Dr. Ruchi Gupta and her colleagues at the Chicago Initiative to Raise Asthma Health Equity have released some amazing research about the widely varying rates of childhood asthma by Chicago neighborhood. While MoveSmart.org applauds this and other similar medical investigations that explore the impact of geography on health, for the average family Dr. Gupta's research is inaccessible. Rather than layered over an interactive map and parsed into understandable language, the information is locked in a .pdf on the website of "The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology" (I think; after about 10 minutes of searching on their site, I still couldn't find the actual article). The Sun Times covers the research and is kind enough to provide a map - that is in .pdf format. Easy to read, nice colors - but not quite usable.

From the Sun Times article:

Lynda Pickett, of Austin, has three children with asthma. Her ZIP code, 60644, has one of the city's highest asthma rates.

"I don't understand that," Pickett said. "It makes me want to find another neighborhood to live in, so that maybe their asthma would be better."

While it would be great if this research were presented in an understandable and interactive format, the truth is that it would still not be usable by families looking for a better neighborhood. Until this information appears alongside information about neighborhood amenities, other quality of life indicators, and housing opportunities as part of a one-stop resource, folks like Lynda who are seeking a better neighborhood are out of luck.

That's where MoveSmart.org comes in...

image via forensicmed.co.uk