The BRFSS questionnaire is designed by a working group of state coordinators and CDC staff. Currently, the questionnaire has three parts: 1) the core component, consisting of the fixed core, rotating core and emerging core 2) optional modules and 3) state-added questions. All health departments must ask the core component questions without modification in wording, however, the modules are optional.
The fixed core is a standard set of questions asked by all states. It includes queries about current behaviors that affect health (e.g., tobacco use, women's health) and questions on demographic characteristics. The rotating core is made up of two distinct sets of questions each asked in alternating years by all states and addressing different topics. In the years that rotating topics are not used in the core, they are supported as optional modules. The emerging core is a set of up to five questions that are added to the fixed and rotating cores. Emerging core questions typically focus on issues of a "late breaking" nature and do not necessarily receive the same scrutiny that other questions receive before being added to the instrument. These questions are part of the core for one year and are evaluated during or soon after the year concludes to determine their potential value in future surveys.
Optional CDC modules are sets of questions on specific topics (e.g., smokeless tobacco) that states elect to use on their questionnaires. Although the modules are optional, CDC standards require that they must be used without modification. Module topics have included survey items on smokeless tobacco, oral health, cardiovascular disease and firearms.
Individual states also have the option to add questions to their BRFSS questionnaires that are not currently part of the CDC core questionnaire or an available optional module (state-added questions). VDH staff from the various divisions and persons external to VDH are invited to submit proposals for questions they would like considered for the BRFSS questionnaire.
Current (2009) BRFSS questionnaire
Current (2009) State-added and Optional modules
DRAFT 2010 BRFSS core questionnaire
Previous CDC core questionnaires (1989-2008)
Individuals or agencies interested in requesting specific state-added questions are required to submit a Call for Proposal in the fall of each year. The Call for Proposal requests information on the origin of the question, history of prior cognitive and validity testing, history of prior use, an analytical plan, the extent to which the proposed questions satisfy primary and secondary criteria such as being a priority health issues or being relevant to Health People 2010 objectives and whether the questions reflect the data needs of the state health department.
If new state-added questions are approved by the Virginia BRFSS work group, the BRFSS coordinator will work with the requestor, CDC and the contracted data collection agency on the finalization of question wording, placement, as well as field-testing before being placed on the BRFSS questionnaire. CDC must also approve any state-added questions. No questions will be added which may directly affect the response or refusal rates of the survey. Agencies or individuals will be asked to provide funding to cover the costs of their state-added questions, if approved. Each proposal requires a rationale supporting inclusion on the BRFSS questionnaire.
2010 BRFSS Call for Proposal
Adobe Professional Version 
WORD Version 
Virginia BRFSS Coordinator
Susan Kennedy Spain, MS
SusanK.Spain@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Department of Health • Office of Family Health Services • Policy and Assessment Unit
109 Governor Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804.864.7654 (phone) • 804.864.7670 (fax)
Full Version