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Asthma is one of the nation's most common and costly chronic conditions, affecting over 38 million Americans at some time in their lives. Managing asthma requires a long term, multifaceted approach, including patient education, behavior changes, asthma trigger avoidance, pharmacological therapy, and frequent medical follow-up. This study provides asthma data available at the state and local level to direct and evaluate interventions undertaken by asthma control programs located in the state health departments. Improved tracking for asthma is critical for planning and evaluating efforts to reduce the health burden from the disease.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a state-based system of health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. For many states, the BRFSS is the only available source of timely, accurate data on health-related behaviors. BRFSS was established in 1984 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); currently data are collected monthly in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and Guam. More than 350,000 adults are interviewed each year, making the BRFSS the largest telephone health survey in the world. States use BRFSS data to identify emerging health problems, establish and track health objectives, and develop and evaluate public health policies and programs. The BRFSS is a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted by state health departments with technical and methodological assistance provided by CDC. States conduct monthly telephone surveillance using a standardized questionnaire to determine the distribution of risk behaviors and health practices among adults. Responses are forwarded to CDC, where the monthly data are aggregated for each state, returned with standard tabulations, and published at the year's end by each state. The BRFSS questionnaire was developed jointly by CDC's Behavioral Surveillance Branch (BSB) and the states. Data derived from the questionnaire provide health departments, public health officials, and policymakers with necessary behavioral information. When combined with mortality and morbidity statistics, these data enable public health officials to establish policies and priorities and to initiate and assess health promotion strategies. Demographic variables include race, age, sex, education level, marital status, employment status, and income level.

The Detroit Arab American Study (DAAS), 2003, a companion survey to the 2003 Detroit Area Study (DAS), using a representative sample (DAS, n = 500) drawn from the three-county Detroit metropolitan area and an oversample of Arab Americans (DAAS, n = 1000) from the same region, provides a unique dataset on September 11, 2001, and its impacts on Arab Americans living in the Detroit metropolitan area. The data contain respondent information concerning opinions on their experiences since the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, social trust, confidence in institutions, intercultural relationships, local social capital, attachments to transnational communities, respondent characteristics, and community needs. Examples of the issues addressed in the data include frequency of religious participation, level of political activism, level of interaction with people outside of their cultural, racial, and ethnic groups, and the quality of the social and political institutions in their area. Background information includes birth country, citizenship status, citizenship status of spouse, education, home ownership status, household income, language spoken in the home (if not English), marital status, number of children (under 18) in the household, parents' countries of birth and citizenship status, political affiliation, total number of people living in the household, voter registration status, whether the respondent ever served in the United States Armed Forces, and year of immigration, if not born in the United States.

This study contains data on child-rearing practices of mothers of children aged 18 and younger. The study was a combination of two studies: CHILD REARING PATTERNS AMONG URBAN FAMILIES by Daniel Miller and Guy Swanson, and ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF CONSENSUS OF GROUP MEMBERS by Theodore Newcomb. Respondents were asked about their children's habits, toilet training, and bottle- and breast-feeding patterns. Respondents were also asked about their child-rearing practices, attitudes about children, views of child-appropriate and sex-appropriate tasks, handling of difficult situations with their children, and use of leisure time. Other questions explored respondents' political interests, social life, and friends. They were asked if they voted for Adlai Stevenson or Dwight Eisenhower in the last American presidential election and why. The respondents were questioned about their three best friends to determine how frequently they visited with them, how often they discussed the election with them, whom they voted for and what kind of jobs their husbands held. Demographic variables specify age, sex, race, education, place of birth, length of residence in the Detroit area, home ownership, length of time at present residence, marital status, number of children, original nationality of husband's family, income, occupation, religious preferences, and class identification.

