title: Data sources for an environmental quality index: availability, quality, and utility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An environmental quality index (EQI) for all counties in the United States is under development to explore the relationship between environmental insults and human health. The EQI is potentially useful for investigators researching health disparities to account for other concurrent environmental conditions. This article focused on the identification and assessment of data sources used in developing the EQI. Data source strengths, limitations, and utility were addressed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five domains were identified that contribute to environmental quality: air, water, land, built, and sociodemographic environments. An inventory of possible data sources was created. Data sources were evaluated for appropriate spatial and temporal coverage and data quality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall data inventory identified multiple data sources for each domain. From the inventory (187 sources, 617 records), the air, water, land, built environment, and sociodemographic domains retained 2, 9, 7, 4, and 2 data sources for inclusion in the EQI, respectively. However, differences in data quality, geographic coverage, and data availability existed between the domains.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data sources identified for use in the EQI may be useful to researchers, advocates, and communities to explore specific environmental quality questions.
authors.affiliation: Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA. lobdell.danelle@epa.gov
authors.forename: Danelle T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Lobdell
authors.forename: Jyotsna S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jagai
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rappazzo
authors.forename: Lynne C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Messer
mesh_terms: D000388:Air / Q000592:standards*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D014481:United States; D060753:Water Quality / Q000592:standards*