Introduction

Nearly half of all deaths occurring annually in the U.S. result from modifiable behavioral risk factors. These risk factors include uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, poor diet, alcohol abuse, violence, and risky sexual behavior. In an effort to measure and address these issues, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) devised the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

The CDC’s BRFSS was developed in 1984 for use by the states. The BRFSS now includes all 50 states, three territories, and the District of Columbia. The following description from the CDC provides the history and development of the survey system:

By the early 1980s, scientific research clearly showed that personal health behaviors played a major role in premature morbidity and mortality. Although national estimates of health risk behaviors among U.S. adult populations had been periodically obtained through surveys conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), these data were not available on a state-specific basis.

As a result, surveys were developed and conducted to monitor state-level prevalence of the major behavioral risks among adults associated with premature morbidity and mortality. The basic philosophy was to collect data on actual behaviors, rather than on attitudes or knowledge, that would be especially useful for planning, initiating, supporting, and evaluating health promotion and disease prevention programs.¹

The BRFSS is an important part of CDC surveillance systems. The results of BRFSS serve as a valuable tool in measuring health trends, assessing chronic disease risk, and monitoring effectiveness of policies, programs, and awareness campaigns in the United States. The information obtained from the data is used to guide health policy decisions, monitor progress toward achieving Healthy People 2000 and 2010 health objectives, propose and support legislation, and identify critical areas for future attention. For example, BRFSS data is a critical resource for health promotion and disease prevention experts who are responsible for reducing the burden of disease and health disparities in their communities.

¹ Adapted from the description on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey website, 2002. For more information on the CDC, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/.

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