International Network for Public Health and Environmental Tracking (INPHET) and its role to Environmental Epidemiology

Abstract

Background and aim: INPHET was formed by a community of environmental public health practitioners to address common interests and activities that advance environmental public health surveillance (EPHS) and data systems, and their uses to inform public health actions. Our aim is to show how this has supported environmental epidemiology practice. Methods: A "Community of Practice”, INPHET main goals focus on sharing experiences and expertise; addressing common challenges to implementation and enhancing the science of EPHS/tracking; improving understanding of the link between the environment and health; and providing the appropriate evidence that informs public policy. Results: The network, initiated in ISEE meetings in 2012-13 and formally launched in Modena, Italy in 2014, has carried out several activities which aim at sharing expertise and learning from different models of environmental and health data integration and surveillance systems that directly inform policy. These include Twinning cooperation with Euro-Asian and Balkan countries and sharing of expertise with African Public Health Agencies. Some experiences are presented in this Symposium (Georgia, Ghana, Zambia), and highlight the EPHS/Tracking (EPHT) model adopted by several national public health agencies. It promotes that such integration and uses of environmental and health data is key for EPHS, including their accessibility and usability for communities of public health researchers, practitioners and policy makers. Conclusions: Environment and health monitoring and information systems are fundamental infrastructure for evidence provision for policy making. INPHET aims to address the vast inequalities across countries and communities in their ability to monitor, assess, inform and mitigate environmental and health issues. Its objectives and work support environmental epidemiology in its role as the pillar science that provides evidence for decision making and intervention aimed at reducing and preventing environmental related diseases, and contributes to an overall vision for public health.