Objectives: Monitoring, Surveillance, Evaluation & Research

Evaluation and Research 1

Continue to monitor and carry out surveillance activities using existing systems, which allow for further analysis.

Strategies:

• Continue advocacy, funding and support for the following existing data collection systems:
  • Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
  • Colorado Central Cancer Registry (CCCR)
  • Colorado Women's Cancer Control Initiative (CWCCI)
  • Tobacco Attitudes and Behavior Survey (TABS)
  • Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS)
  • Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS)
  • Child Health Survey (CHS)
  • Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS)
  • Vital Statistics
• Use cancer-related data for monitoring and surveillance of cancer risk factors, preventive behavior, incidence, stage at diagnosis, treatment, survival, rehabilitation, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, insurance status and mortality.
• Determine the feasibility of linking cancer screening history to the cancer registry.
• Measure and monitor under-served populations (i.e., low socioeconomic status, uninsured). Consider gaining education and household income data from hospitals and improving the quality of data on insurance status.
• Compare Colorado cancer data related to Healthy People 2020 targets by race/ethnicity.
• Review Colorado's cancer data to identify any gaps that may exist in Colorado's data systems (use Georgia's Institute of Medicine (IOM) report for comparison).

Evaluation and Research 2

Annually evaluate the Colorado Cancer Plan with the Colorado Cancer Coalition and task forces to determine the success of implementation.

Strategies:

• Continue to convene a surveillance and evaluation subcommittee experienced and knowledgeable in monitoring and surveillance, evaluation, and research.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan to assess the implementation of objectives and strategies of the Colorado Cancer Plan.
• Assess and evaluate the efficacy of the objectives and strategies of the Colorado Cancer Plan by determining impact on changes in cancer-related outcomes.
• Extend the Patterns of Care Study to Colorado (patterned after Georgia's IOM).
• Report evaluation results at each annual Colorado Cancer Conference.

Evaluation and Research 3

By 2015, develop data sources for those objectives and strategies for which baseline data currently do not exist.

Strategies:

• Identify gaps in the data (use Georgia's IOM report for comparison).
• Determine potential data sources or develop data sources as needed.
• Propose modifications to any of the existing data collection mechanisms if data elements are inconsistent, lack specificity, or are not used.
• Make recommendations on data that need to be added to increase or create capacity for monitoring/surveillance, research, and evaluation.
• Establish baseline data for any other chapters (e.g., palliative care, health disparities) for which baseline data should be determined.

Evaluation and Research 4

Yearly, evaluate the efforts of the Colorado Cancer Coalition.

Strategies:

• Assess Coalition member satisfaction.
• Assess Coalition member activities on a regular basis to determine if they are implementing the Colorado Cancer Plan.
• Identify under-represented groups/regions for membership involvement (e.g., African-Americans, OB-GYN, rural, contact for the uninsured).

Evaluation and Research 5

On an annual basis, compile and disseminate data identified in the aforementioned Objectives 1, 2, 3, 4 (listed in this chapter) to provide a full disclosure and impartial reporting on the plan's progress, accomplishments, and opportunities for improvement.

Strategies:

• Continue funding or advocate for funding to incorporate these sources of data into statewide reports.
• Collaboratively disseminate reports and information in a meaningful manner to appropriate audiences.
• Increase the Colorado Cancer Coalition's involvement in writing and disseminat- ing reports by developing a communication plan for the public (i.e., through press releases).
• Increase media exposure to educate the public and professionals about cancer in Colorado.
• Produce an Annual Report from the Coalition including prevalence rates, trends, and other pertinent studies related to previously mentioned data sets.
• Colorado Cancer Coalition's website.
• Establish plans and implement the training of potential users (particularly non-traditional users) to appropriately use available information to increase professional and public understanding and education about cancer and its impact on Colorado citizens.

Evaluation and Research 6

Promote the importance of conducting research on cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship.

Strategies:

• Establish and maintain a tracking system of research projects.
• Develop a research agenda working in coordination with the task forces to prioritize research conducted on cancer prevention (including screening), treatment, and survivorship.

Evaluation and Research 7

By 2015, increase the scope of data on cancer risk factors and preventative behavior throughout a person's lifetime.

Strategies:

• Explore development of data collection to capture this information.
• Establish a plan to gather information on children and cancer-related behavior.
• Add questions to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which inquire about behavioral issues with children in the household; for example, second hand smoke exposure.
• Produce a report on prevalence rates, trends, and other pertinent studies related to these data.
• Consider examining the relationship between obesity and cancer trends in Colorado using data from hospital records.
• Work with health care organizations to develop mechanisms for gathering and reporting cancer-related behaviors (i.e., risk factors and screening).

Evaluation and Research 8

By 2015, develop enhanced cancer registration capabilities.

Strategies:

• Assist the Cancer Registry in developing partnerships with large private oncology clinics to obtain outpatient treatment information.
• Promote recruitment and retention of certified tumor registrars in Colorado.
• CCCR Director or other CCCR staff will make presentation to Health Information Management classes (at Regis University and/or Arapahoe Community College) about the cancer registry profession.
• CCCR will provide regular training sessions for Colorado registrars to promote continuing education.
• Develop measures of socioeconomic status beyond race/ethnicity that are collected by the CCCR.
• Use cancer registry data for physician education and/or notification projects. (eg., alerting physicians that specific patients are at increased risk for "X" because they have a set of conditions "Y.")
• Facilitate data linkages between CCCR and other databases to obtain follow-up information (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid, for example).