This study of adults aged 21 and older in the Detroit metropolitan area provides information on their contact with and attitudes toward government administrative agencies, their views regarding civic duties, and their organizational memberships in 1954. The study was a combination of two separate studies: IDEAL FAMILY SIZE IN DETROIT by Ronald Freedman, and ADMINISTRATIVE BEHAVIOR IN A METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY by Morris Janowitz. Respondents were asked about their contact with and knowledge of various agencies, including the Michigan Employment Security Commission and the Social Security Department. They were asked to evaluate the performance of the public schools, the County Sheriff's Department, state and local police, and local, county, and state government officials. Several questions were asked to determine the respondents' attitudes toward government employment and employees, specifically the prestige of various jobs in the public sector compared with comparable jobs in the private sector, and their preference for working for the United States government or a private firm. Other questions probed respondents' living experiences before coming to Detroit, their feelings about living in Detroit, and their views about collectivist versus individualist ideology, a national health insurance plan, military draft, taxes, changes in the Social Security system, the role of political influence in enabling private citizens to get help from government agencies, and the ideal family size. Also explored were respondents' understanding of the meaning of "red tape" and how much of it they thought was necessary, and their views on the extent of government's role in solving problems such as unemployment, education, and housing. Respondents were also asked about their political activities, political party preference, and electoral and voting participation. They were asked to identify the mass media on which they relied most for political information, the organizations they belonged to, and if they had a television set. Demographic variables specify age, sex, education, place of birth, marital status, number of children, nationality, religious preferences, occupation, family income, length of residence in the Detroit area, home ownership, length of time at present residence, and class identification.

More information about the Detroit Area Studies Project is available on the Detroit Area Studies Project Web site.

This collection provides information on 731 married wives of couples living in the Detroit metropolitan area in 1955. Data are provided on the frequency and interaction of respondents with their relatives, as well as their attitudes on family. The collection is a combination of two studies: A DESCRIPTION OF URBAN KINSHIP PATTERNS by Morris Axelrod, and THE URBAN FAMILY by Robert Blood. Data are provided on the frequency of and reasons for large family gatherings, the nature of help that the respondent's family received from relatives, the nature of help that the respondent gave to relatives, and the nature of the relationship with the respondent's relatives on both sides of the family. Other questions explored respondents' family attitudes. They were asked about the division of labor and decision-making processes in their homes, their interactions with their spouses, including communication between them and the causes and methods of handling disagreements, and their attitudes toward marriage in general. In addition, the respondents were asked about expected family size and what they felt the advantages were of having children. Also probed was their use of leisure time. Demographic variables specify age, sex, race, education, marital status, occupation, family income, length of residence in the Detroit area, home ownership, and religious preferences.

This study of 797 adults in the Detroit metropolitan area provides information on their attitudes toward work and their motivations for working, as well as their orientation toward many social and political issues. The study was a combination of two separate studies: ORIENTATION ON MORAL ISSUES IN A METROPOLIS by Robert Angell, and THE MEANING OF WORK by Robert Kahn and Robert Weiss. Respondents were asked about the importance of work in their life, the things in their job that made them feel important, the things they wanted from their job that it did not provide, the other areas of their life that made them feel useful, and the people in their lives that influenced their choice of occupation. A number of questions that focused on women working outside the home probed respondents' feelings about how a husband was affected by a working wife, and if there were kinds of jobs that women should not have. Other questions probed respondents' views about what the United States should do in the event of an attack by the Soviet Union on a western European country, a parent not allowing a child to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school, the proposed racial integration of schools, appointment or election of government officials, effecting changes in the United States Constitution, trial by a jury or a judge, ways to effect world peace, the most important problem for the United States in the future, and a Communist revolution in a Latin American country. Additional items explored respondents' opinion of the Detroit newspapers and the Detroit newspaper strike, and their satisfaction with their neighborhood. Respondents were also asked about their political party preference, as well as their use and ownership of telephones. Demographic variables specify age, sex, race, education, place of birth, marital status, number of children, nationality, religious preferences, occupation, family income, length of residence in the Detroit area, home ownership, length of time at present residence, and class identification.

