Appendix B
Definitions of BRFSS Risk Factors
and Preventive Health Measures
AIDS Knowledge/Attitudes
HIV Test – Respondents, age 18-64, who have never had a test for HIV infection.Chances of Getting HIV
– Respondents, age 18-64, who believe that their changes of getting infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS are medium or high.Teen Condom Use
– Respondents, age 18-64, who would not encourage sexually active teenagers to use a condom.Breast Exam
Breast Exam (1
) – Female respondents, age 18 and older, who report they never had a breast exam by a doctor.Breast Exam (2)
– Female respondents, age 40 and older, who report they never had a breast exam by a doctor.Breast Exam Within 2 Years
– Female respondents, age 50 and older, who report that they did not have a breast exam within the past two years.Cardiovascular Disease
Heart Attack or Myocardial Infarction
– Respondents who report they were told by a doctor they had a heart attack or myocardial infarction.Stroke – Respondents who report they were told by a doctor they had a stroke.
Cervical Cancer
Pap Smear (1)
Female respondents, age 18 and older who report they never had a Pap smear. Year 2000 objective 16.12 – Target >=95% who have ever had a Pap smear.Pap Smear, with Uterine Cervix (2)
– Female respondents, with uterine cervix, age 18 and older, who report they never had a Pap smear.Pap Smear Within 3 Years
– Female respondents, with uterine cervix, age 18 and older, who report they did not have a Pap smear within the last three years.
Cholesterol Screening and Awareness
Cholesterol Screening (1) – Respondents who never had their cholesterol checked.
Cholesterol Screening (2)
– Respondents who did not have their cholesterol checked within the past five years. Year 2000 Objective 15.14 - Target >= 75% who had their cholesterol checked within the past five years.Cholesterol Awareness
– Respondents who report their cholesterol has been checked and they have been told their cholesterol is high by a health professional.
Clinical Breast Exam – See Breast Exam
Colorectal Cancer Screening
Sigmoidoscopy
– Respondents, age 50 and over, who report they never had a sigmoidoscopy. Year 2000 Objective 16.13 - Target >= 40% age 50 and over who ever had a sigmoidoscopy.Blood Stool Test
– Respondents, age 50 and over, who reported they did not use a home blood stool kit in the past two years.Diabetes
Diabetes Awareness
– Respondents who report they were told by a doctor that they have diabetes.Drinking Status
Current Drinkers
– Respondents who report they had alcoholic beverages in the past month.Binge Drinking (Acute Drinking)
– Respondents who report having five or more drinks on an occasion, one or more times in the past month.Chronic Drinking
– Respondents who report drinking 60 or more alcoholic beverages a month.Drinking and Driving
– Respondents who report having driven after having too much to drink, or more times in the past month.Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and Vegetables
– Respondents who report they are not consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Year 2000 Objective 2.6 Target >=50% who are consuming five or more servings of fruits or vegetables a day.Health Insurance
Health Insurance (1)
– Respondents age 18 and older who report they have no health care coverage.Health Insurance (2)
– Respondents age 18-64 years who report they have no health care coverage.Health Status
Activities Limited
– Mean number of days in past 30 days activities were limited among respondents reporting days when physical health or mental health was not good.Mental Health Not Good
– Mean number of days in past 30 days mental health was not good as reported by respondents.Physical Health Not Good
– Mean number of days in past 30 days physical health was not good as reported by respondents.Self-Reported Health Status
– Respondents who report having a general health status of fair or poor.Hypertension
Hypertension Awareness
– Respondents who report that their blood pressure has been checked and they have been told they have high blood pressure.Hypertension Screening
- Respondents who report their blood pressure has not been checked within the past two years.Immunization
Flu Shot
– Respondents, age 65 and older, who report they did not have a flu shot within the past 12 months. Year 2000 Objective 20.11 – Target >= 80% who had a flu shot in the past 12 months.Pneumonia Vaccination
– Respondents, age 65 and older, who report they never had a pneumonia vaccination. Year 2000 Objective 20.11 – Target >= 80% who have had a pneumonia vaccination.Mammography
Mammogram (1)
– Female respondents age 18 and older, who report that they have never had a mammogram.Mammogram (2)
– Female respondents, age 40 and older, who report that they have never had a mammogram.Mammogram Within 2 Years
– Female respondents, age 50 and older, who report that they did not have a mammogram within the past two years.Mammography and Breast Exam
Mammogram & Breast Exam
– Female respondents, age 40 and older, who report that they have never had a mammogram and a breast exam.Mammogram & Breast Exam Within 2 Years
– Female respondents, age 50 and older, who report that they did not have a mammogram and a breast exam within the past two years. Year 2000 Objective 16.11 – Target >= 60% women, age 50 and over who had a mammogram and a breast exam in the preceding 1-2 years.Overweight
Overweight: By Median
– Respondents at or above 120% of their ideal weight. Ideal weight is defined as the mid-value of a median frame person from the 1959 Metropolitan Life Insurance Corporation height-weight tables.Overweight: By Body Mass Index
– Females with body mass index (BMI) >= 27.3 and males with BMI >=27.8. BMI is defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (w/h**2). Year 2000 Objective 2.3 – Target <= 20% at or above the BMI level. This should be used with extreme caution since people tend to under report their weight. BRFSS may underestimate the prevalence of overweight.Pap Smear –
(See Cervical Cancer)Sigmoidoscopy –
(See Colorectal Cancer Screening)Smoking Status
Ever Smoked – Respondents who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes in their lifetime.Current Smoker
– Respondents who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and reported smoking everyday or some days. Year 2000 Objective 3.4 – Target <= 15% who smoke cigarettes. [an error occurred while processing this directive]