FOREWORD

On behalf of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and the Public Health Foundation, we are pleased to present the results of Measuring Health Objectives and Indicators: 1997 State and Local Capacity Survey, conducted by the Public Health Foundation under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Public Health Service. The three major survey objectives were to:

1. Characterize infrastructure at the state and local levels for tracking health objectives and indicators
2. Obtain methods and innovations for assisting federal, state, and local agencies in the setting and tracking of objectives in the future
3. Ensure that the Year 2010 objectives-setting process is sensitive to data collection capabilities at state and local levels

This report provides a graphic representation of the major findings from the study. In addition to informing the national effort to set objectives for 2010, we anticipate that it will aid in identifying where states and localities need assistance in monitoring health status and other objectives and in sharing information among states and localities about successful approaches to setting and monitoring health objectives.

We would like to thank all those individuals who contributed to the development of this report, particularly the coordinators and staff in each participating state and locality who devoted considerable time and effort to providing quality information.

We welcome your comments and suggestions on this report. Please address communications to: Public Health Foundation, 1220 L Street, N.W., Suite 350, Washington, DC 20005.

Susanne A. Stoiber Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health (Disease Prevention and Health Promotion) Department of Health and Human Services

Edward J. Sondik, Ph.D. Director National Center for Health Statistics Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Department of Health and Human Services

Ron Bialek President Public Health Foundation