The Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) today announced the release of the state’s 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Systems (BRFSS) data, a national survey conducted in all states now considered the world’s largest, ongoing telephone health survey system.
Among other things, the survey found that in 2008 vast numbers of Kentuckians continue to categorize themselves as unhealthy and leading unhealthy lifestyles. The BRFSS, which is conducted by the Division of Prevention and Quality Improvement in DPH, looks at numerous health indicators, such as diet and physical activity, to determine the health and lifestyle habits of Kentuckians.
“The BRFSS is a wonderful tool that allows us to paint a portrait of our state’s health status,” said William Hacker, M.D., DPH commissioner. “Each year, we use information from this survey to learn more about health risk behaviors, shape recommendations for preventive health practices, and determine to what extent Kentuckians have access to care, particularly for chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.”
The BRFSS program tracks health conditions and risk behaviors of adults 18 and older in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the survey in 1984.
The Kentucky BRFSS is the main source of non-reportable disease data in Kentucky broken down by demographics like gender, race, age group, income levels, education status and geographic areas like Area Development Districts.
In 2008, Kentucky adults 18 years and older reported a 20.3 percent prevalence of fair or poor general health. In general, residents of Kentucky’s Appalachian counties reported higher rates of poor health and chronic diseases than those in non-Appalachian counties. In addition, Kentuckians with a high school degree or less and those with lower income levels reported higher rates of poor health and chronic diseases.
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