State-specific changes in cholesterol screening--behavioral risk factor surveillance system, 1988-1991

High blood cholesterol (HBC) is an important risk factor for coronary heart disease (1)--the leading cause of death in the United States. To reduce the prevalence of elevated cholesterol levels in the United States, in 1985 the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute initiated the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). The NCEP recommends that all adults aged > or = 20 years be screened for HBC at least once every 5 years. One of the national health objectives for the year 2000 is to increase to 75% the percentage of adults screened for HBC within the preceding 5 years (objective 15.14). To measure progress toward this objective, data from CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to examine state-specific trends in cholesterol screening from 1988 through 1991. This report summarizes the results of this analysis and provides a projected estimate of the 1994 screening rates for HBC in each state.