What to know
The goal of the Kansas Tracking Program is to protect and improve the health and environment of all Kansans. The Kansas Tracking Program’s overall purpose is to conduct environmental health surveillance to guide public health action to prevent or lessen effects of environmental hazards.
Background
Kansas is the geographical center of the United States. It is known as the Wheat State or breadbasket of the country, growing more wheat than any other state.
It is home to more than 2.8 million people with over half of the 105 counties designated as rural or frontier.
Kansas is known for its agriculture and ranching heritage, and also has an aircraft-manufacturing center, mining industry, and is a petroleum producer. Processes from these industries can affect environmental health. Environmental contaminants and drinking water quality are of particular concern in Kansas.
Accomplishments
Harmful Algal Blooms
Kansas Tracking initiated Harmful Algal Bloom surveillance in the state and continues to conduct investigations.
Background Radiation
Kansas Tracking has collaborated with the Kansas Radiation Control program on a statewide soil sampling project to establish background radiation levels for Kansas. The data will help to identify areas of uranium, thorium, and radium concentration and correlate those levels with other sources of data related to Kansas geology.
Protecting Kansas Residents from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
More than two dozen children were stricken with sudden severe headaches and nausea at an indoor pool party held at a hotel in a small Kansas town. Investigation found a surprising cause—carbon monoxide (CO) from the hotel’s pool heater. This incident and two others where people became ill after swimming near idling boat engines prompted the Kansas Tracking Program to educate residents about the less common ways people are exposed to CO. Tracking Program staff and the state health department public information staff developed an awareness campaign with educational materials that warn residents about risks for CO poisoning and ways they can prevent exposures to CO.
The number of incidents of CO poisoning reported by the public and in the media decreased following the health education and outreach activities. The Tracking Program continues to monitor the incidence of CO poisoning and will maintain awareness activities.
Unique Data
All state and local tracking programs collect and display a set of standard data. But individual programs may host other data that are important to their populations. KS's unique data include the following.