BRFSS SAMPLE AND WEIGHTING INFORMATION

What is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)?

The BRFSS is a state-based system of health surveys that generate information about health risk behaviors, clinical preventive practices, and health care access and use primarily related to chronic diseases and injury. It has been conducted since 1984.

A special Steps BRFSS survey based on a larger sample of persons that is usually drawn from a single county is conducted in each year of the Steps program by a professional survey organization. The contractor conducts the survey by placing monthly telephone calls to households in the scientifically drawn random sample. A standardized questionnaire is used to collect data, which are collated on a quarterly and annual basis.

In 2004-2005, 1620 persons were surveyed in Chautauqua County.

Weighting BRFSS data

Through the process of weighting, sample data are adjusted so that they represent the actual proportions of selected characteristics in the population the sample is drawn. In the Steps BRFSS sample, these characteristics are sex and age (six age groupings).

The weighting factor can then be used to set the number in the sample equal to the number in the population. The tables available in this website are based on sample numbers (1620) that are weighted to represent the total 18 and over population of Chautauqua County (106,623).

Detailed explanations of these and other technical procedures are available on the BRFSS Website. Please see Technical Documentation for further details.

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Steps to a HealthierNY
Chautauqua County
SUNY Fredonia | Fredonia, NY 14063
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