Using data to motivate action: the need for high quality, an effective presentation, and an action context for decision-making

Abstract

Three common barriers to the effective use of data to inform decisions and motivate action for the planning of cancer control are (1) failure to recognize the availability of high-quality data, (2) not presenting the data in a compelling format, and (3) failing to place the data in a historical and action context. Overcoming these barriers will go a long way toward demonstrating that high-quality data can be used to accomplish the desired outcomes in a Comprehensive Cancer Control (CCC) program. The article identifies existing sources of high-quality data, provides examples of effective presentation, and discusses successes in using data for program planning and implementation. The paper is not meant to provide a comprehensive discussion of using data for decision making, instead providing options to help key CCC stakeholders improve the effectiveness of their decisions as CCC plans are developed and implemented.