A report of Florida's cancer history, risk factors, and screening behaviors: Data from the National Health Interview Survey

Introduction: To target populations at greatest risk of cancer, it is vital to understand patterns of risk factors and screening behaviors along with cancer surveillance data. This study provides data on the prevalence of self-reported cancer history, cancer risk factors, and cancer screening behaviors in Florida and compares them to rates in the rest of the US. Methods: We analyzed pooled data from the 2000 and 2005 Cancer Control Modules of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), an annual, cross-sectional household survey of the US civilian non-institutionalized population. Results: Compared to the rest of the US, Floridians reported a lower prevalence of current smoking, risky drinking, and obesity, and a greater prevalence of Prostate Specific Antigen testing. However, Floridians reported a greater prevalence of cancer history and a lower prevalence of physical activity, concern for sun protection, lifetime colorectal cancer screening, lifetime breast exam, lifetime mammography screening, and lifetime and past year Pap test. Discussion: Florida lags behind the rest of the US in several areas, particularly cancer screening, and falls short of many Healthy People 2020 objectives. These data provide key information for stakeholders and public health policy makers to effectively target Florida residents at greatest risk for cancer and those not receiving recommended cancer screenings. This study also represents a model of valuable state-level evaluations that can be conducted using NHIS data. These types of analyses can provide a greater understanding of state-level variations and lead to more effective public health interventions aimed at reducing cancer burden.