Data Linkage Demonstration Project
| Grantee: | Florida Department of Health |
|---|---|
| Contact: | Greg Kearney, DrPH, MPH, RS |
| Telephone: | 850-205-4577 |
| E-mail: | greg_kearney@doh.state.fl.us |
| Address: | Florida Department of Health Division of Environmental Health Office of Environmental Medicine 4952 Bald Cypress Way, Bin# A08 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1712 |
| Web site: |
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/environment/ index.html [external link] |
| Funded Since: | September 15, 2003 |
| Funded Program: | Environmental and Health Effect Tracking; Program Announcement #3074 |
Program Description:
Florida Department of Health (FDOH) will partner with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), universities, other state and federal government agencies, Florida county health departments (CHDs), citizens, and health and environmental health professional on this public health initiative. This project will be coordinated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to ensure compatibility with the developing National Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) Network.
The overall purpose of this project is to demonstrate and evaluate methods for linking data from ongoing, existing health effects surveillance systems in Florida with data from existing human exposure and environmental hazards surveillance/monitoring systems. Methods, tools, and best practices developed through the project will be used in advancing the development of an EPHT network at the state, local, and national levels.
The specific goals of this project are to:
- Identify, demonstrate, and evaluate methods for linking data from existing health effect surveillance data with data from existing environmental monitoring systems
- Establish an advisory council and coordinating committee of technical experts; local, state, and federal health and environmental staff; community associations; and academic researchers
- Increase collaboration, communication, and coordination between environmental and health agencies
- Assist CDC in developing a standards-based, coordinated, and integrated environmental and health-effect tracking network at the state, regional, and national levels that can be used to guide public health policy and practices
- Build partnership and communication networks with government agencies, nongovernment organizations, and communities
- Improve surveillance and monitoring systems by enhancing both the public health workforce and technologic capacity
- Develop methodologies to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of this health tracking project.
The FDOH will focus on linking statewide surveillance systems for asthma, autism, mental retardation, behavioral disorders, select cancers, and select birth defects with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory, the FDEP’s statewide ambient air monitoring data, and data from the statewide well water surveillance program. Geographic information systems (GIS) technology and analyses will be used to link data.
The collaborative relationships required to complete these projects will promote new data mergers and ongoing coordination between the involved agencies and organizations at the local, state, and national levels.
