Health Datapalooza IV: June 3rd-4th, 2013 Datalab Moderator: Todd Park, Chief Technology Officer, United States Damon Davis, Health Data Initiative Program Director, Department of Health and Human Services Speakers: Susan Queen, Director, Division of Data Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation Steve Cohen, Director, Center for Financing, Access and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality Rick Moser, National Institutes of Health Victor Lazzaro, Performance & Data Analytics Manager, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT Niall Brennan, Director of the Office of Information Products and Data Analytics, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Miya Cain, Office of the Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services Edward Salsberg, Director, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis, Health Resources and Services Administration Robert Post, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Eugene Hayes, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Jim Craver, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) David Forrest, Senior Advisor, Health and Human Services Office of the Chief Technology Officer Tania Allard, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs & Special Projects, New York State Department of Health Steven Edwards, Environmental Protection Agency Steve Emrick, National Library of Medicine Carol A. Gotway Crawford, Director of Behavioral Surveillance, Centers for Disease Control This perennial favorite breakout session is back! This is the best opportunity to meet some of the federal government data experts who champion action in improving public access to information to catalyze innovation. Come learn how to use assets from the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and more. Each agency in the federal government is staffed by experts who are well versed in the information resources available from their division on data.gov (administrative data, survey data, research data, medical/scientific content, etc.) The Datalab will also feature opportunities for one-on-one meet-ups with data experts for “deep dives” into agency’s resources. Participants can join live demonstrations and check out new data resources and tools. The goal of the session is to give innovators and entrepreneurs an overview of new, updated, and emerging datasets that can be used to support new applications and services.

1. Carol A. Crawford, Ph.D.
Director, Division of Behavioral Surveillance
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
June 4, 2013
The Behavioral Risk Factor
Surveillance System
Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services
Division of Behavioral Surveillance

2. Overview
 Nation’s premier system of state-based health surveys
 Includes (adults 18 and older)
• risk behaviors
• healthcare access and utilization
• measures of health
• chronic health conditions and injuries
• preventable infectious diseases
 Best source of state- and county-level health data
 Currently operates in all 50 states, DC, and 6 territories
 500,000+ interviews completed in 2012

3. Uses of BRFSS Data
 Reporting: timely health
statistics for the public
 Monitoring: risk factors
related to chronic
disease and premature
death
 Informing: legislation
and health policies
 Evaluating: public
health interventions and
policies
 Providing: An empirical
basis for health
promotion programs
 Responding: to public
health emergencies

4. 1999
Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults
BRFSS, 1990, 1999, 2008
(*BMI 30, or about 30 lbs. overweight for 5’4” person)
2008
1990
No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%
Detecting Emerging Issues

5. SMART BRFSS
 Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trends
from the BRFSS
 BRFSS data for cities and counties, even those across
multiple states
 How? Increased sample size and county of
residence
 Metropolitan/Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MMSAs)
 Counties
 Over 200 MMSAs in 2012

6. BRFSS Analytical Tools
 Prevalence and Trends
 Interactive maps
 Web-enabled analysis tool (WEAT)
 Web-based Analysis and Visualization Environment
o Open Indicators Consortium
o Georges Grinstein, UMass-Lowell
 Widgets (in development)
 Coming soon:
 Enhancements using R and Google Visualization

7. ?
Questions
CCrawford1@cdc.gov
For more information please contact Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333
Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)/TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov Web: http://www.cdc.gov
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services
Division of Behavioral Surveillance