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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

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BRFSS Contents


Item: Prevalence and Trends Data
Item: SMART: City and County Data
Item: BRFSS Maps
Item: Web Enabled Analysis Tool (WEAT)
Item: Chronic Disease Indicators (CDI)
Item: About the BRFSS
Item: BRFSS Datasets (downloads and documentation)
Item: Chronic Disease and the Environment
Item: Questionnaires
Item: FAQs
Item: State Information
Item: Publications and Research
Item: Training
Item: Site Map
Item: Related Links







About the BRFSS

Turning Information Into Public Health

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a state-based system of health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. For many states, the BRFSS is the only available source of timely, accurate data on health-related behaviors.

BRFSS was established in 1984 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); currently data are collected monthly in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. More than 350,000 adults are interviewed each year, making the BRFSS the largest telephone health survey in the world. States use BRFSS data to identify emerging health problems, establish and track health objectives, and develop and evaluate public health policies and programs. Many states also use BRFSS data to support health-related legislative efforts.

BRFSS History






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Page last reviewed: 11/25/2008
Page last updated: 11/25/2008

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Adult and Community Health