Healthy New Jersey

Center for Health Statistics and Informatics

Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (NJBRFS)

njbrfs logoThe New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (NJBRFS) is an ongoing, anonymous health survey of New Jersey residents. It is partially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as a component of the national Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).  CDC has engaged all states and several territories to conduct the survey among its residents.

The primary purpose of CDC's BRFSS is to monitor major behavioral risk factors and chronic conditions associated with disability and death among adults.  Behavioral risk factors are habits that can affect a person's health positively or negatively.  Chronic disease, by CDC's definition, refers to conditions that last one year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.

The results from BRFSS are used to monitor selected public health objectives related to disease prevention and healthy behaviors, as outlined in the federal Healthy People initiative. NJBRFS is used similarly to track progress towards Healthy New Jersey objectives.  The New Jersey State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD) system houses data from the NJBRFS and posts profiles on assorted health-related conditions based on NJBRFS data, such as diabetes management, cholesterol screening, hypertension prevalence, health-related behaviors, etc.

NJBRFS has grown significantly since it was launched in 1991. Through 1995, the survey included about 1,500 residents a year. The sample size has continued to grow and is currently administered to a minimum of 7,500 randomly selected respondents on an annual basis.


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