The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a critical source of timely public health data at the state and at the local level, as well as for Healthy People 2010 Objectives. For the past 2½ years, CDC has been working with state health departments to redesign the BRFSS for the years 2001-2010. The goal of the redesign is to continue to obtain health risk factor data on the leading causes of death on an ongoing basis, yet maintain flexibility to allow additional questions on other topics that arise. A draft proposal for the redesign was presented to states and to CDC programs in the fall of 1999. There are three major changes associated with the redesign: the use of a dual questionnaire, a reduced number of required questions for states, and increased space for questions on supplemental topics. Input from CDC programs and states at the March 2000 BRFSS annual conference will be used to produce the final survey design by June 1, 2000. In this session, the process used to arrive at the new BRFSS will be described. The BRFSS survey plan for the next 10 years will be presented, along with programmatic, statistical, and epidemiologic implications for states, federal programs, and researchers.
Learning Objectives: 1. Recognize the importance of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for monitoring risk behaviors at the federal and state level. 2. Describe the characteristics of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) redesign for the years 2001-2010 3. Understand the implications of the new design for public health surveillance and research
Keywords: Health Behavior, Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.