Oregon Tracking Program
Website: www.healthoregon.org/ephtExternal
Email: epht.ohd@state.or.us
Facebook & Twitter: @OregonEPHT
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Mission:
The Oregon Tracking Program’s mission is to provide data and information on environmental hazards, exposures and health effects in an effort to promote public health action and reduce the burden of environmental related health conditions.
Quick Stats:
- Located in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon is has a diverse geography marked by volcanoes, abundant bodies of water, dense evergreen and mixed forest, high deserts and semi-arid shrublands.
- Various forms of agriculture, fishing, forestry, and technology companies power Oregon’s economy.
- Oregon’s population is concentrated in the Willamette Valley and central regions.
Accomplishments:
Estimating Obesity in Oregon: In 2013, Oregon Tracking became the first Tracking recipient to add sub-county Body Mass Index (BMI) data to it tracking site. BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fat for most people and is a good measure for describing the prevalence of obesity at the population level. Oregon Tracking used state driver’s license data to make available mean and age adjusted mean BMI for adults by sex.
- Communicating Data Effectively: In efforts to reach a large audience, Oregon Tracking uses ESRI Story Maps to create a visual display and give context to data sets. Story Maps allow our stakeholders (policymakers, scientist, and public) to explore the connection between environmental hazards and possible health effects.
- Estimating Health Impacts for Transportation Planning: In 2017-2018, Oregon Tracking used the Integrated Transport and Health Impact Model (ITHIM)External to calculate health benefits and health care cost for proposed transportation policies in Oregon metro areas. ITHIM uses information about travel behavior to estimate changes in chronic disease and premature deaths associated with lack of physical activity and from air pollution, two documented leading causes of death and chronic disease in the greater Portland region. Results from the ITHIM model were included in the 2018 Regional Transportation PlanExternal, which is used to inform current and future transportation needs.