Progress against cancer takes place not only in the laboratory and the physician's office but in an environment of heightened public health concern. Prevention bolsters our defense against cancer. The delivery of quality care is paramount when cancer strikes an individual. A network of support is critical to our increasing number of survivors, their families, and a population that is aging.— Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D.
Email this pageAddressing Areas of Public Health Emphasis
On this page:- What we can contribute to policy and planning for public health
- FY 2004 Increase Request for Capacity Building
- Contents of this section
What we can contribute to policy and planning for public health
This past year, as NCI has once again examined its priority research areas, four stand out as having special significance not only for increasing our understanding of cancer but for informing aggressive policy decisions and planning for public health programs. We can no longer ignore, for example, the pervasiveness of media support for tobacco use in this country. Television and films continue to glamorize smoking and its purported benefits for stress relief, and smoking is still touted to our young far too often as a rite of passage to adulthood or as a gateway to approval.
In our 2004 budget proposal, we give special attention to four areas of public health emphasis. They are NCI Challenge areas for Improving the Quality of Cancer Care and Reducing Cancer-Related Health Disparities and Extraordinary Opportunity areas in Cancer Survivorship: Improving Treatment Outcomes and Quality of Life, and Research on Tobacco and Tobacco-Related Cancers.
We must act on behalf of the millions of people in our country today who do not receive appropriate care for their cancer, do not get the kind of support they need to deal with the emotional, physical, and psychological effects of treatment and survivorship, or are among the untold numbers who are denied proper care because of social position, economic status, cultural or language barriers, or geographic location. In each instance, we need better science to understand the complexities. As we study disparities, we can take action against them where the causes are clear. And there is a pressing need to address the challenges posed to our Nation's healthcare system by the rising incidence of cancer in the aging U.S. population. For all Americans, we need evidence-based interventions that will prevent cancer from occurring and improve the health and quality of life for those who are affected by cancer
FY 2004 Increase Request for Public Health Emphasis
(dollars in thousands)
| Quality of Cancer Care | $27,000 | 13% |
| Reducing Health Disparities | $61,350 | 29% |
| Cancer Survivorship | $46,000 | 22% |
| Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Cancers | $76,000 | 36% |
| Total | $210,350 |
Contents of this Section
Improving the Quality of Cancer CareImprove the quality of cancer care by strengthening the scientific basis for public and private decision making on care delivery, coverage, purchasing, regulation, and standards setting.
Reducing Cancer-Related Health DisparitiesUnderstand the fundamental causes of health disparities in cancer, develop effective interventions to reduce these disparities, and facilitate their implementation.
Cancer Survivorship: Improving Treatment Outcomes and Quality of LifeReduce the adverse effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment and optimize outcomes for cancer survivors and their families.
Research on Tobacco and Tobacco-Related CancersUnderstand the causes of tobacco use, addiction, and tobacco-related cancers and apply this knowledge to their prevention and treatment.