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Calendar Year 2012 Results

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

2012 BRFSS Topics for Western North Carolina

BRFSS 2012 Annual Results Technical Notes

Health Status (see results for 2011)

• Would you say that in general your health is:
• General Health Indicator for Healthy North Carolina 2020

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Healthy Days (see results for 2011)

• Now thinking about your physical health, which includes physical illness and injury, for how many days during the past 30 days was your physical health not good?
• Now thinking about your mental health, which includes stress, depression, and problems with emotions, for how many days during the past 30 days was your mental health not good?
• During the past 30 days, for about how many days did poor physical or mental health keep you from doing your usual activities, such as self-care, work, or recreation?

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Health Care Access (see results for 2011)

• Do you have any kind of health care coverage, including health insurance, prepaid plans such as HMOs, or government plans such as Medicare?
• Health Insurance Coverage (Under Age 65)
• Health Insurance Coverage for Those Employed for Wages (Under Age 65)
• Do you have one person you think of as your personal doctor or health care provider?
• Was there a time during the last 12 months when you needed to see a doctor, but could not because of the cost?
• About how long has it been since you last visited a doctor for a routine checkup?

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Exercise (see results for 2011)

• During the past month, other than your regular job, did you participate in any physical activities or exercises such as running, calisthenics, golf, gardening, or walking for exercise?

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Chronic Health Conditions (see results for 2011)

Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER told you that -
• (Ever told) you had a heart attack also called a myocardial infarction?
• (Ever told) you had angina or coronary heart disease?
• (Ever told) you had a stroke?
• History of Any Cardiovascular Diseases (heart attack or coronary heart disease or stroke)
• (Ever told) you had asthma?
• Do you still have asthma?
• (Ever told) you had skin cancer?
• (Ever told) you had any other types of cancer?
• (Ever told) you have (COPD) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or chronic bronchitis?
• (Ever told) you have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia?
• (Ever told) you have a depressive disorder, including depression, major depression, dysthymia, or minor depression?
• (Ever told) you have kidney disease?
• (Ever told) you have vision impairment in one or both eyes, even when wearing glasses?
• (Ever told) you have diabetes?
• Summary Index of Chronic Health Conditions

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Oral Health

• How long has it been since you last visited a dentist or a dental clinic for any reason?
• How many of your permanent teeth have been removed because of tooth decay or gum disease? Do not include teeth lost for other reasons, such as injury or orthodontics.

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Disability (see results for 2011)

• Are you limited in any way in any activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems?
• Do you now have any health problem that requires you to use special equipment, such as a cane, a wheelchair, a special bed, or a special telephone?
• A disability can be physical, mental, emotional, or communication related. Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
• Has your disability lasted or is it expected to last 12 months or longer?
• Because of any impairment or health problem, do you have any trouble learning, remembering, or concentrating?
• Disability Status

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Tobacco Use (see results for 2011)

• Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your entire life?
• Do you now smoke cigarettes everyday, some days, or not at all?
• During the past 12 months, have you stopped smoking for one day or longer because you were trying to quit smoking?
• How long has it been since you last smoked a cigarette, even one or two puffs?
• Do you currently use chewing tobacco or snuff every day, some days, or not at all?
• Smoking Status
• Current Smoker

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Alcohol Consumption (see results for 2011)

• During the past 30 days, how many days per week or per month did you have at least one drink of any alcoholic beverage such as beer, wine, a malt beverage or liquor?
• One drink is equivalent to a 12 ounce beer, a 5 ounce glass of wine, or a drink with one shot of liquor.
  During the past 30 days, on the days when you drank, about how many drinks did you drink on the average?
• Considering all types of alcoholic beverages, how many times during the past 30 days did you have [5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more drinks for women] on an occasion?
• During the past 30 days, what is the largest number of drinks you had on any occasion?
• Binge Drinking
• Heavy Drinking

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Immunization (see results for 2011)

• During the past 12 months, have you had either a seasonal flu shot or flu vaccine spray?
• At what kind of place did you get your last flu shot/vaccine?
• Have you EVER had a pneumonia shot?

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Falls

• In the past 3 months, how many times have you fallen?
• How many of these falls caused an injury?

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Seatbelt Use (see results for 2011)

• How often do you use seatbelts when you drive or ride in a car?

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Drinking & Driving

• During the past 30 days, how many times have you driven when you've had perhaps too much to drink?

