Census tracts in Atlanta show elevated levels of health risks overall. Eighty (80) of the city's 131 census tracts score in the 50th percentile and above for high blood pressure estimates, with 52 tracts scoring in the 90th percentile or higher.

Asthma and low sleep are two other areas where Census tracts throughout the city have high rates relative to the country's other largest 500 cities.

While there is a clear north-south divide in these measures, there are some tracts to the north side of the city that experience increased risk.

Atlantans fare better than many of the country's other largest 500 cities in prevention care with mammograms and cholesterol screenings, and many tracts have low cancer risk relative to the country's other largest 500 cities.

In many health outcomes, Atlanta shows a pattern in which the city is split almost evenly between very low and very high percentile ranks for prevalence. This is indicative of significant spatial inequity.

One of the more surprising observations is that, while there are distinct bands of high and low prevalence, the north-south divide is not as sharp for high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and high cholesterol as it is for stroke and diabetes. For instance, there is a band of census tracts at the north end of the city that experience similar risk for high cholesterol as a band to the south of the city.

There is a strong interplay among spatial patterns of race, economics and education in the city. Because these factors carry such a close association with health outcomes, many of the city's most pressing health risks have a noticeably similar distribution in the data set.

Our examination shows that high blood pressure does not have the same clear north-south divide that we see in race and income. The other risks — diabetes, asthma and total tooth loss — show a much clearer geographic divide that more fully reflects Atlanta's socioeconomic divide.

Atlanta's areas of high poverty are concentrated in its predominantly Black/African-American neighborhoods. These areas coincide with a band of high prevalence for many of the health risks, with one of the most striking similarities existing with asthma.

Atlanta has almost as stark an educational divide as it does a racial divide, though there is certainly more variability in the distribution, with pockets of high and low education existing both to the north and the south.

Again, this indicator does not correspond perfectly to any of Atlanta's most pressing health concerns, but the degree of similarity among low education areas and elevated prevalence rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and total tooth loss are striking.

We found a clear north-south divide between tracts where residents are engaging in the most healthy and least healthy behaviors.

Our research shows a mismatch between the distribution of these grocery stores and people without vehicles, as well as the groups most likely to need them, including single mothers and those living in poverty.

We found that tracts with high rates of uninsured residents also have elevated rates of homes without vehicles which pose limitations to residents receiving timely health care.

When we examined the location of general physicians, we found that many are located near hospitals that are not in neighborhoods with high rates of people on public insurance.

We also examined county clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and emergency rooms and found that many census tracts with a high rate of uninsured residents lack these facilities nearby.

We found that the modeled diabetes prevalence follows a much clearer north-south divide than cardiovascular illness. Many of diabetes' most commonly associated health risks, particularly stroke, have a very similar pattern.

One of the more surprising observations is that, while there are distinct bands of high and low prevalence, the north-south divide is not as sharp for high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and high cholesterol as it is for stroke and diabetes. For instance, there is a band of census tracts at the north end of the city that experience similar risk for high cholesterol as a band to the south of the city.

Stable housing is an important but easily overlooked factor in many health outcomes. Constant moves, the threat of losing one's home and working multiple jobs to afford housing can lead to a lack of sleep and poor mental health, both of which are associated with a host of conditions, including diabetes.

While housing cost burden does not track as closely to the disease risks as many other variables, it does share some resemblance with diabetes and total tooth loss.

The degree of similarity among low education areas and elevated prevalence rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and total tooth loss are striking.

Many areas with elevated risk of diabetes are not well-served by quality grocery stores.

Also, many tracts at higher risk for diabetes also have high rates of residents lacking vehicles.

Respiratory illness also has a clear divide between Atlanta's north and south census tracts, with asthma showing a particularly strong division.

Smoking is the leading cause of COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and second-hand smoke can trigger asthma symptoms. We found that areas with elevated smoking rates also tend to be in areas with elevated respiratory illness risk.

Intriguingly, elevated smoking estimates are in predominantly African American areas of the city, but according to health researchers African-Americans smoke at a lower rate than most other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.

The spatial patterns between educational attainment, asthma and tooth loss are particularly similar.

Many of the areas estimated to have some of the highest rates of asthma also have the highest rates of single mothers.

Atlanta's areas of high poverty are concentrated in its predominantly Black/African-American neighborhoods. These areas coincide with a band of high prevalence for many of the health risks, with one of the most striking similarities existing with asthma.

We found a clear relationship between total tooth loss by age 65 and visits to the dentist. What it also shows, however, is that tooth loss has a similar pattern of risk as both stroke and coronary heart disease. While this is likely due to a similarity in underlying social risk factors in these neighborhoods, the pattern is significant: There is an unclear but established association between tooth loss and cardiovascular disease.

The spatial patterns between educational attainment, asthma and tooth loss are particularly similar.

While housing cost burden does not track as closely to the disease risks as many other variables, it does share some resemblance with diabetes and total tooth loss.

Our research shows that many Medicaid-accepting dental providers are located in the central and south parts of the city, where the data set predicts needs are greater.