Using Big Data to Reveal Chronic Respiratory Disease Mortality Patterns and Identify Potential Public Health Interventions.

An editorial is presented which addresses the use of big data to determine chronic respiratory disease-related mortality patterns, trends, and associations, and it mentions the identification of potential public health interventions. An article in the journal dealing with mortality in U.S. counties is examined, along with deaths due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tobacco use, and asthma. Asbestosis- and pneumoconiosis-related deaths are also assessed.