Environmental Public Health Tracking – Data Models and Uses for National Tracking Portal

The Environmental Public Health Tracking (Tracking) Network provides information from a nationwide network of integrated health and environmental data to drive public health action.  The Tracking Program includes local, state, and national partners working together to establish a standardized approach to provide information to both the general public and public health professionals.  Developing this Network has presented unique challenge because the scope includes multiple disparate data sets from health and environmental partners.  This presentation will discuss the approach the Tracking Program implemented to handle these challenges.  Tracking data need to be verified as correct and complete data sets, standardized, validated, and properly stored to assure data quality and consistency.  These stored data also need to produce accurate maps, tables and graphs on the Tracking Network.  Tracking’s storage process consists of five Tiers of data, each with a specific use.  The methodology of moving and validating data from the source through the Tier structure will be explained in detail.  Data protection rules are followed and we apply smoothing, primary and complementary suppressions to protect these data.