Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search


Español  Other Languages


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC twenty four seven. Saving Lives, Protecting People
 Search

		Submit


Public Health Surveillance and Data








Looking at AI’s Potential Impact on Health EquityAs new technology reveals what couldn’t be seen before, we’re also looking at its future impacts on public health						Print
																Related Pages
										hands typing on a keyboard behind artificial intelligence hologram
CDC is exploring new applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) for public health, such as forecasting trends in opioid overdose mortality, using natural language processing methods on foodborne outbreak data, and using large language models to improve syndromic surveillance.
These cutting-edge technologies offer huge benefits for public health. They can help process massive amounts of data that are hard for humans to do at scale. We can also discover relationships in the data that are hard for traditional methods to find.
As we incorporate more artificial intelligence into our data workflows, we also need to look at how to prevent potential biases in the data that may impact health equity.
Understanding biases
The first step is to recognize that our current data and methods may already contain different types of biases. For example, missing information — such as when data on race, ethnicity, or social determinants of health aren’t being fully collected — can create biases in the underlying data. This can result in people being under-represented in the data and underserved by public health.
Biases can also arise from how data are being analyzed or interpreted. If we apply new technologies like artificial intelligence without considering these issues, the risk is that we could make the problem larger instead of solving it.
Developing a framework
Taking the right measures early on can help us identify and prevent biases at every step. But what are the right measures we should be taking?
To answer that question, CDC’s Office of Science teamed up with experts from Georgia Tech Research Institute. Together, we’re working to develop guidance and training resources that will help public health researchers effectively navigate many of the health equity-related challenges they encounter when conducting data science using health data.
The goal is to find the right tools and techniques to consider and assess health equity from end-to-end. This means looking at every stage of the workflow – the data sources themselves, how data are prepared, and how they are analyzed and reported.
Moving toward equity
As we gain more understanding of the scope of AI’s impact on our public health processes, we will uncover which improvements will give us the greatest potential to increase health equity. We’re aiming to get a holistic view of what our practices look like around these new technologies, so that we can achieve more equitable health outcomes.
This work is an important part of executing CDC’s strategies for data modernization and health equity and recognizing that this work must go hand-in-hand if we are to truly serve everyone in America.
Learn moreArtificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
							
					
							Last Reviewed:  April 11, 2023						Source: 	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology
					Facebook
        Twitter
        LinkedIn
        Syndicate homeSurveillance and DataData Modernization Initiativeplus icon2022 DMI Snapshotplus iconWhat Does Data Modernization Look Like?Welcome to the 2022 DMI SnapshotHow the Snapshot WorksBasicsPrioritiesplus iconBuilding the Right FoundationAccelerating Data into ActionDeveloping a State-of-the-Art WorkforceSupporting and Extending PartnershipsManaging Change and GovernancePartnershipsplus iconConsortium for Data ModernizationFederal AgenciesOrganizationsState, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Health DepartmentsIndustry PartnershipsCDC and USDS: Innovation through PartnershipTechnologiesplus iconNorth Star ArchitectureArtificial Intelligence and Machine LearningCloud 101: Storing and Sharing InformationEnterprise Data, Analytics, and VisualizationCDC Front DoorImproving Public Health Data PipelinesDMI and COVID-19DMI and Health EquityWhy Sustainable Funding MattersMonitoring + EvaluationNotable Milestones: 2019-2023Data Policy and Standardsplus iconData AuthorityAdvancing InteroperabilityData Modernization and PoliciesBlogs and StoriesPublications and Resourcesplus iconModernizing for New and Complex Threats2021 DMI Snapshot To receive email updates about Public Health Surveillance and Data, enter your email address Email Address			What's this				Submit


About CDC
					Contact Us
					800-232-4636
 Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube Pinterest Snapchat
 CONTACT CDC
				Contact Us
							Call 800-232-4636
							Email Us
			ABOUT CDC
				About CDC
							Jobs
							Funding
			POLICIES
				Accessibility
							External Links
							Privacy
							Policies
							No Fear Act
							FOIA
							OIG
							Nondiscrimination
							Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			CONNECT WITH US
				Facebook
								Twitter
								Instagram
								LinkedIn
							Youtube
								Pinterest
								Snapchat
								Email
			LANGUAGES
				Español
							繁體中文
							Tiếng Việt
							한국어
							Tagalog
							Русский
							العربية
							Kreyòl Ayisyen
							Français
							Polski
							Português
							Italiano
							Deutsch
							日本語
							فارسی
							English


U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
			Accessibility
			External Links
			Privacy
			Policies
			No Fear Act
			FOIA
			Nondiscrimination
			OIG
			Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
			USA.gov


Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy Close
 Links with this icon  indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
				Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
				You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
				CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Website Disclaimers
 Cancel Continue