As today is World Cancer Day, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has announced its new Cancer Data Dashboard, released by the Bureau of Epidemiology and Public Health Informatics (BEPHI) and the State Cancer Program. The Kansas Cancer Data Dashboard, which officially launched on Oct. 22, 2024, integrates data from the Kansas Cancer Registry, Vital Statistics and the Kansas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
According to KDHE, this comprehensive, interactive tool offers stakeholders, researchers, policymakers and the general public access to up-to-date cancer data for Kansas, which provides an essential resource for improving cancer care, prevention and policymaking. The tool allows users to access data, mapped out across Kansas counties and regions on cancer incidence, mortality, survivorship, screening and risk factors. Users can also explore data by age, sex, race, ethnicity and population density.
”The new Cancer Data Dashboard is a valuable resource for cancer prevention and control efforts in Kansas,” Jana Farmer, Cancer Section Director at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said. ”By making this data accessible to a wide range of stakeholders, we can enhance decision-making and drive evidence-based strategies that improve cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship outcomes for Kansans.”
With the interactive maps and detailed, accessible data, users of the dashboard are able to make informed decisions and allocate resources where they are most needed.
The Cancer Data Dashboard offers a comprehensive overview of cancer statistics, including the top 10 cancer diagnoses and death rates segmented by sex and age group, with specific data for children under 20 and 15 years old. It provides age-specific and age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates for 24 cancer types, further divided by sociodemographic factors, and includes data on both overall and late-stage diagnoses, covering the most recent decade.
The dashboard also includes cancer screening rates for lung, colorectal, cervical, and female breast cancers according to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines, and it examines cancer risk factors such as tobacco use, binge drinking, obesity, and physical inactivity
Additionally, it addresses cancer survivorship issues based on Kansas BRFSS cancer survivorship modules, focusing on care plans, treatment summaries, financial challenges, and pain management. Users can compare healthcare access, health status, risk factors, and screening rates between cancer survivors and those without a cancer diagnosis.
For more information and to access the new dashboard, visit www.kdhe.ks.gov.