Goals, Objectives, and Strategies

This section includes the goals, objectives, and strategies for each of the three priority areas: Prevention; Screening and Early Detection; and Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship and health equity embedded into each area.

The goals reflect overarching changes we want to see in Illinois.

The objectives are measurable accomplishments necessary to meet the goal. The objectives were made to be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART) to facilitate the assessment of progress made towards meeting these objectives over the next five years (2022-2027). Data sources used for the objectives are listed in parentheses after each objective and are publicly available so anyone can track Illinois’s progress towards meeting these objectives. This also ensures that these data sources will still be available in 2027.

The strategies are specific actions that can be taken to achieve the objectives. The strategies are divided into different topics/levels, including, policy, health systems, environmental changes, and health equity. Even though there are several strategies listed, it is not expected that all of these will be used or accomplished in the span of five years by any one person or organization. This section provides several examples of strategies in order to accomplish the objectives. Strategies can be incorporated into organizations’ strategic plans or added to the organization, agency, or group’s mission or vision.

The three work groups reviewed publicly available data to set baseline figures and targets. Data utilized included the Illinois State Cancer Registry, Healthy People 2020 and 2030, Illinois Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), American Lung Association, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), and TeenVaxView.

The Healthy People (HP) initiative is designed to guide national health promotion and disease prevention efforts to improve the health of the nation. Released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) every decade since 1980, HP identifies science-based objectives with targets to monitor progress and to motivate and to focus action. Every decade, the Healthy People initiative develops a new set of science-based, 10-year national objectives with the goal of improving the health of all Americans.

BRFSS is a state-based program that gathers information on risk factors among Illinois adults 18 years of age and older through monthly telephone surveys. Established in 1984 as a collaboration between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments, BRFSS has grown to be the primary source of information on behaviors and conditions related to the leading causes of death for adults in the general population. BRFSS collects data on different topics in certain years.

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) is a system of surveys. It includes a national school-based survey conducted by CDC and state, territorial, tribal, and local surveys conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments. YRBSS monitors six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults, including:

• Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence
• Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection
  
• Alcohol and other drug use
  
• Tobacco use
  
• Unhealthy dietary behaviors
  
• Inadequate physical activities
  

TeenVaxView provides immunization survey data collected by CDC. The CDC collects immunization data from local, state, and federal health departments through surveys and other data sources, such as immunization information systems to estimate vaccination coverage and to identify where additional efforts are needed to increase vaccination coverage.

Each work group evaluated the data described above to set the target. Targets were generally set for a 5% to 10% change over the five years. Where applicable, the HP2030 goal is listed as a reference.

Prevention is stopping cancer before it starts. This includes promoting healthy living habits amongst adults and youth to reduce the risk of cancer occurring from a poor diet, drinking alcohol, and inadequate physical activity.

Screening and early detection is screening for cancer in its earliest stage when treatment works best.

Diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship includes providing support and services to cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers to address social, emotional, and financial challenges they may face to increase quality of life.