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Women's Health

• A mammogram is an x-ray of each breast to look for breast cancer. Have you ever had a mammogram?
• How long has it been since you had your last mammogram?
• A clinical breast exam is when a doctor, nurse, or other health professional feels the breast for lumps. Have you ever had a clinical breast exam?
• How long has it been since your last breast exam?
• Had a mammogram within the past 2 years (Age 40+) (CDC calculated variable)
• Had a mammogram within the past 2 years (Age 50+) (CDC calculated variable)
• Had a mammogram within the past 2 years and a clinical breast exam within a year (Age 40+)
• A Pap test is a test for cancer of the cervix. Have you ever had a Pap test?
• How long has it been since you had your last Pap test?
• Women age 18+ who have had a Pap test in the last 3 years? (CDC calculated variable)
• Have you had a hysterectomy?

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Prostate Cancer Screening

• A Prostate-Specific Antigen test, also called a PSA test, is a blood test used to check men for prostate cancer. Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER talked with you about the advantages of the PSA test?
• Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER talked with you about the disadvantages of the PSA test?
• Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER recommended that you have a PSA test?
• Have you ever had a PSA test?
• How long has it been since you had your last PSA test?
• What was the MAIN reason you had this PSA test
• Male respondents aged 40+ that have had a PSA test in the past 2 years.

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Colorectal Cancer Screening

• A blood stool test is a test that may use a special kit at home to determine whether the stool contains blood. Have you ever had this test using a home kit?
• How long has it been since you had your last blood stool test using a home kit?
• Sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy are exams in which a tube is inserted in the rectum to view the bowel for signs of cancer or other health problems. Have you ever had either of these exams?
• Was your most recent exam a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy?
• How long has it been since you had your last sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy?

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HIV/AIDS (see results for 2011)

• Have you ever been tested for HIV? Do not count tests you may have had as part of a blood donation.
• Do any of these situations apply to you in the past year: have used intravenous drugs, have been treated for a sexually transmitted or venereal disease, have given or received money or drugs in exchange for sex, had anal sex without a condom?

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Pre-Diabetes (see results for 2011)

• Have you had a test for high blood sugar or diabetes within the past three years?
• Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you have pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes?

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Diabetes (see results for 2011)

• Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER told you that you have diabetes?
• How old were you when you were told you have diabetes?
• Are you now taking insulin?
• About how often do you check your blood for glucose or sugar? Include times when checked by a family member or friend, but do not include times when checked by a health professional.
• About how often do you check your feet for any sores or irritations? Include times when checked by a family member or friend, but do not include times when checked by a health professional.
• About how many times in the past 12 months have you seen a doctor, nurse, or other health professional for your diabetes?
• A test for hemoglobin 'A one C' measures the average level of blood sugar over the past three months. About how many times in the past 12 months has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional checked you for hemoglobin 'A one C'?
• About how many times in the last year has a health professional checked your feet for any sores or irritations?
• When was the last time you had an eye exam in which the pupils were dilated? This would have made you temporarily sensitive to bright light.
• Has a doctor ever told you that diabetes has affected your eyes or that you had retinopathy?
• Have you ever taken a course or class in how to manage your diabetes yourself?

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Social Context (see results for 2011)

• Do you own or rent your home?
• How often in the past 12 months would you say you were worried or stressed about having enough money to pay
  your rent/mortgage?
• How often in the past 12 months would you say you were worried or stressed about having enough money to buy nutritious meals?

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Adverse Childhood Experience

• Did you live with anyone who was depressed, mentally ill, or suicidal?
• Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic?
• Did you live with anyone who used illegal street drugs or who abused prescription medications?
• Did you live with anyone who served time or was sentenced to serve time in a prison, jail, or other correctional facility?
• Were your parents separated or divorced?
• How often did your parents or adults in your home ever slap, hit, kick, punch
  or beat each other up?
• Before age 18, how often did a parent or adult in your home ever hit, beat, kick, or physically hurt you in any way?
• How often did a parent or adult in your home ever swear at you, insult you, or put you down?
• How often did anyone at least 5 years older than you or an adult, try to make you touch them sexually?
• How often did anyone at least 5 years older than you or an adult, ever touch you sexually?
• How often did anyone at least 5 years older than you or an adult, force you to have sex?
• Experienced sexual abuse
• Living with an alcoholic OR drug abuser
• The ACE Score

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Diabetes Control (see results for 2011)

• Urine tests for protein (microalbuminuria test) check if your kidneys are working properly. When was the last time that you received a urine test for protein?
• Has a doctor ever told you that diabetes has affected your kidneys?
• During the past 12 months, was there any time that you did not have testing supplies (strips, lancets, meter) or diabetes medicine due to lack of money?
• In the last year, have you had a hospitalization or emergency visit because of your diabetes?

