Chronic diseases affect illness and death rates, and these rates vary widely across Missouri counties. Understanding, identifying, and prioritizing the differences in
health in locations throughout the state is essential to improving population health.
The Chronic Condition Explorer focuses on how these conditions influence quality of life and lifespan in communities throughout the state. It also provides
information on factors at the ZIP Code level that contribute to these outcomes. For example, if diabetes is widespread in a county, identifying the ZIP Codes
with the highest rates of hospital-diagnosed diabetes, obesity, and heart disease can help define communities of highest need for targeted health interventions.