BRFSS: U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Survey Data, 2003

More than 350,000 adults are interviewed annually for the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, making it the largest telephone health survey in the world. The 2003 dataset is a state-based system of health surveys collecting information on health risk behaviors, preventive practices, and healthcare access, established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. States use this cross-sectional data to identify emerging health problems, track objectives, and evaluate public health policies.

Use Cases

• Modeling chronic disease risk factors based on reported health behaviors.
• Analyzing disparities in healthcare access based on state-level demographic data.
• Tracking trends in preventive health practices over time for policy evaluation.

Strengths

• Annual sample size exceeds 350,000 adult interviews.
• Data collection covers all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and multiple territories.
• Standardized monthly telephone surveillance methodology provides consistency.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count for the specific 2003 release is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and response bias inherent to telephone survey methodology.

Provenance

Source

United States Department Of Health And Human Services. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention

Collection Method

Cross-sectional telephone survey conducted by state health departments using a standardized questionnaire.

Time Range

2003

Geography

All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and Guam.