Investigation of predictors of severity of diabetes complications among hospitalized patients with diabetes in Florida, 2016-2019.

Background: Severe diabetes complications impact the quality of life of patients and may lead to premature deaths. However, these complications are preventable through proper glycemic control and management of risk factors. Understanding the risk factors of complications is important in guiding efforts to manage diabetes and reduce risks of its complications.

Elevated risk for developmental disabilities in children with congenital heart defects.

Background: This study examined risk for developmental disabilities in preschool-aged children with a congenital heart defect (CHD) at the population level.

Methods: Statewide birth, birth defects, and preschool developmental disability records were integrated. The final sample included 1,966,585 children (51.

Heat illness data strengthens vulnerability maps.

Background: Previous extreme heat and human health studies have investigated associations either over time (e.g. case-crossover or time series analysis) or across geographic areas (e.

Using social security number to identify sub-populations vulnerable to the health impacts from extreme heat in Florida, U.S.

Background: Some socioeconomically vulnerable groups may experience disproportionately higher risk of extreme heat illness than other groups, but no study has utilized the presence/absence of a social security number (SSN) as a proxy for vulnerable sub-populations.

Methods: This study focused on the warm season from 2008 to 2012 in Florida, U.S.

Sociodemographic Determinants of Acute Myocardial Infarction Hospitalization Risks in Florida.

Background Identifying social determinants of myocardial infarction (MI) hospitalizations is crucial for reducing/eliminating health disparities. Therefore, our objectives were to identify sociodemographic determinants of MI hospitalization risks and to assess if the impacts of these determinants vary by geographic location in Florida. Methods and Results This is a retrospective ecologic study at the county level.

Florida neighborhood analysis of social determinants and their relationship to life expectancy.

Background: Social determinants of health (SDOH) contribute to unequal life expectancy (LE). Only a handful of papers have analyzed these relationships at the neighborhood level as opposed to the county level. This study draws on both the SDOH and social vulnerability literature to identify relevant factors affecting LE.

Disparities in Temporal and Geographic Patterns of Myocardial Infarction Hospitalization Risks in Florida.

Knowledge of geographical disparities in myocardial infarction (MI) is critical for guiding health planning and resource allocation. The objectives of this study were to identify geographic disparities in MI hospitalization risks in Florida and assess temporal changes in these disparities between 2005 and 2014. This study used retrospective data on MI hospitalizations that occurred among Florida residents between 2005 and 2014.

Using web data to improve surveillance for heat sensitive health outcomes.

Background: Elevated and prolonged exposure to extreme heat is an important cause of excess summertime mortality and morbidity. To protect people from health threats, some governments are currently operating syndromic surveillance systems. However, A lack of resources to support time- and labor- intensive diagnostic and reporting processes make it difficult establishing region-specific surveillance systems.

Health Impact Assessments and Extreme Weather-Challenges for Environmental Health.

Background: The Florida Department of Health, Environmental Public Health Tracking Program, in collaboration with the Escambia County Health Department and the University of West Florida, used the Health Impact Assessment Framework to examine adverse health outcomes that may be related to an extreme flood event in Pensacola, Florida (Escambia County) during April 29 to May 3, 2014. In this 2014 flood event, portions of Pensacola received more than 15.5 in of rain in a single day.

Lead Exposure and Developmental Disabilities in Preschool-Aged Children.

Context: Lead is a preventable environmental toxin that has been previously associated with deficits in cognition, academic performance, attention, and behavior in children. Very few studies, however, have examined the relationship between exposure to lead and documented developmental disabilities.

Objective: This study examined the relative risk of lead exposure on developmental disabilities in preschool-aged children.

Uncertainty in maternal exposures to ambient PM2.5 and benzene during pregnancy: Sensitivity to exposure estimation decisions.

We investigate uncertainty in estimates of pregnant women's exposure to ambient PM2.5 and benzene derived from central-site monitoring data. Through a study of live births in Florida during 2000-2009, we discuss the selection of spatial and temporal scales of analysis, limiting distances, and aggregation method.

Identifying Heat Waves in Florida: Considerations of Missing Weather Data.

Background: Using current climate models, regional-scale changes for Florida over the next 100 years are predicted to include warming over terrestrial areas and very likely increases in the number of high temperature extremes. No uniform definition of a heat wave exists. Most past research on heat waves has focused on evaluating the aftermath of known heat waves, with minimal consideration of missing exposure information.

Associations between exposure to ambient benzene and PM(2.5) during pregnancy and the risk of selected birth defects in offspring.

Objective: A growing number of studies have investigated the association between air pollution and the risk of birth defects, but results are inconsistent. The objective of this study was to examine whether maternal exposure to ambient PM2.5 or benzene increases the risk of selected birth defects in Florida.

Using an environmental public health tracking biomonitoring study to validate safe water restoration efforts in Florida.

Context: Inorganic arsenic is a carcinogen when consumed over many years and is the type of arsenic that is associated with well water. Private wells in many central Florida counties have been found to contain levels of arsenic above 10 μg/L, which is the maximum contaminant level (MCL) established by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test whether individuals living in homes with arsenic levels above the MCL who use bottled water or have a point of use (POU) filter on their main source of water in the house (eg, kitchen sink) are ingesting unsafe levels of arsenic through other unfiltered water sources in the home.

Developing a smartphone interface for the Florida Environmental Public Health Tracking Web portal.

As smartphone and tablet devices continue to proliferate, it is becoming increasingly important to tailor information delivery to the mobile device. The Florida Environmental Public Health Tracking Program recognized that the mobile device user needs Web content formatted to smaller screen sizes, simplified data displays, and reduced textual information. The Florida Environmental Public Health Tracking Program developed a smartphone-friendly version of the state Web portal for easier access by mobile device users.

Fish consumption and hair mercury levels in women of childbearing age, Martin County, Florida.

The health effects of mercury in humans are mostly on the developing nervous system. Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding must be targeted in order to decrease mercury exposure to the populations at highest risk-infants, unborn fetuses, and young children. This purpose of this study is to understand the demographics of fish-consumption patterns among women of childbearing age (including pregnant women) in Martin County, Florida, and to analyze the associations of mercury levels in participants' hair with socio-demographic variables in order to better design prevention messages and campaigns.

Linking health and environmental data in geographical analysis: it's so much more than centroids.

Programs and studies increasingly use existing data from multiple sources (e.g., surveillance systems, health registries, or governmental agencies) for analysis and inference.

Tracking childhood exposure to lead and developmental disabilities: examining the relationship in a population-based sample.

Elevated levels of lead detected in the blood are associated with harmful effects on children's learning and behavior. The goal of the current Environmental Public Health Tracking Project was to examine the relationship between selected developmental disabilities and childhood blood lead levels in a population-based sample. Using extant datasets from the Florida Department of Health, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, and the Florida Department of Education, we were able to isolate a linked dataset of children who were tested for lead poisoning and attended public schools.

Assessing the association between environmental impacts and health outcomes: a case study from Florida.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) program to integrate hazard monitoring, exposure, and health effects surveillance into a cohesive tracking network. Part of Florida's effort to move toward implementation of EPHT is to develop models of the spatial and temporal association between myocardial infarctions (MIs) and ambient ozone levels in Florida. Existing data were obtained from Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, Florida's Department of Environmental Protection, the U.