This study investigated political activities and attitudes of 77 Republican and 72 Democratic precinct leaders in Wayne County, Michigan. The interviews focused on county-, district-, and precinct-level organization and activities as well as on related perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of the party leadership toward the party structure at each level. Questions probed the respondents' living experiences before coming to Detroit, and their behavior regarding changes of residence since coming to Detroit. The use of phones within the home was also ascertained. Items assessing various influences on the respondents' political attitudes and behaviors were included in the interview. The respondents were asked to indicate the mass media on which they depended most heavily for political information, and how often politics was discussed in meetings with family, friends, neighbors, and other groups to which they belonged. The strength of the respondent's political party affiliation and perceptions of differences between the major parties on various issues were also explored. Questions were asked about the importance and frequency of voting, the respondent's knowledge of and involvement in local party politics, knowledge of precinct workers and the state party chairman, and general attitudes toward politics and political figures such as Adlai Stevenson and Dwight Eisenhower. Also studied were the respondent's opinions regarding several controversial issues, including national health care, school integration, ending the selective service system, and monetary aid to countries that were not anti-communist. Background variables established the respondent's age, sex, race, educational level, marital status, occupation, social class, political affiliation, number of children, religious preference, and relationship to the head of the household. Demographic information was also collected on the respondent's father.

This study of 656 respondents in the Detroit metropolitan area provides information on their religious attitudes and activities, as well as their economic and political attitudes and behavior. Respondents were asked about their belief in God and in life after death, the effects of their religious beliefs on their political beliefs, and the kinds of issues religious leaders should take a public stand on. Several questions probed respondents' views of other religious groups, as well as their attitudes on such issues as gambling, birth control, and the use of alcohol. Other topics covered include: information about respondents' economic behaviors such as saving and purchases on installment plans, respondents' opinions of government take-over of large industries and greater involvement in education and housing, respondents' attitudes toward income-earning work, science, degree of free speech, and racial equity, inter-group images, family and child-rearing patterns, welfare legislation, civil liberties, international relations, legislation on moral issues, doctrinal orthodoxy, devotionalism, and the effects of religion on politics as well as on daily life. Demographic variables specify age, sex, race, education, place of birth, marital status, number of children, length of time at present residence, religion, political party affiliation, income, occupation, original nationality of husband's and wife's family, home ownership, social class identification, and length of residence in the Detroit area.

This study of 767 adults in the Detroit metropolitan area provides information on their religious beliefs and practices, as well as their feelings about various forms of taxation such as sales tax, income tax, and property tax. The collection was a combination of two separate studies: THE VITALITY OF SUPERNATURAL EXPERIENCE by Guy Swanson, and A FISCAL RESEARCH PROGRAM by Harvey Brazer. Respondents were asked about their beliefs in the existence and characteristics of God, the amount of influence they felt that God had in their life, and how they thought God would feel about various situations. Also explored was the membership and level of activity in formal organizations for both the respondent and the respondent's spouse. The respondent was also asked to evaluate the performance of several institutions and professional groups such as colleges, their position on televisions in classrooms, the Federal Courts, doctors, and scientists. In addition, the respondent was asked to list the problems in the United States that were badly in need of resolution and to evaluate who was to blame for the problems and what could be done to solve them. Other items probed the respondent's opinions of educational television stations, the comparative quality of utility companies' services, government spending, and the most important things in life. Attitudes toward the use of taxes or use fees to pay for parks and garbage collection were also elicited. Demographic variables specify age, sex, race, education, place of birth, marital status, occupation, length of residence in the Detroit area, home ownership, length of time at present residence, number of children, original nationality of husband's and wife's family, political affiliation, and amount and sources of income.

