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ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH TRACKING NETWORK
Citation:
MEYER, P., T. H. WATKINS, AND J. QUALTERS. ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH TRACKING NETWORK. EM: AIR AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAGAZINE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, , 22-24, (2006).
Impact/Purpose:
The primary objectives for this task are:
to assess the contribution of outdoor sources to total personal exposures for high priority air toxics and components of particulate matter (PM),
to identify the important microenvironments and human activities contributing to high exposures for these pollutants, and
to evaluate and refine model algorithms and inputs by incorporating new approaches and data, and modularizing model algorithms for application to multiple air pollutants (particles/gases).
Description:
This paper describes the CDC's efforts to develop a National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network Tracking Network) with particular focus on air related issues and collaboration with EPA. A Tracking Network is needed in the United States to improve the health of communities by improving access to health and environmental information. The concept originated with a Pew Environmental Health Commission Report that described multiple fragmented health tracking and environmental monitoring systems throughout the US. The different health and environmental data systems were rarely examined together as part of ongoing public health tracking for prevention and control of environmentally related diseases. In responding to these findings, Congress appropriated funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention¿s (CDC's) National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) to establish a Tracking Network. EPA and CDC initiated collaboration on air quality issues as part of early efforts to develop the Tracking Network.