Develop strategic plans and target prevention programs. Monitor the effectiveness of intervention strategies and progress toward achieving prevention goals. Educate the public, the health community, and policymakers about disease prevention. Support community policies that promote health and prevent disease. The ability to determine populations at highest risk is essential in effectively targeting scarce prevention resources.
States can add questions of special local interest.
States can readily address urgent and emerging health issues. Questions may be added for a wide range of important health issues, including diabetes, oral health, arthritis, tobacco use, folic acid consumption, use of preventive services, and health care coverage. In 1993, when flooding ravaged states along the Mississippi River, Missouri added questions to assess the impact of the flooding on people s health and to evaluate the capability of communities to respond to the disaster. These data have been useful for identifying states with high rates of tobacco use and for assessing tobacco control efforts.