The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a state-based program that is the primary source of information on risk factors among Illinois adults 18 years of age and older. The BRFSS is a collaboration between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments. CDC designed this system to gather information on behaviors and conditions related to the leading causes of death in Illinois.

Every month, a random sample of telephone numbers is selected for telephone interviews. The interviews follow carefully controlled procedures that assure information gathered meets standards of acceptability. Once all the data for a year are collected, the database is edited and weighted. Weighting and the controlled procedures allow inferences to be drawn to the entire adult population from the sample of interview respondents. Weighting data corrects for variations of the age/race/sex subgroups in the sample and the same groups found in the general population.

Aggregate data are presented for the State of Illinois, Chicago, suburban Cook County, Collar Counties (DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will) and other Urban Counties (Champaign, DeKalb Kankakee, Kendall, McLean, Macon, Madison, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, St. Clair, Tazewell and Winnebago). The remaining 83 counties are considered Rural Counties. Risk factor categories include alcohol, cholesterol, colorectal cancer screening, diabetes, exercise, flu and pneumonia vaccination, fruits and vegetables, health care coverage, health care utilization, health status, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, injury control, smoking, weight control and women's health. Frequency data are available. Updates will be posted when available.

For more information about the CDCs BRFSS program, you can contact their Web site at http//www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/brfss.

1995 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)