In the 1980's, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) started conducting what would soon become the largest telephone survey in the world. Now known as the
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), every state is mandated to interview residents on a multitude of health
risks and behaviors. Respondents are asked questions concerning tobacco use, alcohol use, physical activity, hypertension, diabetes,
asthma, cholesterol awareness, etc. At first, the total number of interviews collected within each state allowed the data to be
reliable only at the state and national levels. However, over time, many states realized the importance of collecting stratified
data within predefined geographic areas within the state. This increased number of interviews, now allowed the states to reliably
compare different areas.
Beginning in 1994, Heartland Health of St. Joseph wanted
to use BRFSS data to not only to assess the health status of local residents, but also have reliable local level data that could be
compared to state and national BRFSS data. Unfortunately at that time, the state of Missouri was not conducting enough telephone
interviews in the desired areas (Andrew & Buchanan Counties). Therefore, Heartland Health set out to fund and collect the data
themselves. In 1997, Heartland Health contracted with the Missouri Department of Health to conduct a point in time study of residents
in Buchanan County. A total of 668 interviews were conducted. The release of that data allowed Heartland Health and other local
organizations to report reliable data and use that data in numerous grant applications. Because of the response of the initial study,
Heartland Health made a commitment to continue collecting local BRFSS data.
Since
the initial 1997 study, Heartland Health and the
St. Joseph and Buchanan County Health Department have partnered
with Lan Resources, a St. Joseph based Research Company,
to conduct similar
point-in-time BRFSS studies. The study has since been conducted
in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 and most recently in the fall
of 2007, with more
than 4,200 interviews being conducted.
The
purpose of this website is to allow the data to be used
by all
interested parties. The data from all point-in-time studies is included. |
