Building an infrastructure for data-based cancer control planning and intervention implementation.

Health agencies have traditionally played a central role in the characterization of health problems and disease. Data-based planning is considered the cornerstone of effective public health action, enabling state health agencies to use limited resources most effectively to achieve maximum reductions in disease morbidity and mortality. Over the past decade, state health agencies have made important strides in enhancing their capacity for data-based planning for cancer control and in establishing models to facilitate similar planning efforts in other states. Federal programs have served an important catalyst role in establishing states' data-based planning capacity and in facilitating the resulting increase in the application of cancer control science across the United States. This article provides an overview of the infrastructure for data-based cancer control planning and highlights the critical role of federal programs in enhancing the capacity of states to effectively plan and implement cancer control initiatives as well as some of the gaps that remain in states' capacity for data-based planning.