Health Department conducting risk factor telephone survey
Article published on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 |
PINELLAS COUNTY – The Pinellas County Health Department is conducting an anonymous, random dialing telephone survey that will interview approximately 1,500 adult residents in Pinellas County.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, which does not ask personal questions such as name, Social Security number or home address, provides the health department with important information about health behaviors and health conditions. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.
The survey contains questions that cover demographics, physical activity, diet, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, weight control, immunization status, access to health care, asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, oral health, women’s health and colorectal cancer screening. It may take 15 to 20 minutes to complete the interview.
County-specific information from the BRFSS is important for the county and community to:
- Determine priority health issues and identify populations at highest risk for illness, disability and death
- Develop strategic plans and target prevention programs
- Monitor the effectiveness of interventions and progress in meeting prevention goals
- Educate the public, the health community and policy makers about disease prevention
- Support community policies that promote health and prevent disease
Schulman, Ronca and Bucavalas Inc. is conducting the telephone interviews. SRBI staff located in call centers in Fort Myers, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia are conducting the telephone interview. Interviewers randomly call residential phone numbers. Most surveys are scheduled for weekday evenings, Saturday days and Sunday evenings.
The Pinellas County Health Department has conducted the BRFSS survey with the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since 2004.
For more information about the BRFSS survey, visit www.cdc.gov/brfss.
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Article published on Tuesday, June 10, 2008
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