Ecoinformatics, Environmental Research: Current progress, research strategies and needs Ispra, Italy Jan 17 – 20, 2006 Environmental Public Health Indicators: Update on CDC Activities Ecoinformatics, Environmental Research: Current progress, research strategies and needs Ispra, Italy Jan 17 – 20, 2006 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)

Background: Environmental Public Health Indicator Development Collaborative process Built on previous efforts of WHO and others External review by health and environmental professionals Adopted by Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) – June, 2001

Goals Provide information about a population’s exposure and health status in relationship to environmental factors Guide state public health agencies in developing a comprehensive environmental public health surveillance system

EPHI Framework Adapted from WHO “DPSEEA” (Pressure State) Model Source: Environmental Health Indicators: Framework and Methodology; prepared by David Briggs

Connecting the Dots: Indicator Suites Example - Lead Hazard: Lead contamination in the environment –Measure: Proportion of housing stock built before 1950 Exposure: Blood lead level in children –Measure: Proportion of high-risk children with elevated blood lead levels Health Effects: Lead poisoning in children –Measure: Number of hospitalizations from lead poisoning in children Intervention: Lead elimination programs –Measure: Number of completed lead abatements

Current Indicator Development Activities Assessment projects – Environmental Public Health Tracking Program State Environmental Health Indicators Collaborative Coordination across indicator efforts

CDC’s EPHT Program Grantees

Indicators and Tracking State/ local projects evaluating proposed EPHIs EPHI framework guides tracking development Objective: meaningful data for inter-state, regional, national assessment

17 states and 3 local health departments Questions: –Does the EPHI address your priority information needs? –Are they realistic in terms of available data and integration of these data? –What is the utility of selected measures in program/policy planning? –Does the measure selected accurately reflect the environmental public health issue of concern? “Examine the feasibility of using the EPHI Project for surveillance” EPHI Assessment

Example: Maine Indicator Indicator Project: Carbon Monoxide / Power Outages HAZARD Hazardous or toxic substance in indoor air Measure Data Source 1.Percent of the population and geographical distribution of power outages on a given day Power Utility Commission Measure Data Source 2. Percent of households where someone owns a generator BRFSS Measure Data Source 3.Percent of adults who report usually running their generator in an enclosed structure BRFSS

Example: Maine (cont’d) Indicator Indicator Project: Carbon Monoxide / Power Outages EXPOSURE Biological Marker of human exposure to CO Measure Data Source Level of carboxyhemoglobin in blood (% saturation) Hospital laboratories HEALTH EFFECT CO poisoning (not fire- related) Measure Data Source 1. Incidence of CO poisonings among Maine residents Maine Health Data Organization Measure Data Source 2. Incidence of occupationally-related CO poisonings Maine Health Data Organization

Example: Maine (cont’d) Indicator Indicator Project: Air/Asthma Intervention Programs that address hazardous substance in ambient air Measure Data Source 1. Percent of households with CO monitors BRFSS Measure Data Source 2. Number of Health Alerts for CO poisoning sent through Maine Health Alert Network (HAN) Maine HAN

State Environmental Health Indicators Collaborative (SEHIC) Collaborators –State health departments –CSTE –CDC –EPA Goal: develop and pilot EPHI in multiple states that can be used for state-level information dissemination and policy making

SEHIC Activities Review state experiences with EPHI Develop common set of definitions Develop template for Indicator Profiles Draft “How-To Guides” Initial priority areas: Outdoor air, asthma, drinking water Pilot indicators in multiple states and evaluate Identify 10 leading EPHI and develop indicator suites

Preliminary Indicators Air –Ambient concentrations of PM 2.5 –Ambient concentrations of ozone Asthma –Unusual pattern of asthma events Drinking Water –Population served by community water supplies (CWS) by TTHM levels –Population served by CWS by arsenic levels –Distribution of arsenic in groundwater used for drinking

Template INDICATOR: Measurement Unit Geographic Area Measures Of Frequency Time Period Significance & Background Rationale Limitations Of Measure Data Resources Limitations Of Data Resources Related Sets Of Indicators Additional Data To Collect Notes

Indicator Coordination CDC - CSTE CDC – EPA

CDC & CSTE Partnership on Indicators

CDC & EPA Collaboration First step: indicator cross-walk CDC EPHI Occupational Health Indicators Chronic Disease Indicators Injury Indicators EPA Report on the Environment 2006 America’s Children and the Environment Border 2012 Indicators

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