About the Virginia BRFSS
The Virginia BRFSS is an annual survey of Virginia’s adult population about individual behaviors that relate to chronic disease and injury. The BRFSS is the primary source of state-based information on health risk behaviors among adult populations.
For more than 20 years, CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) has helped states survey U.S. adults to gather information about a wide range of behaviors that affect their health. The primary focus of these surveys has been on behaviors that are linked with the leading causes of death including heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, injury and other important health issues.
Through the BRFSS surveys, CDC and the states have learned much about these and other harmful behaviors. This information is essential for planning, conducting and evaluating public health programs at the national, state and local levels. Private organizations also rely on the survey data to develop health promotion programs to reduce the prevalence of unhealthy behaviors and to document the effectiveness of these programs.
The BRFSS is a telephone survey conducted by the health departments of all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam with assistance from CDC. Congress appropriated $7.6 million for this system in fiscal year 2005. The BRFSS is the largest continuously conducted telephone health surveillance system in the world. States use BRFSS data to identify emerging health problems; to establish health objectives and track their progress toward meeting them, and to develop and evaluate public health polices and programs to address identified problems. The BRFSS is the primary source of information for states and the nation on the health-related behaviors of adults. States collect data through monthly interviews with adults aged 18 years or older. BRFSS interviewers ask questions related to behaviors that are associated with preventable chronic diseases, injuries and infectious diseases.
The BRFSS is flexible because it allows states to add timely questions specific to their needs. At the same time, standard core questions on the survey enable health professionals to make comparisons among states and local areas and also to reach national conclusions. BRFSS data have highlighted state-to-state differences on key health issues.
Information regarding the BRFSS can be found at www.cdc.gov/brfss. This site contains documentation related to all aspects of the BRFSS project and specific information related to the implementation of BRFSS for each participating state plus the three participating territoriesEach state is required to develop and maintain goals and objectives for the BRFSS. Virginia revised their goals and objectives in 2009.
In the fall of 2005, the Virginia BRFSS Work Group was created to oversee the administration and implementation of the BRFSS in Virginia. The Office of Family Health Services (OFHS) at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) created the Virginia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Work Group (VBWG). This work group will formalize and strengthen relationships with individuals, programs and agencies (both public and private) that are interested in the Virginia BRFSS. More specifically, this group will provide guidance for Virginia’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System activities. The creation of the work group concept has received strong support from the CDC Behavioral Surveillance Branch.
The Virginia BRFSS Work Group consists of individuals from the various OFHS.
If you are interested in attending a Virginia BRFSS Work Group meeting or would like to become a member, please contact the Virginia BRFSS Coordinator (Shanee.Harmon@vdh.virginia.gov ).
Virginia BRFSS Work Group Goals and Objectives
The Virginia BRFSS data contractor is Abt. SRBI, Inc. (http://www.srbi.com/Home.html).
Abt SRBI is a full-service global strategy and research organization specializing in public policy and opinion surveys, banking and finance, telecommunications, media, energy, transportation, insurance and health care. Clients include major financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies, federal, state and local governments, foundations and universities. Abt SRBI has an established track record of providing high quality, timely and cost effective research and analysis. In addition to its headquarters in New York City, Abt SRBI has offices in Washington D.C., Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee, West Virginia and North Carolina.
The firm was founded in 1981 with the explicit purpose of combining high quality analytic capabilities with in-house control of research implementation to ensure high quality, timely and actionable research for strategy and decision-making in rapidly changing environments.
Abt SRBI is a member of the National Council on Published Polls (NCCP) and the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO). We strictly abide by the codes of standards and disclosure of these organizations.
Virginia BRFSS Coordinator
Shanee Harmon, M.S
Shanee.Harmon@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Health • Office of Family Health Services • Division of Policy and Evaluation
109 Governor Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804.864.7671 (phone) • 804.864.7670 (fax)
