What Do State Chronic Disease Epidemiologists Do?

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This program helps states build chronic disease epidemiology capacity by assigning them a CDC chronic disease epidemiologist to assist in the following areas2:

Three epidemiologists seen through a smartboard of analytical data charts.
Epidemiology and Data Collection
  • Provide epidemiological assistance to the state public health agency, local public health agencies, and partners.
  • Consult with chronic disease program managers about using data to target prevention efforts and develop strategies for strengthening those efforts.
  • Enhance data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination3.
  • Develop and implement chronic disease surveillance and evaluation plans.
  • Contribute to the development of chronic disease and related state plans.
  • Provide technical assistance in writing chronic disease-related grant applications, cooperative agreements, and requests for proposals.
  • Make presentations at national and local conferences.
  • Publish state reports and articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Mentoring
  • Mentor, develop resources for, and conduct trainings for state and local chronic disease program staff to strengthen capacity and enhance data usage.
  • Serve as a mentor for student interns, fellows, and preventive medicine residents.
Partnerships
  • Ensure collaboration across chronic disease programs.
  • Build partnerships with other agencies and stakeholders across multiple sectors to increase data sharing and usage.
  • Participate in Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists subcommittees.
References
  1. Frey CA, Remington PL, Lengerich E. Evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s chronic disease state-based epidemiology for public health program support (STEPPS) program. J Public Health Manag Pract 2003;9(4):266-74.
  2. Calanan RM, Sandoval-Rosario M, Price JD, Samanic CM, Lu H, Barbour KE. Achieving Excellence in the Practice of Chronic Disease Epidemiology. Prev Chronic Dis. 2018 Nov 29;15:E146.
  3. Duffy RE, Siegel, PZ. Increasing chronic disease epidemiology capacity without increasing workforce: a success story in Ohio. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2009 Mar-Apr;15(2):123-6.
  4. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. Chronic Disease Epidemiologist Orientation Manual: A Resource for Applied Epidemiologists. Atlanta, GA: CSTE; 2015.
Page last reviewed: January 18, 2022
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