Environment, health data on new Web site

Utahns concerned about how environmental factors such as air pollution or water quality may be affecting the rates of local disease have a new online resource to examine the data.

The Utah Department of Health announced Wednesday that residents can find a Web-based environmental health tool that allows residents to compare pollution and disease rates with other states at cdc.gov/ephtracking.

The new National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network is "a first-of-its-kind environmental health tool, designed to close the gap in what is known about the environment's impact on health" by tracking "key environmental hazards and health problems across Utah and the nation.

"It will improve understanding and lead to public health actions that can prevent chronic illnesses such as asthma and cancer," according to a press release announcing the network.

Alison Cox, health program specialist with the Utah Department of Health, said the site does not include "real time" information on pollution or water quality levels, but "you can look up your area (by county) and see the trends, what's going on there and compare it to other areas of the country." Fifteen other states are also reporting their data.

"Depending on where you live, you will be able to go on and look at your state and see the rates of cancers that have shown some evidence of being related to environmental hazards. Then you can compare your state with others," she said.

Cox acknowledged she hadn't had much time to explore the Web site's features, since "it was not open even to us until Tuesday." Information on the site comes from various state health departments and federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency.

Users who have a child with asthma can go to the Web site and look up asthma rates in their area, along with the air quality measures to see how those numbers compare with the same data in other parts of the country.

"It helps you draw conclusions about that and understand what may be contributing to some of the health outcomes in your area," Cox said, noting the Web site is not predictive or definitive.

"It doesn't come out and say why rates are higher. It draws correlations but no definitive links. It allows you to look at trends, and this is the first time you will be able to find data all in the same place."

Historically, environmental and health data have been segmented, making comparisons a tedious process, she said.

Using the Web site, residents can learn not just about air quality, water quality and asthma, but about cancer rates, birth defects and more.

The Tracking Network "will dramatically reduce the time it takes local and state health officials to respond to community concerns regarding environmental health hazards or potential disease trends," the press release said.

John Contreras of the state health department said the network "allows me to address citizen's concerns regarding potential health threats in just a few hours. Before the Tracking Network, this could have taken more than a year to address."

E-mail: carrie@desnews.com