Detecting Public Health Impacts Associated with Air Pollution Events in the UK Using Syndromic Surveillance

Authors

  • Yolande Macklin School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Birmingham, United Kingdom
  • Andrew Kibble Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Cardiff, United Kingdom
  • Alex Elliot Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, Birmingham, United Kingdom
  • Gillian Smith Real-Time Syndromic Surveillance Team, Public Health England, Birmingham, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5068

Abstract

Air pollution is well documented to cause adverse health effects in the population. Studies have demonstrated that it is associated with various adverse health outcomes. Classical epidemiological studies of the health effects of air pollution are typically retrospective. In order to assess the effectiveness of any public health messages or interventions in a timely manner there is a need to be able to systematically detect any health effects occurring in 'real-time'. This study examined whether the current UK real-time syndromic surveillance systems can detect public health impacts associated with air pollution events such as fires and ambient air pollution episodes.

Author Biography

Yolande Macklin, School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre for Radiation Chemical and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Yolande Macklin is currently an Environmental Public Health Scientist at Public Health England (PHE) based in Birmingham, UK. Her role includes assessment and surveillance of acute and chronic risks to health from a variety of chemical hazards. Yolande recently completed a Masters in Public Health at University of Birmingham, UK and undertook her dissertation project in assessing whether the UK syndromic surveillance systems can detect public health impacts associated with air pollution events.

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Published

2014-03-09

How to Cite

Macklin, Y., Kibble, A., Elliot, A., & Smith, G. (2014). Detecting Public Health Impacts Associated with Air Pollution Events in the UK Using Syndromic Surveillance. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5068

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Poster Presentations

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