Public Health, Population Health, and Epidemiology Informatics: Recent Research and Trends in the United States

Abstract

Summary Objectives: To survey advances in public and population health and epidemiology informatics over the past 18 months. Methods: We conducted a review of English-language research works conducted in the domain of public and population health informatics and published in MEDLINE or Web of Science between January 2015 and June 2016 where information technology or informatics was a primary subject or main component of the study methodology. Selected articles were presented using a thematic analysis based on the 2011 American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) Public Health Informatics Agenda tracks as a typology. Results: Results are given within the context developed by Dixon et al., (2015) and key themes from the 2011 AMIA Public Health Informatics Agenda. Advances are presented within a socio-technical infrastructure undergirded by a trained, competent public health workforce, systems development to meet the business needs of the practice field, and research that evaluates whether those needs are adequately met. The ability to support and grow the infrastructure depends on financial sustainability. Conclusions: The fields of public health and population health informatics continue to grow, with the most notable developments focused on surveillance, workforce development, and linking to or providing clinical services, which encompassed population health informatics advances. Very few advances addressed the need to improve communication, coordination, and consistency with the field of informatics itself, as identified in the AMIA agenda. This will likely result in the persistence of the silos of public health information systems that currently exist. Future research activities need to aim toward a holistic approach of informatics across the enterprise.

Barriers to Dissemination of Local Health Data Faced by US State Agencies: Survey Study of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Coordinators

“…There has been growing enthusiasm for the application of big data and its utility in public health, particularly for population-level health data [5]. Access to high quality population-level health data is essential for public health, as it informs us of disease tracking, health problems, and health surveillance at the subpopulation level [6,7]. Health informatics has enabled public health practitioners to assess public and population health information by accurately combining data from a wide range of disparate sources [7].…”

“…Access to high quality population-level health data is essential for public health, as it informs us of disease tracking, health problems, and health surveillance at the subpopulation level [6,7]. Health informatics has enabled public health practitioners to assess public and population health information by accurately combining data from a wide range of disparate sources [7]. Despite the vast advances in technology, there are many challenges associated with availability of high-quality population-level health data [7,8].…”

“…Health informatics has enabled public health practitioners to assess public and population health information by accurately combining data from a wide range of disparate sources [7]. Despite the vast advances in technology, there are many challenges associated with availability of high-quality population-level health data [7,8]. These problems have been even further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as there is a lack of consistency in the data and their reporting [9,10].…”

Σχεδίαση και εικονική εφαρμογή ενός εθνικού βιοϊατρικού μητρώου με χρήση Foss για την παροχή δεδομένων σε ιατρικές έρευνες

“…Αρκετά από αυτά τα λογισμικά βασίζονται σε FOSS τεχνολογία και αδειοδότηση, και λειτουργούν ουσιαστικά ως μηχανογραφικά συστήματα του γραφειοκρατικού μέρους μιας επιδημιολογικής έρευνας, καθώς και ως εργαλεία εμφάνισης πληροφορίας για την συμπερασματολογία της έρευνας47,48 .Η δυνατότητα ανάπτυξης συστημάτων συλλογής και διαμοιρασμού δεδομένων, σε πλαίσιο 'IoT' μάλιστα, με στόχο την επιδημιολογική -ιατρική έρευνα και όχι μόνο, έχει τονιστεί εδώ και πάνω από μία δεκαετία. Η συνεχής δε ανάγκη ανάπτυξης τεχνολογικών 'IT' λύσεων δύναται να λύσει πολλά θέματα δημόσιας υγείας και παρακολούθησης ασθενειών[92],[93]. Με μια προσεκτικότερη ματιά, η αναγκαιότητα χρήσης αναπτυσσόμενων εφαρμογών με ευέλικτο, επεκτάσιμο και οικονομικό τρόπο, Δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι έχουν προταθεί οικονομικές open-source λύσεις ακόμη και για τα hardware/firmware/software μέρη ιατρικών μηχανημάτων[110].…”