This study of 678 adults in the Detroit metropolitan area in 1960 provides measures of their job satisfaction and use of leisure time, as well as information on their friendships, buying patterns, and political preferences. Questions on job satisfaction queried respondents about job preferences, hours worked at current job, preference for self-employment, type of supervisors at workplace, chances for promotion, and the work culture and environment at respondents' current jobs. Questions on leisure time elicit information on time spent watching television and the programs watched often, newspapers and magazines read regularly and favorite columnists, books read, time spent on other hobbies and crafts such as photography, music, and sports, vacation time, use of spare time, memberships in clubs and organizations, and time spent socializing with friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors. Other items probed respondents' opinions about causes of unemployment, their feelings about their standard of living, and their future plans, financial obligations, buying patterns, use and ownership of telephones, self-perceived social class, political party preference, and choice of gubernatorial and presidential candidates in the last election. Additional items probed respondents' attitudes toward Blacks as neighbors and co-workers. Demographic variables specify age, sex, race, education, place of birth, length of residence in the Detroit area, home ownership, length of time at present residence, marital status, number of children, original nationality of paternal family, income, occupation, religious preferences, and class identification.

This study presents data collected as part of the 1960-1961 Detroit Area Study from 419 workers who were members of the United Auto Workers union. Respondents were asked how long they had worked on their jobs, what their job duties were, and whether they were satisfied with their jobs. Another set of questions covered length of union membership, union activity, their conceptions of what the role of their union should be, and their satisfaction with the job their union was doing. Political questions covered the good and bad points of political parties, the Kennedy-Nixon debates, the political issues facing the nation, party identification, past and present vote in state and national elections, and political participation. The social structure of the work group was probed, and respondents were questioned about the importance of politics in work group relationships. Demographic variables included social class, age, organizational membership, religion, education, occupation, income, and race.

The main focus of this data collection was women's attitudes toward family and family size. The women interviewed for this study answered questions on past pregnancies and described their attitudes toward large and small families, their reasons for having children, and the nature of their own patterns of family growth. Extensive family background information was also collected, including data on occupation of respondent and husband, age of respondent and husband, education of respondent and husband and their parents, family income, types of savings, and housing information.

This study of 1,536 mothers of 5th- and 6th-grade school children in the Detroit metropolitan area provides information on their views on family and school relationships in 1963. The mothers were asked to assess the neighborhood schools, their children's performance in school, and their personal contacts with school officials. Other questions probed the extent of quality time the parents spent with their children, and the time they spent visiting their children's school and the nature of such visits. Additional questions explored respondents' feelings about people of the same social class living in the same neighborhood, and their views on public schools, public assistance, public officials, character development, obedience and respect for authority, child discipline, assignment of home chores to children, and the importance of family stability. Information was also elicited on the type of house respondents lived in, type of neighbors and neighborhood, and their relationship with neighbors and relatives. Demographic variables specify age, sex, marital status, place of birth, education, occupation, number of children in school and their grades, number of children retarded, nationality, personality traits, English proficiency, occupation, family income, unemployment records, religious preferences, length of residence in the Detroit area, and length of time at present residence.

This data collection measures the feelings and attitudes of 558 adults in the Detroit metropolitan area about other nations and what should be done in the world in 1964. Respondents were questioned extensively about their sources of information, the media, their political activities, and their organizational memberships. They were asked about the quality of information they received from the news media, their knowledge of foreign affairs, their feelings about developing nations, the United Nations and its role in aiding political, social, and economic development in developing nations, United States' assistance to developing nations, the admission of communist China to the United Nations, effects of atomic weapons build-up on world peace, the United States' military-industrial complex, and disarmament agreements between the United States and Russia. Respondents were also asked to assess the goals that the United States should have in dealing with other countries, and the domestic sources of influence on United States' foreign policy. Information was also elicited on respondents' political activism, such as demonstrations, petition-signing, support of political action groups, voting behavior, and political party affiliation, and memberships and participation in clubs and organizations. Demographic variables specify age, sex, race, place of birth, nationality, education, marital status, religion, length of residence in the Detroit area, family income, occupation, place and length of military service, and foreign contacts.

