Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collects uniform, state-specific data on preventive health practices and risk behaviors that are linked to chronic diseases, injuries, and preventable infectious diseases in the adult population. The BRFSS is an annual telephone survey of Hawaiʻi residents conducted throughout the year using scientific telephone survey methods. Both cell phones and land line telephone numbers are included. Adults living in group quarters with a central phone system, such as college dormitories, nursing homes, military barracks, and prisons are not included.
Participant responses are weighted to represent the adult population by age, gender, race, education, marital status, home ownership, telephone source (landline versus cell phone), and county of residence. All fifty states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam participate in the survey. State and national estimates for BRFSS core questions and modules can be found here. The Hawaiʻi BRFSS survey is conducted by the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Data Release Notes
The surveys we use to collect data are constantly being updated. As the surveys evolve, new indicators are created and old indicators are removed. The data release notes contain information about new indicators and dimensions that have been added each year. General data release notes are available on the BRFSS Health Indicator Selection page.
Report Requests
If you have searched our website, and still can’t find what you are looking for, we are here to help. Please click on the button and fill out a request form.
Please give us as much notice as possible as some requests take longer than others. An HHDW team member will contact you via email or phone for a follow-up.
Record Level Data Request
If you are interested in obtaining de-identified record-level data for your own analyses, please click on the button to see the instructions.
Most record-level data requests can be processed within 2-4 weeks, but delays in the approval process can extend the timeline.
Data Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website provides extensive documentation and survey results for participating states and territories.
- Hawaiʻi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System website provides information about the survey implementation in Hawaiʻi.