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Calendar Year 2017 Results

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

2017 BRFSS Topics for North Carolina

BRFSS 2017 Annual Results Technical Notes

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Health Status (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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?
• What is the primary source of your health care coverage?
• Health care coverage status past 12 months

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Hypertension Awareness (see results for 2011, 2013, 2015)

• Have you ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional that you have high blood pressure?
• Are you currently taking medicine for your high blood pressure?

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Cholesterol Awareness (see results for 2011, 2013, 2015)

• Blood cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood. About how long has it been since you last had your blood cholesterol checked?
• Have you ever been told by a doctor, nurse or other health professional that your blood cholesterol is high?
• Are you currently taking medicine prescribed by a doctor or other health professional for your blood cholesterol?

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Chronic Health Conditions (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

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 diabetes?
• Summary Index of Chronic Health Conditions

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Arthritis Burden (see results for 2011, 2013, 2015)

• Are you now limited in any way in any of your usual activities because of arthritis or joint symptoms?
• In this next question, we are referring to work for pay. Do arthritis or joint symptoms now affect whether you work, the type of work you do, or the amount of work you do?
• During the past 30 days, to what extent has your arthritis or joint symptoms interfered with your normal social activities, such as going shopping, to the movies, or to religious or social gatherings?
• Please think about the past 30 days, keeping in mind all of your joint pain or aching and whether or not you have taken medication. DURING THE PAST 30 DAYS, how bad was your joint pain ON AVERAGE?

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Demographics (Disability Questions) (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• Are you deaf or do you have serious difficulty hearing?
• Are you blind or do you have serious difficulty seeing, even when wearing glasses?
• Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?
• Do you have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs?
• Do you have difficulty dressing or bathing?
• Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, do you have difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping?
• Functional Disability Status

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Tobacco Use (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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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E-Cigarettes (see results for 2016)

• Have you ever used an e-cigarette or other electronic vaping product, even just one time, in your entire life?
• Do you now use e-cigarettes or other electronic vaping products every day, some days, or not at all?
• E-Cigarette/Vaping Status

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Alcohol Consumption (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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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Fruits and Vegetables (see results for 2011, 2013, 2015)

• Consumed fruit one or more times per day
• Consumed vegetables one or more times per day
• Consumed fruits or vegetables or beans five or more times per day
• Median servings of fruit consumed per day
• Median servings of vegetables consumed per day

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Exercise (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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?
• What type of physical activity or exercise did you spend the most time doing during the past month?
• Adults that participated in 150 minutes (or vigorous equivalent minutes) of physical activity per week
• Adults that participated in 300 minutes (or vigorous equivalent minutes)
  of physical activity per week
• Physical Activity Categories
• Aerobic Recommendations
• Muscle Strengthening Recommendations
• Aerobic and Strengthening Guidelines (4-LEVEL)
• Aerobic and Strengthening Guidelines (2-LEVEL)

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Seatbelt Use (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

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

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Immunization (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• During the past 12 months, have you had either a flu shot or a flu vaccine that was sprayed in your nose?
• Have you ever had a pneumonia shot?
• Have you ever had the shingles or zoster vaccine?

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HIV/AIDS (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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 disease or STD, have given or received money or drugs in exchange for sex, had anal sex without a condom, had four or more sex partners?

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Pre-Diabetes (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015)

• 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, 2012, 2013, 2015)

• 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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Sugar Sweetened Beverages (see results for 2012, 2013, 2015)

• 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 sugar-sweetened fruit drinks (such as Kool-aid and lemonade) sweet tea, and sports or energy drinks (such as Gatorade and Red Bull)?

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Sodium or Salt-Related Behavior (see results for 2013, 2015)

• Are you currently watching or reducing your sodium or salt intake?
• Has a doctor or other health professional ever advised you to reduce sodium or salt intake?

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Preconception Health & Family Planning (see results for 2011, 2016)

• Women at risk of Unintended Pregnancy (Calculated variable).
• Women in need of Contraceptive Services (Calculated variable).
• Used Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) Method (Calculated variable).
• Effectiveness of current Contraceptive Method (Calculated variable).

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Hypertension Screening (see results for 2013, 2015)

• About how long has it been since you last had your blood pressure taken by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional?

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Traumatic Brain Injury (see results for 2011, 2014)

• Thinking about any injuries you have had in your lifetime, were you ever knocked out or did you lose consciousness?
• What was the longest time you were knocked out or unconscious?
• How old were you the first time you were knocked out or lost consciousness?

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Perceived Nutrition Environment (see results for 2012, 2013, 2015)

• 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 (see results for 2012, 2013, 2015)

• 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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Secondhand Smoke (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• On how many of the past 7 days, did someone smoke in your indoor workplace while you were there?
• Workplace Secondhand Smoke Exposure Indicator for Healthy North Carolina 2020
• On how many of the past 7 days, did anyone smoke in your home while you were there?
• On how many of the past 7 days, did you smell tobacco smoke from someone else's cigarette, cigar, or pipe drifting into your home from nearby apartments or from outside?

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Other Tobacco Products (see results for 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• During the past 30 days, did you smoke cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars?

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Smoking Cessation (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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?
• Did your doctor or health provider recommend medications and/or discuss methods and strategies other than medication (such as referrals to Quitline, counseling opportunities, or educational materials such as booklets or pamphlets) to assist you to quit smoking?

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Caregiver (see results for 2011)

• During the past 30 days, did you provide regular care or assistance to a friend or family member who has a health problem or disability?
• What is his or her relationship to you? For example, is he or she your (mother or daughter or father or son)?
• What age is the person to whom you are giving care?
• If you could not provide care, would your friend/family member have to be placed in a long-term care facility such as a nursing home or assisted living facility?
• For how long have you provided care for this person?
• In an average week, how many hours do you provide care or assistance?
• What is the main health problem, long-term illness, or disability that the person you care for has?
• In the past 30 days, did you provide care for this person by
  managing personal care such as giving medications, feeding, dressing, or bathing?
• In the past 30 days, did you provide care for this person by managing household tasks such as cleaning, managing money, or preparing meals?
• Of the following support services, which one do you MOST need, that you are not currently getting?
• In the next 2 years, do you expect to provide care or assistance to a friend or family member who has a health problem or disability?

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Derived Variables and Risk Factors (see results for 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)

• 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 - Age Under 65
• Health Insurance Coverage for Those Employed for Wages (Age Under 65)
• Smoking Status
• Current Smoker
• Binge Drinking
• Heavy Drinking
• Cholesterol check within past five years

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