The National Environmental Public Health Tracking Program NAPHSIS Conference June 48, 2006 San Diego

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The National Environmental Public Health Tracking
ProgramNAPHSIS ConferenceJune 4-8, 2006 San
Diego, CA

• Judith R. Qualters, Ph.D.
• Chief, Environmental Health Tracking Branch
• Division of Environmental Hazards and Health
  Effects
• National Center for Environmental Health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• 404-498-1815

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Health Crisis

• Chronic diseases responsible for 7 out of 10
  deaths in U.S.
• Chronic diseases strike gt 1/3 of population
• Health care costs for chronic diseases gt 75 of
  U.S. 1 trillion health care budget

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Decision-making Foundation Tracking Data
DATA
INFORMATION
KNOWLEDGE
Without adequate tracking, local, state, and
federal officials cannot know the true scope of
existing health problems and may not recognize
new diseases until many people have been
affected.
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At-A-GlanceTracking Network

• Web-based, Standards-based (PHIN)
• Compatible with EPA Exchange Network
• Exists at the local, state, national level
• Provides direct access to distributed data
  sources
• Comprised of a core set of health effects,
  exposures and hazards

• Flexible design-allows state/local track unique
  priorities
• Includes central catalog of EPHT data and data
  owners
• Access based on the roles and purpose of the
  customer
• Includes tools for linkage, visualization,
  analysis, and reporting
• Complies with HIPAA

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Tracking Network Planning Framework
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CDCs EPHT Program Grantees
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Examples of Projects using Vital Statistics Data
LBW and arsenic in drinking water
Developmental effects and PCBs in Berkshire County
Childhood cancer and air toxics (including
pesticides)
Cancer and TCE ground water contamination
Tracking CO and Pesticide poisoning
Adverse reproductive outcomes, SIDS, autism, and
mental retardation and air toxics (including
pesticides) and blood lead levels
Birth defects, LBW, prematurity and disinfection
byproducts in drinking water
LBW and volatile organics in drinking water
Birth defects and air quality
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Results from Funded State/local Projects

• Increased capacity
• Increased availability and enhancement of
  existing data
• Built new data systems
• Demonstrated feasibility/methods for linking data
• Developed analytic tools
• Took public health action

CDC will complete assessment and publish report.
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Data Driven Action Promoting Healthy Pregnancies
in Maine

• Identified arsenic in well water
• Arsenic in well water linked to low birth weight
• Public Health Action
• Updated Maine well water quality hotline to
  advise pregnant women about precautions for
  drinking water consumption

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Challenges to Implementing a Tracking Network

• Data availability/access/quality
• Methods and Tools
• Capacity
• Partnership and Communication

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Solutions One States Approach

• overcame barriers to data integration by
  developing methods and tools useful to our agency
  program partners
• Automated routing of case information
• Matching and record linkage
• Geo-coding and GIS
• Decision support Methods for analysis and
  interpretation

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Solutions National Approach

• Partnership and Collaboration
• Identification and adoption of standards
• Tools development
• Training

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Whats Next for Tracking?From Planning to
Implementation
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New Tracking Funds in 2006(CDC RFA-EH06-601)

• To provide state health departments the resources
  to implement statewide EPHT networks that will be
  part of the National EPHT Network
• About 15 awards
• Project Period 5 Years

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Tracking Network Implementation

• Functions
• Provide Nationally Consistent Data and Measures
• Describe and Discover Data
• Exchange Data
• Provide Data Management and Analysis Tools
• Inform and Interact with the Public

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Information is a processnot a possession

• Data must be
• Sharable
• Comparable
• Presentable
• Understandable
• .to be information

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For more information www.cdc.gov/nceh/tracking C
ontact us EPHT_at_cdc.gov
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