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The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire: its reliability in a statewide sample
A D Stein1, R I Lederman, S Shea
1Bureau of Health Statistics, Research and Evaluation, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston.
American Journal of Public Health
|December 1, 1993
Summary
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire shows good reliability for tracking health behaviors in diverse adult populations. This assessment confirms its utility for public health surveillance and research initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Survey Methodology
Background:
- The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a key tool for monitoring health-related risk behaviors in the United States.
- Assessing the reliability of the BRFSS questionnaire is crucial for ensuring the validity of surveillance data and research findings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the test-retest reliability of the BRFSS questionnaire in a diverse adult population in Massachusetts.
- To determine if reliability varies across demographic groups, specifically including Black and Hispanic adults.
Main Methods:
- A sample of Massachusetts adults (n=122) and a separate sample of Black and Hispanic adults (n=200) completed the BRFSS questionnaire twice via telephone.
- Interviews were separated by 21 to 44 days, with 210 reinterviews completed (65% response rate for the second administration).
- Reliability was assessed using kappa statistics for categorical variables and correlation coefficients for continuous variables.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences were found in the distribution of demographic or risk factor variables between the two administrations.
- Individual-level reliability for demographic characteristics was high (kappa > 0.80 for White respondents, > 0.60 for Black and Hispanic respondents).
- Reliability coefficients for most behavioral risk factors were above 0.70, though employment and income showed lower consistency, and variables with extreme distributions had lower reliability.
Conclusions:
- The BRFSS questionnaire demonstrates acceptable to good reliability for most demographic and behavioral risk factor variables.
- The findings support the continued use of the BRFSS questionnaire for public health surveillance and epidemiological research.
- While generally reliable, specific variables like employment and income may require careful consideration in data interpretation.