BRFSS – Record Level Data Request

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer instant access to record-level BRFSS data for download and extensive documentation.

Get started here: http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/annual_data/annual_data.htm

While this is the easiest way to get record-level BRFSS data, the CDC data does not include state-added questions and uses the standard national race/ethnicity categories (White only, Black or African American only, American Indian or Alaska Native only, Asian only, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, Other race only, and multiracial). If you need data from state-added questions or if you want the more detailed Hawaiʻi-specific race/ethnicity categories or Hawaiʻi-specific geographies (community, school complex, or primary care service area) or conformed indicators, you should submit a proposal to the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) for record-level BRFSS data. Hawaiʻi-specific data can be merged with the national data set using the annual sequence number.

This helpful video explains the data request process. In order to prepare your data request, please be sure to review the DOH Data Sharing Policies and Procedures and use the Hawai‘i BRFSS Data Request Codebook to specify the year(s) and variable names for the standard core and optional questions as well as the state-added questions. Copies of the survey instruments with skip patterns can be found here.

Note: Since the BRFSS is not designed to generate population estimates at the zip code-level and to protect the privacy of the participants, zip code level data will not be released. Aggregations of zip codes by community, school complex, or primary care service area, are available and custom groupings may also be provided upon request.

Please complete the following three documents and send them to profiles@hhdw.org. Type or print clearly. Complete and sign all forms. Failure to provide the required information may result in a delay.