Researchers will use grant money to study Sangamon County neighborhoods to determine those with high levels of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The State Journal-Register reports that researchers hope to have results from the central Illinois study by March.
They hope local hospitals will use the results to target certain neighborhoods for educational efforts and give doctors strategies for reducing health complications from the conditions.
The results also can be used in proposals for larger grants to fund more health interventions.
The University of Illinois Springfield says that Sangamon County has among the highest numbers of emergency department visits for the conditions in Illinois.
Scientists from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, SIU Edwardsville and the University of Illinois Springfield are involved with the study.
This story aired on Fox Illinois on September 24, 2017.
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