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Folic Acid

• How often do you now take a multivitamin?

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Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

• During the past 30 days, how often did you drink regular soda or pop that contains sugar?
• During the past 30 days, how often did you drink sweetened fruit drinks, such as Kool-aid, cranberry juice cocktail, and lemonade?

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Perceived Nutrition Environment

• To what degree would you agree with the statement, "It is easy to purchase healthy foods in my neighborhood such as whole grain foods, low fat options, and fruits and vegetables."

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Use of Trails and Greenways

• Does your community have trails, greenways, bike paths, or sidewalks for biking, walking, or other activities?
• How often do you use these for biking, walking or other activities?

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Uninsured (see results for 2011)

• Earlier you indicated you do not have health insurance coverage. What is the main reason you do not have health insurance?
• About how long has it been since you had health care coverage?

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Secondhand Smoke Policy (see results for 2011)

• On how many of the past 7 days, did someone smoke in your indoor workplace while you were there?
• On how many of the past 7 days, did anyone smoke in your home while you were there?
• In indoor workplaces, do you think smoking should be allowed in all areas, only some areas, or not allowed at all?

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Tobacco Use Prevention (see results for 2011)

• The NC tax on a pack of cigarettes is currently 45 cents and the national average is $1.46. Would you favor or oppose raising North Carolina's cigarette tax to $1.00 if part of the tax revenue was used to help reduce smoking?
• A state-level lawsuit against tobacco companies was settled in 1998. Since that time, tobacco companies are required to pay millions of dollars annually to the state of North Carolina. Do you favor or oppose using some of those settlement dollars for programs to reduce tobacco use?

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TRU Campaign

• In the last 12 months, have you heard about or seen the North Carolina TRU (or Tobacco. Reality. Unfiltered.) media campaign directed at preventing tobacco use among youth?

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Quit Now (see results for 2011)

• A telephone quitline is a free telephone-based service that connects people who smoke cigarettes
  or use tobacco products with trained quit coaches who can help them quit. Have you heard of the North Carolina Tobacco Use Quitline at 1-800-QuitNow or the website, QuitlineNC.org as a resource to help tobacco users quit?

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Other Tobacco Products (see results for 2011)

• In situations where you can not smoke, do you currently use any of the following products- chewing tobacco, snuff, snus, nicotine water, dissolvable tobacco products such as orbs or strips, or electronic cigarettes?

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Smoking Cessation (see results for 2011)

• In the past 12 months, did any doctor, dentist, nurse, or other health professional advise you to quit smoking cigarettes or using any other tobacco products?

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Gambling Behavior

• In the past 12 months, have you gambled or played any games for money?
• How much money do you usually wager on a day when you play for money?
• Have you ever tried to cut down or control your gambling?
• Have you ever lied to family members or friends about how much you gamble or how much money you have lost gambling?
• Have there ever been periods for 2 weeks or more when you spent a lot of time thinking about gambling or planning future gambling?

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Sexual Orientation (see results for 2011)

• Now I'm going to ask you a question about your sexual orientation. I want to remind you that your answers are kept confidential and you don't have to answer any question if you don't want. Do you consider yourself to be:

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Derived Variables and Risk Factors (see results for 2011)

• Body Mass Index Grouping-Underweight, Recommended Range, Overweight and Obese
• Adults who have a body mass index greater than 25.00 (Overweight or Obese)
• Health Insurance Coverage (Under Age 65)
• Health Insurance Coverage for Those Employed for Wages (Under Age 65)
• Smoking Status
• Current Smoker
• Binge Drinking
• Heavy Drinking
• Had a mammogram within the past 2 years (Age 40+)
• Had a mammogram within the past 2 years and a clinical breast exam within a year (Age 40+)
• Females age 18+ who have had a Pap test in the past 3 years. (CDC calculated variable)
• Males aged 40+ that have had a PSA test in the past 2 years. (CDC calculated variable)

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