State-specific cholesterol screening trends--United States, 1991-1999

High blood cholesterol (HBC) increases the risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. To reduce the prevalence of HBC in the United States, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute initiated the National Cholesterol Education Program in 1985 and recommended that all adults aged > or =20 years have their cholesterol levels checked at least once every 5 years. One of the national health objectives for 2000 was to increase to 75% the proportion of adults aged > or =20 years screened for HBC during the preceding 5 years (objective 15.14). This objective was revised for 2010 to recommend that 80% of adults in this age group be screened during the preceding 5 years. To monitor progress during the 1990s and to determine whether the 2000 objective was attained, data from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to examine the state-specific trends in cholesterol screening from 1991 through 1999. This report summarizes the results of this analysis and provides a projected estimate of the 2010 screening rates for HBC in each state. The findings indicate that few states attained the 2000 objective and that more emphasis on cholesterol screening will be needed to attain the 2010 objective.