Health
When we look at health outcome data it can be difficult to make the connections about how an illness may be related to environmental hazards or exposures. Some adverse health effects, like carbon monoxide poisoning, can have quick short-term harmful results as a result of exposure. Other adverse health outcomes, like certain cancers, may take years or even decades to develop as a result of exposure. The Iowa Tracking Network is putting both Health and Environmental data together to assist in identifying and exploring the connections.
The Iowa Tracking Network includes data in the following areas:
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the airways that carry oxygen in and out of the lungs. If a person has asthma, the inside of these airways is irritated and swollen. Asthma can cause shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest.
Birth defects are problems that happen as a baby develops in the mother's body. A birth defect may affect how the body looks, works, or both.
Cancer is a group of diseases in which once normal cells in the body become abnormal and retain the ability to grow out of control.
Carbon monoxide () fumes can build up in places that do not have a good flow of fresh air, such as a garage or a house with closed windows and doors. Breathing high levels of CO can cause severe illness or death in a matter of minutes.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) refers to a group of diseases that cause breathing-related problems, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and some cases of asthma.
Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. Type 2 diabetes develops over many years and is usually diagnosed in adults.
Measures of general health status provide information on the health of a population.
A heart attack or acute myocardial infarction, happens when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped. Factors including health, lifestyle, and environment can be involved in the increased risk for heart attacks.
Heat illness includes a range of health impacts caused by heat stress from milder conditions like heat rash and heat cramps, to the most common type, heat exhaustion.
Hepatitis C is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV is the most common blood-borne virus in Iowa and the United States.
Achieving and maintaining high vaccination rates are two of the most important safeguards to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Injuries are a leading cause of death in Iowa. Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death for Iowans ages 1-34 and it is the 5th leading cause of death for all Iowans.
Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and, at very high levels, seizures, coma, and even death. This is why routine blood lead testing is required for Iowa Children and for workers in some industries.
Lyme disease is a common tick-borne illness. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
Being overweight or obese means that a person has too much body fat that may affect their health. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and several types of cancers.
Oral health is an essential part of a person’s overall health. Poor oral health can lead to pain and discomfort, infections, and can hinder the ability to speak, eat, learn, and work.
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a group of infections that are predominately transmitted by sexual intercourse. Some STDs are reportable to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Substance use disorders represent clinically significant impairment caused by recurrent alcohol and drug use.
Tobacco use is still the single greatest preventable cause of death and disease in Iowa.