Use of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Data at the Local Level 2004 -2009

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is our nation's premier system for measuring and tracking state-level data on critical health problems and a wide variety of health-related behaviors in the U.S. The data is used to underpin many public health policy and program decisions in states. The BRFSS is a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted by state health departments, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. For over 20 years, this unique state-based system has provided flexible, timely, and ongoing data collection that can be tailored to meet individual state needs.

While the state-level data continue to remain valuable, there has been increasing demand for local health information. In response to the need for local data, CDC used the annual large sample size of the BRFSS (approximately 413,000 respondents) to analyzed data for metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas (MMSAs) where any MMSA with sample size of 500 and any county with sample of 250 completed interview were included in the SMART BRFSS. Now prevalence estimates for over 15 health indicators for over 250 MMSA as well as many counties within those areas are available. Health officials now have access to local-level data that are comparable across the nation. This information provides state and local public health officials and policy-makers with an important new tool for public health planning.