at 35.1 µg/m3 as measured by the PM2.5 monitor. The ozone levels were determined by an 8 hour maximum concentration levels.
The website stateoftheair.org gives this information for the counties in all of the states I believe. It includes the number of orange, red, and purple days and a weighted grading of each county in terms of ozone and short-term particle pollution levels. There is a discussion of the 2.5 ppm Monitors used for the pollution measuring also. The methodology is discussed at stateoftheairmethodolgy .
So one cannot immediately see any correlation between disease levels and air pollution levels. Since these regions (counties) are very large and since many variables are not controlled for, such as cigarette smoking, it is probably not surprising that there is not a visible correlation between disease levels and air pollution levels. More controls, and perhaps more numbers would be needed.
Also I am actually very much in favor of the improvement in air quality that has occurred since, for example, 1980, with the reduction in particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and sulfur dioxides. And wrote this website mainly as practice with the web, and since I was curious about the percentages anyway. The results are somewhat similar for some of the other states, and one could have chosen any number of other reasonably diverse states also. I have also written a java program to collect the numbers for any state from the stateoftheair. The temporary link is here, and I am basically finished now. (since this was just done as I am looking for employment again.)