Current Release Notes

Key points

This page provides important information about the data used for the current PLACES release (August 2024). It also provides information about updates or exclusions to PLACES measures.

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Update as of December 2024

An issue has been identified with county-level age-adjusted estimates for Connecticut in the 2024 data release. The following measures were affected:

  • Lack of health insurance
  • Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma
  • Cognitive disability
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Current smoking
  • Depression
  • Diabetes
  • Any disability
  • General health

These estimates have now been corrected and replaced. If you are using county-level data before December 23rd, 2024, please update the data.

You can download or access the updated data from the following sources:

New Release as of August 2024

The PLACES 2024 release includes 40 measures, based on updated Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data:

  • 36 measures are based on 2022 BRFSS data.
  • 4 measures are based on 2021 BRFSS data: (1) high blood pressure, (2) taking high blood pressure medication, (3) high cholesterol, and (4) cholesterol screening.

New Measures

Seven new measures for health-related social needs were added:

  • Social isolation.
  • Food stamps.
  • Food insecurity.
  • Housing insecurity.
  • Utility services threat.
  • Transportation barriers.
  • Lack of social and emotional support.

The small area estimation model for these measures was based on data from 39 states and the District of Columbia (DC).

Population and geography changes

  • The PLACES 2024 release is the first release that uses 2020 Census population data and geographic boundaries.
  • For county-level estimation, Census 2022 county population intercensal estimates were used.
  • American Community Survey 2018–2022 data were used for all geographic levels.
  • Four measures (high blood pressure, taking high blood pressure medication, high cholesterol, and cholesterol screening) based on the 2021 BRFSS have been recalculated using Census 2020 population data and geographic boundaries to match other measures.
  • For the first time, Connecticut planning regions were used as county equivalents and Census 2020 population was used.

Revised or adjusted measure names/definitions

All measure definitions were revised. Some measure names or definitions were adjusted to match other surveillance systems or survey questions:

  • Adults were defined as people aged ≥18 years. The phrase "aged ≥18 years" was removed from all measure names.
  • U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for colorectal cancer screening was updated from adults aged 50–75 years to adults aged 45–75 years.
  • "Current asthma prevalence" was changed to "current asthma."
  • "Cancer (excluding skin cancer)" was changed to "cancer (non-skin) or melanoma."
  • "High cholesterol among adults aged ≥18 years who have been screened in the past 5 years" was changed to "high cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened."
  • "Taking medicine for high blood pressure control among adults aged ≥18 years with high blood pressure" was changed to "taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure."
  • The definition for cholesterol screening within the past 5 years was updated.
  • "Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year" was changed to "routine checkup within the past year."
  • Visits to dentist or dental clinic" was changed to "visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year."
  • "Current smoking" was changed to "current cigarette smoking."
  • "Sleeping less than 7 hours" was changed to "short sleep duration."
  • "Mental health not good for ≥14 days" was changed to "frequent mental distress."
  • "Physical health not good for ≥14 days" was changed to "frequent physical distress."

Measures not included in this release

The questions on cervical cancer screening changed in the BRFSS 2022. As a result, we were not able to include an estimate for this measure in this release.

Discontinued measures

Two measures were discontinued because of program recommendations:

  • Chronic kidney disease.
  • Core preventive service use for older adults.


Notes from previous releases

December 2023 Addition

  • Added 9 Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) measures to PLACES from the American Community Survey (ACS) at 4 geographic levels.
  • Incorporated SDOH measures into the PLACES Interactive Map.
  • Published separate datasets with the ACS measures to the PLACES Data Portal.
  • Included new Measure Definitions.

2023 Release

Estimates for Florida were not available for measures based on the 2021 BRFSS. Florida was unable to collect data over enough months to meet the minimum requirements for inclusion in the 2021 annual aggregate dataset. However, the seven measures based on the 2020 BRFSS were carried over for Florida.

The 2020 BRFSS colorectal cancer screening questions were changed to ask about five test types (FIT, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, FIT-DNA, and CT colonography). Previous questionnaires asked about three test types (FIT, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy). Estimates of people getting colorectal cancer screening were higher than in previous years. For more information, visit Use of Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests.

When comparing estimates from the 2020 BRFSS with estimates from other years, remember to consider differences in data collection [PDF – 168KB] and potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022 release

Estimates for New Jersey were not available for measures based on the 2019 BRFSS. Therefore, estimates for the four measures based on 2019 BRFSS data (high blood pressure, taking high blood pressure medication, high cholesterol, and cholesterol screening) were not available in the 2022 release.

2021 release

Estimates for New Jersey were not available for measures based on the 2019 BRFSS. The state did not collect enough BRFSS data to meet the minimum requirements for inclusion in the 2019 annual aggregate data set. The seven measures available in the 2018 BRFSS were carried over.

2020 release

Estimates of cholesterol screening for 2017 were revised for all geographic levels. Because of changes in the BRFSS questions related to cholesterol screening, revised estimates were generally higher than estimates previously released. Updated estimates can be downloaded from the Data Portal or the ArcGIS Online service.

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