Active Asthma Surveillance Pilot Study
Investigators: Evelyn Talbott, DrPH and LuAnn Brink, PhD
The University of Pittsburgh Academic Partner for excellence in EPHT has provided HL7 software and a server to the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) to facilitate real-time active surveillance of Emergency Department (ED) visits for asthma. The ACHD is using the data collected via the HL7interface to conduct investigations of environmental exacerbations of asthma. These data will help Public Health better understand the geography, temporality, and seasonality of asthma. The surveillance system has been operating since February 2009. Right now, UPACE is researching the most efficient means to obtain local air quality data to begin modeling asthma surveillance information in a timely fashion. When we bring this information together, we can begin to estimate the correlation between air pollution and acute exacerbations of airway disease. We will attempt to model asthma ED visits and air quality. Simultaneously, we will begin evaluating the potential for expanding this system to capture additional visit types that may be mediated by environmental exposures, including myocardial infarction; and laboratory results that may serve as biomarkers, such as blood and urinary metal levels.
Presentations
Evelyn Talbott, DrPh and LuAnn Brink, PhD. 2009. Transfer of Data from a Hospital System to a Local Health Department. Tracks2009: The Future of Environmental Public Health Conference. February 2009. Washington DC. [PPT]
White Papers
A Model for Real Time Asthma Surveillance at a Metropolitan Health Department [DOC]
