Search for and find data and resources that support researchers in conducting behavioral research. Explore selected data collection and analysis tools, cancer control publications, and a section dedicated to tobacco research resources
Featured Tool
Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS)
The 2018-2019 wave of TUS-CPS is now available. This includes July 2018, January 2019, and May 2019 data. Use this dataset for national, state, and sub-state data on tobacco use and cessation behaviors, social norms, tobacco-related attitudes, and U.S. policies.
Add Health
Explore data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a longitudinal study that began with a nationally representative sample of adolescents in grades 7-12 in the U.S. during the 1994-95 school year.
American Time Use Survey (ATUS)
Obtain data on the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing.
Learn More About The SurveyBehavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
Access data, questionnaires, and more from this system of telephone surveys that collects state data about U.S. residents regarding their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services.
About BRFSSCalifornia Health Interview Survey (CHIS)
Obtain health data on California’s general population and various racial and ethnic groups.
Cancer Imaging Program
Access The Cancer Imaging Archive, a collection of medical images of cancer available for public use, through the NCI Cancer Imaging Program website.
Classification of Laws Associated with School Students (CLASS)
Use data from this website to compare state laws on nutrition and physical education between states and policy changes over time.
Learn more about CLASSCompendium of Datasets Related to Health Disparities Research
Download this document that compiles descriptions of and links to 132 publicly available datasets and resources relevant to research and programs that aim to reduce health disparities.
Explore the CompendiumHealth Information National Trends Survey (HINTS)
Study various aspects of health communication in the U.S. with these publicly available data about the public’s use of cancer-related information.
Obtain HINTS DataFamily Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study
Understand the lifestyle behaviors that relate to cancer risk with this collection of psychosocial, generational, and environmental survey data.
Learn More About the StudyFood Attitudes and Behaviors (FAB) Survey
Access the instrument, references, and analytic guide for a survey developed to evaluate a variety of factors that may be related to fruit and vegetable intake among adults.
View The SurveyNational Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
View data and publications from a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States using both interviews and physical examinations.
Learn MoreNational Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Cancer Control Supplement
This continuous, nationwide survey is a source of U.S. data for monitoring health patterns and trends, and for tracking progress toward national goals. NCI sponsors an annual Cancer Control Supplement (CCS) to the NHIS, which focuses on issues pertaining to knowledge, attitudes, and practices of cancer-related health behaviors, screening, and risk assessment.
Learn More About The SurveyNational Lung Screening Trial Datasets and Images
Download comprehensive datasets, CT images and pathology images from the NCI National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) and search a database of research projects and publications.
Learn about NLSTSurveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program
Explore statistical summaries for common cancer types, a “Did You Know?” video series, and other resources from the SEER program, which provides information on cancer statistics in an effort to reduce the cancer burden among the U.S. population.
Learn more about SEERCancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T.
Use these tools to design, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based cancer control program.
Develop Your Cancer Control ProgramGrid-Enabled Measures (GEM)
Collaborate with others through this interactive website that contains behavioral and social science measures organized by theoretical construct.
Learn More About GEMNCI Cancer Atlas
Use this interactive tool to create maps of cancer statistics, demographics, and risk factors.
Learn MoreNCI Resources for Researchers
Search or browse this directory of over 200 NCI-supported tools and services for cancer researchers, most of which are free and available to anyone.
Search For ResourcesNIH All of Us Data Browser Tool
Use this tool for interactive views of the All of Us Research Program participant data that is currently available to the public, a resource that will grow over time.
Evidence-Based Cancer Control Programs
Use this searchable database to find evidence-based cancer control interventions and programs specifically for program planners and public health practitioners.
Search the DatabaseState Cancer Profiles
Use this interactive U.S. map to get a report of a specific state’s cancer statistics and other related information.
Learn more about State Cancer ProfilesTeam Science Toolkit
Refer to this collection of user-generated resources to add a team science element to your research.
Discover Team-Based ResearchTheories Project: Improving Theories of Health Behavior
See how the Theories Project is working to improve theory-focused research.
See Past ActivitiesHall KL, Vogel AL, Croyle RT. Strategies for Team Science Success: Handbook of Evidence-Based Principles for Cross-Disciplinary Science and Practical Lessons Learned from Health Researchers. Cham, Switzerland: Springer; 2019.
Berrigan D, Berger N. Geospatial Approaches to Energy Balance and Breast Cancer. Cham, Switzerland: Springer; 2019.
Peterson EB, Chou WS, Rising C, Gaysynsky A. The Role and Impact of Health Literacy on Peer-to-Peer Health Communication. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2020;269:497-510.
Constructs and Measures for Health Behavior
Find out how definitions of major theoretical constructs such as barriers, normative beliefs, and self-efficacy are used in health behavior research.
Search Constructs and MeasuresNational Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research (NCCOR) Measures Registry
Assess diet, physical activity, and the environments in which these behaviors occur through this searchable database of diet and physical activity measures.
NIH Common Data Element (CDE) Resource Portal
Access information about NIH-supported CDEs, as well as tools and resources that can be helpful in developing protocols for data collection.
View Resource PortalNIH Toolbox
Access a comprehensive set of neuro-behavioral measurements that quickly assess cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor functions from the convenience of an iPad.
NINDS Common Data Elements
Streamline clinical neuroscience research with these content standards created to enable clinical investigators to systematically collect and analyze data and share it across the research community.
Learn MorePatient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)
Use this set of person-centered measures to evaluate and monitor physical, mental, and social health in adults and children. This resource can be used with the general population and with individuals living with chronic conditions.
PhenX
Use PhenX to build consensus for standard measures of phenotypes and exposures to integrate biomedical, genomic, and epidemiologic research.
Cancer Patient Tobacco Use Questionnaire (C-TUQ)
Learn more about tobacco use in the cancer setting through a questionnaire developed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Association for Cancer Research. Domains include cigarette smoking history and current use, use relative to cancer diagnosis and treatment, other tobacco product use, cessation, and secondhand exposure.
Measures Guide for Youth Tobacco Research
Achieve consistency of measurement across studies for describing smoking patterns, establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria for participation, measuring potentially important mediators and moderators of treatment outcomes, and measuring tobacco use outcomes.
Explore the GuideNCI Tobacco Policy Viewer
Use this interactive tool to map, query, and download historical smoke-free policy data in the United States. It reveals variation across U.S. cities, counties, and states by the types of indoor areas that are smoke-free, length of time since the smoke-free policy came into effect, and number of people who are protected by the policy.
Tobacco Monograph Series
Find ongoing and timely information about emerging public health issues in smoking and tobacco use control.
Explore the SeriesTobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS)
Use this data set for national, state, and sub-state data on tobacco use and cessation behaviors, social norms, tobacco-related attitudes, and U.S. policies.
Learn more about and access TUS-CPS dataSmoking Cessation Resources
The Smokefree suite of resources offers a variety of tools designed to help people quit smoking, organized with specific audiences in mind.