At a glance
Learn about our efforts to improve practice by modernizing environmental health (EH) data. Our projects focus on improving inspections, designing open data standards, and helping programs improve their capacity.
Why it's important
EH programs collect data from inspections and other sources. However, they might not always analyze it for trends or use it to inform timely public health decision-making. Standardizing how data are collected, shared, and used can support innovative approaches to improving EH practice.
Highlights
CDC has begun a public health data modernization initiative to create connected, resilient, adaptable, and sustainable data systems that can help produce solutions before problems occur and limit negative effects caused by problems that do occur. CDC's Water, Food, and Environmental Health Services Branch and Environmental Public Health Tracking Program are working together to enhance and expand environmental health data modernization efforts across the country.
What CDC is doing
Leveraging informatics to improve inspections
CDC worked with the Public Health Informatics Institute to leverage informatics to improve food service establishment and aquatic facility inspections. Representatives from three state agencies and two local agencies participated in key informant interviews.
- Georgia Department of Public Health
- Maryland Department of Health
- Southern Nevada Health District
- Riverside County Department of Public Health
The interviews highlighted common factors and challenges in food and recreational water inspections. Key informants also participated in a two-day workshop. These activities informed key business processes and possible recommendations for key practices for standardizing data.
- Read more about this project.
- Explore the final project report.
- Learn more about the Public Health Informatics Institute.
- Learn how restaurant inspection practices are linked with foodborne outbreaks.
Designing open data standards
CDC also worked with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) to design an open data standard to improve health and safety in aquatic facilities. The project focused on building the capacity of EH programs to conduct effective inspections and use the data they collect. Several EH programs tried the standard in their jurisdiction to help identify best practices for data reporting.
Helping environmental health programs improve capacity
Our Environmental Health Capacity program helps health department EH programs improve their capacity. All recipients have projects on building capacity to use existing data or to collect new EH data with a focus on
- Identifying, characterizing, and mitigating EH hazards.
- Evaluating the effectiveness and impact of EH interventions.
Resources
- Read about projects to create connected, resilient, adaptable, and sustainable data systems.
- Learn how we support the work of EH informatics through collaborative activities.
- Explore NEHA's data and environmental health best practices webinar series.
- Learn more with CDC's Public Health 101 Series: Introduction to public health informatics.