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Current Trends Behavioral Risk-Factor Prevalence Surveys --
United States, Third Quarter 1982
During the third quarter of 1982, seven states (Arizona, Iowa,
Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas)
conducted
prevalence surveys of major behavioral risk factors among their
adult
populations (Table 2). These surveys were conducted by
random-digit-dialing telephone methods and used a standard
questionnaire. The data have been adjusted for the age, race, and
sex
of each state's population and for the respondent's probability of
selection from the household. The data presented are consistent
with
results from similar state-based behavioral risk-factor surveys
populations (Table 2). These surveys were conducted by
random-digit-dialing telephone methods and used a standard
questionnaire. The data have been adjusted for the age, race, and
sex
of each state's population and for the respondent's probability of
selection from the household. The data presented are consistent
with
results from similar state-based behavioral risk-factor surveys
conducted during the first and second quarters of 1982 (1,2).
As the number of states reporting this information in a
comparable
fashion increases, some apparent regional distinctions are
emerging.
From the data presented here and previously (1,2), the following
regional distinctions appear: (1) uncontrolled hypertension is
more
prevalent in the Southeastern states surveyed; (2) alcohol misuse,
in
all its forms reported here, is at consistently lower levels in the
Southeastern states, with the exception of Florida; and (3) obesity
is
more prevalent in the Eastern states than in the Western states
surveyed, even after age adjustment. Other risk factors, such as
smoking, seatbelt use, and sedentary lifestyle, do not have such
clear
geographic distinctions.
The new state data are consistent with some of the demographic
distinctions reported earlier. Some of these distinctions are:
(1)
alcohol misuse, in all its forms reported here, is more prevalent
among men than among women; (2) risk of hypertension increases with
age; (3) more men than women smoke cigarettes; and (4) obesity
prevalence increases up to middle age and declines thereafter.
Various potential confounding factors, such as seasonality and
the
use of different interviewers, impose some constraints when
comparing
one state to another. However, the differences in survey results
between states are often large enough to conclude that these
differences can be used to identify priorities for public health
programs and that state-specific information is needed to monitor
the
prevalence of these health indices over time.
Reported by CP Liberato, Office of Health Education, Arizona Dept
of
Health Svcs; DJ Fries, Chronic Disease Section, Iowa State Dept of
Health; RE Holmes, MD, Div of Health Education, Michigan Dept of
Public Health; CE Sirc, Vital Records and Health Statistics, New
Hampshire Div of Public Health Svcs; LW Pendley, Health Svcs Div,
New
Mexico Health and Environment Dept; JF Fortune, Health Promotion
Section, Tennessee Dept of Health and Environment; HP Patterson,
Planning Bureau, Texas Dept of Health; Div of Nutrition, Center for
Health Promotion and Education, CDC.
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