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This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.096453v1 97/Supplement_1/S163    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Juzych, N. S. Articles by Burke, T. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Juzych, N. S. Articles by Burke, T. A.

Nadia Shalauta Juzych, ScD, MS, Beth Resnick, MPH, Robin Streeter, MS, MPH, Julie Herbstman, ScM, Joanna Zablotsky, MPH, Mary Fox, PhD and Thomas A. Burke, PhD, MPH

Nadia Juzych is with the Michigan Public Health Institute, Okemos, Mich. Beth Resnick, Robin Streeter, Julie Herbstman, Joanna Zablotsky, Mary Fox, and Thomas A. Burke are with the Department of Health Policy and Management University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.

Correspondence: Reprint requests should be sent to Nadia Juzych, Michigan Public Health Institute, 766 Tennyson Downs Ct, Bloomfield Township, MI 48304 (e-mail: njuzych{at}med.wayne.edu).

Objectives. We sought to assess the capacity of state public health agencies to address noncommunicable disease clusters (NCCs) and to develop recommendations to enhance agencies’ NCC response capacity.

Methods. We conducted an inventory of state public health agency Web sites and administered a Web-based survey of state health agency personnel to examine NCC capacity with respect to responsibility and authority, scope, protocols, trends in NCC investigations, and desired assistance.

Results. Twenty-six of the state agency Web sites listed an NCC contact, and 12 mentioned a cluster response team. Thirty-seven states completed the Web-based survey, all addressed cancer clusters, and 30 also responded to other NCCs, such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and autism.

Conclusions. NCCs are of key concern to communities, and all of the survey respondents indicated that citizen reports were an impetus for investigations; yet, state-level capacity to address NCCs was inconsistent and disjointed. State agency personnel were committed to responding to NCC inquiries but were hampered by lack of personnel, resources, and prescribed protocols, as well as inadequate interagency communication. We offer recommendations to address these challenges.

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