The primary goal of this CHD surveillance project is to evaluate different sources of existing data with the aim of developing an effective and efficient system for public health surveillance of adults and adolescents with CHDs.
The data sources we will use include:
- Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Database: www.chiamass.gov/ma-apcd
- Information provided by cardiologists and other health-care providers;
- Vital Records www.mass.gov/dph/rvrs
- The PELL data system
How Will this Information be Used?
We will use data from these sources to determine:
- How many adolescents and adults were living with CHDs in Massachusetts in the year 2010;
- What are their demographic characteristics (such as age, gender, educational attainment, and employment status)
- What types of other medical issues do they have, and what are their health care needs?
- How many pregnant women with CHDs lived in Massachusetts with delivery dates in 2009 and 2010, and what were their pregnancy complications and outcomes?
These data will be shared with CDC and two other sites that have also received funding for this project (Emory University www.emory.edu/home/index.html and the New York State Department of Health www.health.ny.gov.