203297 National toxic substances incident program

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Maureen Orr, MS , Division of Health Studies, ATSDR, Atlanta, GA
Perri Ruckart, MPH , Division of Health Studies, ATSDR, Atlanta, GA
Frank J. Bove, ScD , Division of Health Studies, ATSDR, Atlanta, GA
  
In the US no cohesive national system exists to actively track acute hazardous substance releases and subsequent public health impacts. Tracking these incidents will allow for data and activities to improve national homeland security and public health.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) currently funds the Hazardous Substances Emergency Events Surveillance (HSEES) cooperative agreement program in 14 states. ATSDR has developed a plan for a more comprehensive approach to a national surveillance and prevention program for hazardous substance releases and related public health impacts. This plan, developed by ATSDR in consultation with many stakeholders, has 3 parts that will be discussed individually; 1) a national hazardous substance incident and alerting database, 2) a pilot program in selected states to gather more detailed incident data to promote prevention, such as inherently safer technology, and 3) epidemiologic follow-up of treatment and outcomes of people exposed in significant releases.

Goals of implementing the national plan are to 1) gain situational awareness of the chemical incidents occurring nationally for improved planning and response, 2) collect data to improve evidence-based prevention activities, 3) enhance knowledge of the persistent health effects following acute chemical exposures in a non-occupational setting and 4) assess effective treatments, decontamination procedures, emergency response capability, and hospital preparedness.

Learning Objectives:
Explain the need for and benefits of a National Toxic Substances Incident Program. Describe the different components of the proposed national program.

Keywords: Environmental Exposures, Data/Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: MS in Epidemiology. Have worked at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease /Registry (ATSDR) as an environmental epidemiologist for 11 years. Have publised many articles on this topic.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Environmental Health Poster Session V: Emerging Environmental Challenges
See more of: Environment