What is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and what type of data does it provide for community assessments?

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a data source available for communities that, since 1984, has tracked health conditions and risk behaviors. It provides secondary data on behavioral risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol use, exercise, and nutritional patterns, with findings like current smoking, binge drinking, overweight, and leisure-time activity. This information helps community assessment teams examine lifestyle factors contributing to health problems such as premature mortality.

In the community assessment example, the team used BRFSS as a source of secondary data to investigate behavioral risk factors. The system has been tracking health conditions and risk behaviors since 1984. The committee was especially interested in lifestyle factors affecting premature mortality, including tobacco use, alcohol use, exercise, and nutritional patterns. Table 4-5 presents BRFSS adult data comparing Small Town with Massachusetts on current smoking, binge drinking, overweight, and leisure-time activity. Based on this data, the team concluded that nutrition and obesity were important risk factors that might help explain a higher cardiovascular mortality rate in the community. Thus, BRFSS contributes population-level behavioral risk data that can be combined with other secondary and primary data in a comprehensive community health assessment.