| Demographic Group: | Resident persons aged >=18 years. |
| Numerator: | Respondents aged >=18 years who report having their cholesterol checked within the previous 5 years. |
| Denominator: | Respondents aged >=18 years who report having or not having their cholesterol checked within the previous 5 years (excluding unknowns and refusals). |
| Measures of Frequency: | Annual prevalence — crude and age-adjusted (standardized by the direct method to the year 2000 standard U.S. population, distribution 9*) — with 95% confidence interval. |
| Time Period of Case Definition: | Previous 5 years. |
| Background: | Although rates of cholesterol screening have doubled in the past 15 years, 25% of adults aged >=35 years still have not had their cholesterol checked within the previous 5 years. Approximately 50% of U.S. adults have elevated serum cholesterol (>=200 mg/dL). |
| Significance: | Elevated levels of serum cholesterol can lead to development of atherosclerosis. Approximately 30%–40% of coronary heart disease and 10%–20% of strokes in the United States are attributable to elevated serum cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol has been associated with physical inactivity, high fat intake, smoking cigarettes, diabetes, and obesity. Lifestyle changes and medications can reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease among persons with elevated serum cholesterol. |
| Limitations of Indicator: | Validity and reliability of this indicator can be low because patients might not be aware of the specific tests conducted on their blood samples collected in clinical settings. |
| Data Resources: | Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/ |
| Limitations of Data Resources: | As with all self-reported sample surveys, BRFSS data might be subject to systematic error resulting from noncoverage (e.g., lower telephone coverage among populations of low socioeconomic status), nonresponse (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or to answer specific questions), or measurement (e.g., social desirability or recall bias). |
| Healthy People 2010 Objectives: | 12-15: Increase the proportion of adults who have had their blood cholesterol checked within the preceding 5 years. |
