Harmonized Federal, State, and
Local Surveys Would Enhance
Population Science Research at NIH
Nancy Breen, National Cancer Institute
Partha Bhattacharyya, National Institute on Aging
Alyssa Grauman, National Cancer Institute
Jean Olsen, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Barry Portnoy, NIH Office of the Director
Academy Health State Health Policy Research Interest Group
June 26, 2010
Boston, MA
Population-based Data Needed to Support
Research at Local, State, and National Levels
• Research capacity is limited by lack of regularly
collected high-quality population-based data at
the local level
• Survey data are needed to capture portions of the
population that are not served or are underserved
by healthcare
• Surveys can systematically collect data on the
non-institutionalized population for a range of
health-related characteristics
• Survey data on population characteristics provide
critical information for understanding disease
prevention and control
Background: National and Local
Health Surveys at NCI
• 1987: NCI begins collecting national cancer
control surveillance data using the NHIS
• 1999: Outside advisory group recommends that
NCI enhance ability to improve local and regional
data collection to measure:
- Health disparities in minority and underserved
populations
- Trends in behaviors of at-risk groups.
• 1999-2010: NCI’s Division of Cancer Control and
Population Sciences supports CHIS to fill
research gaps in local and state cancer control
data
NCI Research Collaborations Enhance
the Value of CHIS
• 2006: NCI and the NIH Office of the Director (OD)
co-fund a study to evaluate the impact of CHIS
• 2008: NCI and UCLA co-host the first annual
Breakfast of Champions meeting at APHA
• 2009: NCI hosts a CHIS Methods Workshop
• 2010: NCI, NIH-OD, and UCLA, along with the
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and
National Institute on Aging complete a study to
systematically inventory innovative statewide local
health surveys across the U.S.
Key Findings for NIH from Study of
Innovative Local Health Surveys
• 11 independent surveys identified that routinely collect
info on health status and conditions, health service
use, insurance, and socio-demographics for the entire
state and some localities
• Interviews with “champions” from 11 surveys revealed:
- Champions recognize value of harmonizing data with
other states and national data and are willing to work
toward that goal
- Local surveys are innovating independently without
coordination
- Champions want to retain ability to control and release
data they collect
- CHIS provides a model for statewide local surveys in
terms of coverage, design, dissemination and impact.
Utility of Harmonized Health Data
• Health data harmonized at the local, state
and national level would be useful to NIH
for:
- Surveillance and tracking
- Identifying and addressing health disparities
- Generating Hypotheses
- Evaluating impact of programs and research