Problem/Objective: To describe the application of the New York State Tobacco Control Program (TCP) web-based Community Activity Tracking (CAT) system designed to monitor programs, manage contracts and evaluate state-wide tobacco control activities. For illustration, we focus on a major TCP initiative aimed at the tobacco industry's $15 billion/year marketing effort using advertising, sponsorship, and promotion (ASP).

Methods: Funded TCP partners record their tobacco control activities monthly in the CAT system, focusing on policies, practices, and resolutions adopted across different sectors throughout the state as a result of program strategies to counter ASP. Essential data for process evaluation, program outputs, impact measures, and progress and barriers in implementing strategies are also recorded in CAT. Available reports display data entered by individual funded partners and can be summarized to give a state-wide perspective.

Results: 125 funded partners throughout the state report using the CAT system. More than 150 ASP related policies, practices and resolutions have been adopted or implemented to date for the 2006-2007 fiscal year. The CAT system also provides the number of tobacco retailers who rearranged, reduced or eliminated tobacco advertising, the number of organizations, and businesses requesting tobacco advertisement free editions of magazines, the number of organizations, venues and events that adopted a written policy prohibiting tobacco company commercial sponsorship and/or corporate sponsorship/giving, and the number of bars, taverns and/or pubs that adopted a written policy prohibiting tobacco company promotion at their establishment.

Conclusions: A web-based system is an efficient way to collect, analyze and report on process, and impact measures.