Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic compounds found in a variety of household and industrial products. The two most studied compounds in this family, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), have been associated with a range of health concerns. The following webinar recording describes two pilot projects designed to measure human PFAS exposures undertaken by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the New York State Department of Health. It focuses on the states’ use of the PFAS Exposure Assessment Technical Tools (PEATT)—a guidance document developed by CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to measure human PFAS exposures through drinking water sources. Results from PEATT allow health officials to estimate levels of exposure for an entire affected community, not just those individuals tested. The PEATT also provides guidance on how to share results with affected communities.Read More »
ASTHO hosted a virtual session that brought together expert panelists from Kansas public schools, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and Stanford University to discuss strategies to reduce JUUL use in schools.Read More »
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to integrate, manage, analyze, and display geographical information from large datasets. In public health and healthcare, GIS are being linked to electronic health records (EHRs) to study the correlation between health and geographical areas. The emerging use of this technology is a promising tool with broad applications in disease surveillance and mapping.
Included here are presentation slides from ASTHO's virtual event with GIS and disease mapping experts. Speakers from Esri and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services discussed current population health applications that link or integrate GIS with electronic health information. Panelists presented on their organization’s work and answered questions about lessons learned, promising practices, and how to align GIS innovation efforts across stakeholders in the future.
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