Overview of Behavioral Research

The health care delivery systems of the Cancer Research Network (CRN) comprise nearly 10 million covered lives, affording a unique opportunity to evaluate major modifiable cancer risk behaviors. CRN projects have thus far explored tobacco use and dietary behaviors, each using very different approaches.

The tobacco use projects conducted under CRN auspices have examined delivery of smoking cessation services at the organization-, clinician- and patient-level. Improving clinician adherence to national tobacco control guidelines, and assuring that patients receive appropriate guidance for quitting smoking, is the overarching goal of this area of research.

• Tobacco Control in Managed Care: Implementation Effectiveness and Impact of Cost of Care
• Using Electronic Medical Records to Measure and Improve Adherence to Tobacco Treatment Guidelines in Primary Care

A newly-funded study is focusing on dietary behavior change at the individual level, using the Internet as the modality for delivery of tailored health communication to determine optimal risk reduction strategies.

• Making Effective Nutritional Choices for Cancer Prevention (MENU)