 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
|
| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Jo Ann Marie Glad, RN, MPH1, Sarah Kotchian, EdM, MPH, PHD2, and Gerald Barron, MPH1. (1) Allegheny County Health Department, 3333 Forbes Avenue, Suite 310D, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 412-578-8323, JGlad@achd.net, (2) University of New Mexico, 1530 Eagle Ridge Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122
Recent national reports have highlighted the absence of a coordinated local, state and national environmental health tracking system. Local environmental health agencies are struggling to design and implement data systems that will allow them to evaluate environmental exposures, ecological trends, and health outcomes in order to formulate more effective prevention strategies. This paper articulates the need for local environment and health-tracking systems, discusses efforts underway around the nation, and describes the initiative in one county health department to address this need. It provides information on attributes of indicators to be included in such a system, sources of data, criteria for evaluating the usefulness of indicators, suggestions for involving the community and staff, management strategies for implementing a data system, and recommendations for resolving common barriers to data sharing and use. This information will be useful to agencies that wish to develop their own robust environment and health tracking systems to support the three core functions of public health and the ten essential public health services.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.