This data collection measures the ability of 558 adults in the Detroit metropolitan area to recall major events in their lives and to place these events in a particular time frame. In order to ascertain the quality of their memories, respondents were questioned extensively about the time they bought their house and car, when they last observed a death or illness in the family or among their friends, and if they could recall precise events such as the assassination of President Kennedy. They were also asked about the time they were last hospitalized and how long they had lived in their present residence. Also explored were respondents' feelings about time and their use of time. Additional items explored respondents' childhood memories, attendance at club meetings, routine or planned activities, approach to multitasking, their favorite holiday, and sense of direction, as well as the quality of services provided by various utility companies. Demographic variables specify age, place of birth, race, marital status, occupation, education, religion, original nationality of parents, number of children, political party affiliation, home ownership, family income, and length of residence in the Detroit area.

This study of 1,013 adult white males aged 21-64 in the Detroit metropolitan area provides information on their opinions of certain public and personal issues, as well as the pattern of their friendship networks. Respondents were asked about their friends, jobs, leisure time activities, and interests, as well as their attitudes toward certain political issues. Data are provided on respondents' social and work associations, and their interactions among a common group of friends. Other items elicited respondents' views on immigration, labor unions, the role of government, government spending on public schools, public parks, and county hospitals, income-earning work, racial imbalance in schools, the role of the husband in household chores responsibility, Communists, Ku Klux Klansmen, the ideal number of children for the average American family, and success. Additional items provide information on respondents' membership in organizations and clubs, their use of free time, and their home furnishings. Demographic variables include age, sex, marital status, country of birth, education, occupation, religion, political party affiliation, home ownership, family income, original nationality of parents, number of children, social class identification, and length of residence in the Detroit area.

This study sampled Black households within the city of Detroit in the spring and summer of 1968 and interviewed the head of household or spouse of the head of household. The study examined contact between Blacks and Whites and the views of Blacks regarding Black militancy, community control, Black consciousness, and anti-White sentiments. Questions included in the interview determined the number and type of contacts respondents had with whites, the respondents' attitudes toward child-rearing, and political activities at neighborhood churches. Perceptions of various local problems were probed, including the effects of the 1967 Detroit riots. Respondents were also asked about the best means for Blacks to gain their rights and reasons for the high unemployment rate in Detroit. Other topics covered respondents' experiences with and awareness of racial discrimination in the areas of housing, local police activities, business relations, and job opportunities. Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, marital status, religious affiliation, and church activities. The respondent's residence up to age 10, length of residence in Detroit and in their current neighborhood, and the racial composition of the neighborhood were ascertained. Respondent's educational level, the racial composition of schools the respondent attended, and respondent's service in the military were also recorded. Other demographic information was gathered regarding the number of adults and children living in the household, as well as the number of rooms in the house, family income, and income sources. The respondent was also asked about the educational levels and occupations of other family members.

This study examines the attitudes of White adults living in the greater Detroit Metropolitan area toward neighbors and Blacks. In particular, the study measured respondents' reactions to Blacks moving into their neighborhood, Black children playing with their child, and Blacks working at the same job. The study also assessed the current neighborhood situation with respect to the dominant socioeconomic patterns. Demographic information includes respondent's age, gender, marital status, employment status, family income, religious preference, and occupation.

This data collection provides information on the jobs and career patterns of 638 male workers aged 16 and older who had worked for pay for six months or longer in the Detroit metropolitan area in 1970. In order to determine the occupational mobility of respondents, detailed questions were asked about job histories. Probed were aspects of the respondents' jobs that were most satisfying to them. Other items assessed the job opportunities that were available to respondents then and in the future, and their feelings about their financial situations relative to the past and the future. Additional items queried respondents about their club memberships and voting behavior, and their views of government. Demographic variables specify age, race, marital status, education, occupation, number of children, religion, political party affiliation, social class status, income, home ownership, and length of residence in the Detroit area.