The UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has introduced a new public data resource, the North Carolina Cancer Health Assets and Needs Assessment (CHANA) tool. This online dashboard aims to help researchers, healthcare providers, policymakers, and the general public track cancer diagnoses, access to care, risk factors, and other health trends across North Carolina.
Developed by the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at UNC Lineberger, CHANA provides information for all 100 counties in the state. The platform brings together data from sources such as the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cancer Information & Population Health Resource (CIPHR), community groups, and surveys. All information is aggregated and deidentified to protect privacy.
“Compiling these data and putting it all in one place will make information searching, research idea generation, and monitoring public health actions more convenient,” said Lisa Spees, PhD, Director of CHANA. “We want this tool to help increase cancer awareness and knowledge among patients and the communities that we serve.”
Robert Ferris, MD, PhD, executive director of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center emphasized the importance of this initiative: “These data are important for us to ensure that the cancer center is aware of disparities that are happening and to make sure that the research the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center does is relevant to the needs of our population.”
The dashboards offer detailed information on topics such as cancer incidence and mortality rates; screening statistics; risk factors like tobacco use or obesity; social determinants including housing type or socioeconomic status; end-of-life care quality indicators; with plans to add treatment quality indicators soon.
A comprehensive 112-page report based on CHANA’s findings targets local and state decision makers—including directors at health departments or federally qualified health centers—offering insight into demographics, access issues, risk factors, screening rates, incidence/mortality figures, treatment patterns and survivorship.
Additionally, county-level profiles are available for distribution at community events. These profiles provide demographic details alongside localized statistics on cancer incidence/mortality rates; risk factors; screening behaviors; proximity to screening/treatment facilities; and resources for survivors.
CHANA was made possible through funding from the University Cancer Research Fund along with support from Robert Ferris.
For more details about CHANA dashboards or reports visit the UNC Lineberger Community Outreach and Engagement website or email CHANA_COE@unc.edu.
