PREVENTION AND CONTROL RESEARCH WITHIN A CHANGING HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM

The agenda for behavioral and social science research in cancer preven tion and control needs to be assessed and interpreted within the conte xt of a changing health care system. These changes present potential o pportunities and barriers to an evolving research agenda. Opportunitie s include access to defined populations and providers, emphasis on cli nical outcomes, and access to clinical and financial data. Barriers in clude intense competition among providers and an overriding emphasis o n cost containment. To meet these challenges, attention needs to be gi ven to developing new partnerships with provider organiza tions, empha sizing interdisciplinary cooperation and training, and reassessing und erlying behavioral assumptions and models. (C) 1997 Academic Press.