View source for Public Health Session: 16th Federation Meeting Jan 4-6, 2006 Notes/Highlights

== Public Health Cluster Presentation Notes ==
'''Combining Modeling Using Earth Observation Data to Improve Public Health Decisions'''
*'''PHAiRS Team'''
*'''CCSP Workshop'''
*'''Climate Science in Support of Decision Making'''

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<p>
PHAiRS team deals with dust in the southwest
*Team has scientists from UNM, UA -- Public Health partners include: City of Lubbock Dept. of Heatlh, Pima County Dept. of Environmental Quality, Arizona Dept. of Health Services, NM Dept. of Health, ARES Corporation
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Public Health Applications in Remote Sensing (PHAiRS)
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*Focus on SW, dust storms, respiratory diseases, and syndromic surveillance
*3 Thrusts
**Assimilate EO data into DREAM (dust generation model) as part of NCEP/Eta forecasting system (source for most weather models)
**Measure incremental improvements to DREAM outputs as inputs to RSVP/SYRIS
**Create collaborations with public health authorities to validate relationships between dust episodes and respiratory complaints
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'''New Mexico/Texas Dust Storm - Dec. 2003'''
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One of the first tasks was to validate the DREAM model as it was written.  It was developed for the Mediterranean region, but had to be tested in the Southwest US.
<p>DREAM model requires data from a vast domain, so need to add EO data to narrow the focus.</p>
<p>An addition of just ''one'' EO dataset greatly affects the model output.</p>
*Question is then, How much more can we improve the model output if we add more EO datasets?
<p>FPAR, category 253(barren, sparse) is where we want to see how EO data can improve. We need to go back to MODIS science team and tell them we need Category 253 updated.</p>

<p>'''Enhancing Decision Support Tools'''</p>
PHAiRS Dust Modeling Client - (Uses EPA Air Quality data and exceedence values) 48-hour dust forecast for Dodge City, Kansas - Model can show for two days in advance what is headed in their direction.  This is the sort of info that can be beneficial to Public Health Officials.
*Several improvements are being made to the model itself, and hopefully improvements to the data assimilated.

<p>'''Relevance to CCSP'''</p>
More emphasis is being placed on PM 2.5 -- Model can show where respiratory/aerosols affect mortality rates.
*Infectious diseases are globally found more in the Northern Hemisphere -- may be attributable to the ring of aerosols circulating around the hemisphere
<p>RSVP draws school nurses, doctros, public health departments, air quality people, etc.</p>
<p>SYRIS follow-on is close to being adopted by Counties in west Texas</p>
<p>PHAiRS job is to enhance the DREAM model to produce outputs of the DREAM model for web usage.</p>
<p>Trying to make PHAiRS quasi-operational during NPOESS, but if NPOESS is in trouble...then so is PHAiRS</p>
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<p>''How can this satellite data aid the Public Health arena, who has been doing well without this type of data in the past?''</p>
*Need to demonstrate the model
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==Action Items==
*Stan Morain will send Syndromic Surveillance Proceedings (obtain copies for distribution)
**''Next Syndromic Surveillance meeting = Oct. 18-20, 2006''
*Determine Cluster Steward (''Stan Morain chosen'')-'''DONE'''
*Monthly telecons or as-needed
*Populate/determine structure of EIE Public Health Cluster website
*Request data/venue of next ESIP Fed. Meeting
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==Goals of the Cluster==
*Federation representation at the GEO ADM workshop in Geneva
*To advance Federation profile internationally
*Use portal to find others interested in public health issues, (i.e. community of users)
*Ensure quality content regarding Public Health when Portal is operational
*Reach out to more external providers for more public health data
*Portal is not just for metadata -- must include information as well to attract end-users in the public health community
*Identify funding sources (other than NASA, i.e. NIH) to address public health issues
*Encourage intra-federation collaborations for projects
*Identify/Invite Public Health representative(s) to next ESIP Fed. Meeting (from NIH, Dan Sosin from CDC)
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'''Public Health Cluster Contact List'''