The EUROHEIS2 project is aimed at improving analysis, reporting and dissemination of environmental health information, in particular in relation to health hazards potentially associated with local or regional environmental pollutants, using small-area spatial epidemiology and statistical analyses and geographical information systems (GIS) techniques. EUROHEIS2 is ideally suited to assist in the implementation of the European Environment and Health Action Plan and will be able to create synergies with the Environment and Health Working Party of the Public Health Programme and the European Environment Agency.

The EUROHEIS2 project uses innovative IT tools for health threat analysis (the Rapid Inquiry Facility (RIF)), which incorporates advanced GIS techniques and spatio-temporal analysis of routinely collected health and environment data. The RIF is able to produce long-term risk assessment in relation to specified environmental pollutants within a short period of time.

The project will further develop the health and environment information system (the RIF) initiated in the previously funded EUROHEIS project and further developed within the US CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking Program. The system will be made available to additional EU countries. The project will focus on tools and mechanisms for rapid assessment of environmental health risks and on geographical disease patterns related to the environment and socio-economic factors, taking into account the diversity of EU member states, thus contributing to the aims of the EU Environmental Health Action Plans. A network of environmental health experts will be created to exchange experiences. Network members will meet bi-annually to discuss development of methods, which will be implemented in the RIF by the UK partner. A web-based support tool (web-forum) will be set up to facilitate implementation. The results will be widely disseminated, including an end-of-project conference.

Details of the project, its specific objectives and expected outcomes can be found in the project protocol (click on this to get Annex 1).

Information on the previous EUROHEIS project, 1999-2003

Faculty of Medicine
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health