U.S. Adult Depression Prevalence from BRFSS Surveys, 2006 and 2008
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Description
The United States Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey data from 2006 and 2008 provides state-level estimates of current depression among adults. The analysis included 235,067 adults across 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, finding 9.0% met criteria for current depression. The data was analyzed by the CDC to track prevalence and inform public health goals.
Use Cases
Modeling depression prevalence based on geographic location and state-level estimates mentioned in the description
Analyzing associations between depression and chronic health conditions like obesity and diabetes described in the report
Tracking trends in mental health outcomes based on survey data from two distinct years (2006, 2008)
Evaluating public health program effectiveness for depression prevention and control as suggested by the analysis purpose
Strengths
Includes data from 235,067 adult survey respondents, providing a substantial sample size
Covers 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, offering broad geographic coverage
Provides specific prevalence rates, including 9.0% for current depression and 3.4% for major depression
Reports state-level age-standardized estimates ranging from 4.8% to 14.8%, enabling regional analysis
Limitations
Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment for specific modeling tasks
Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified
Provenance
Source
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
Collection Method
Survey data analysis by the CDC
Time Range
2006, 2008
Geography
United States (45 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands)