Geographic and Economic Patterns in Health Risks and Behaviors Highlights from the 2002 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Health

Geographic and Economic Patterns in Health Risks and Behaviors

Highlights from the 2002 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Health Survey Program Division of Research and Epidemiology

Center for Health Information, Statistics, Research, and Evaluation

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

April 2004

Source: 2002 Massachusetts BRFSS, Health Survey Program Center for Health Information, Statistics, Research, and Evaluation

Overview

o What is the BRFSS?

o Selected topics

- by income

- by geographic region

o Summary


What is the BRFSS?

o Random digit dial telephone survey

o Adults ages 18 and older

o Collaboration between CDC and States

o Massachusetts BRFSS since 1986

o Data are weighted: provide population-

based estimates of health

o Sample Size: 7,000 - 8,000 annually

BRFSS

TOBACCO

CANCER SCREENING

DRUG &ALCOHOL

ASTHMACHOLESTEROL

NUTRITION& EXERCISE

HEALTH CARE ACCESS

HYPERTENSION

DIABETES

50 OTHER TOPICS

WEIGHT


Topics to be Covered

o Health Insurance

Coverage

o Overweight or

Obesity

o Physical Activity

o Fruits & Vegetables

o Current Smoking

o Asthma

o Colorectal Cancer

Screening

o Breast Cancer

Screening

o Social Support in

Coping with

Terrorism


No Health Insurance

8%

4%4%

6%

12%

19%

0

5

10

15

20

25

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

Uni

nsur

ed (

%)


No Health Insurance


No Health Insurance

o Overall, 8% of respondents report having no health insurance

o Those with an income <$25,000 are least likely to be insured

o Residents of the Southeast, Boston, and Western regions report the highest rate of being uninsured

o The percentage of adults reporting no health insurance coverage decreases with increasing education

o Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians are least likely to have health insurance

Overweight Obese Height BMI 25.0-29.9 BMI > 30

5’ 128 lbs. 153 lbs.

5’2’’ 136 164

5’4’’ 145 174

5’6’’ 155 186

5’8’’ 164 197

6’ 184 221

Overweight or Obese by Height

Overweight Obese Height BMI 25.0-29.9 BMI > 30

5’ 128 lbs. 153 lbs.

5’2’’ 136 164

5’4’’5’4’’ 145145 174174

5’6’’ 155 186

5’8’’ 164 197

6’ 184 221

Overweight or Obese by Height


Overweight or Obese

54% 55% 58% 58% 55%55%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

Ove

rwei

ght/

Obe

se (

%)


Overweight or Obese


Overweight or Obese

o Overall, 55% of respondents are overweight or obese

o Rates of overweight or obesity do not show significant variation by income

o Residents of the Western, Central, and Northeast regions report the highest rate of overweight or obesity

o Men are more likely than women to be overweight or obese

o Asians are least likely to be overweight or obese, Blacks and Hispanics most likely


Regular Physical Activity

42%

51% 51% 50%58%

51%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

Reg

ular

Phy

sica

l Act

ivit

y (%

)





o 51% of respondents report regular physical activity in the past month

o Regular physical activity increases with income

o Residents of the Central and Northeast region report lowest rates of physical activity

o Males are more likely to report regular physical activity than females

o Hispanics and Asians are least likely to report regular physical activity


5+ Fruits and Vegetables per Day

26%28%

30%28%

34%30%

0

10

20

30

40

50

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

5+

Fru

its

& V

eget

able

s (%

)





o Overall, 30% of respondents report consuming 5+ servings of fruit and vegetables per day

o Fruit and vegetable consumption is lowest among those with lowest income

o Fruit and vegetable consumption is lowest in the Northeast region

o Women are more likely than men to report consuming 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables per day

o Fruit and vegetable consumption increases with increasing education and age


Current Smoking

19%

12%

19%22%

24%29%

0

10

20

30

40

50

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

Cur

rent

Sm

oker

(%

)


Current Smoking


Current Smoking

o Overall, 19% of respondents are current smokers

o Current smoking rates are highest in the Northeast, Southeast, Central, and Boston regions

o Current smoking rates are highest among the lowest levels of income

o Current smoking decreases with increasing age and education

o The percentage of adults who are current smokers has decreased over time


Current Asthma

10%9%9%8%10%

9% 9%

0

5

10

15

20

25

Overall Western Central North

East

Metro

West

South

East

Boston

asth

ma

(%)


Current Asthma

o Overall, 9% of Massachusetts adults report current asthma

o Asthma rates tend to be higher in the Western and Southeast regions

o Hispanics have the highest rates of current asthma


Colorectal Cancer Screening*

*Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, includes adults ages 50+

46%53%51%48%

38%36%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

Sig

moi

dos

copy

/Col

onos

copy

* (%

)


Colorectal Cancer Screening*

*Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, includes adults ages 50+


Colorectal Cancer Screening

o Overall, 46% of Massachusetts adults age 50+ report having had a screening in the past 5 years

o Those with an income below $25,000 have the lowest rate of screening

o Residents of the Northeast and Western region have the lowest screening rates

o Men are more likely than women to have had a screening in the past 5 years

o Hispanics are less likely than those in other race/ethnicity groups to have had a screening in the past 5 years


Breast Cancer Screening*

83% 86%85%81%77%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

Mam

mog

ram

(%

)

**

** insuffi cient numbers

*Mammogram in the past 2 years, includes women ages 40+


Breast Cancer Screening

*Mammogram in the past 2 years, includes women ages 40+


Breast Cancer Screening

o 83% of women ages 40+ report having had a mammogram in the past 2 years

o Mammography rates increase with incomeo Residents of the Central and Boston regions

report the lowest rate of mammographyo Mammography rates are similar among race-

ethnicity groupso Women with less education are less likely to

have had a mammogram in the past 2 years


Social Support in Coping with Terrorism

64%

74%70%61%60%

52%

0102030405060708090

100

Overall <$25,000 $25-

34,999

$35-

49,999

$50-

75,000

$75,000+

felt

sup

port

ed (

%)


Social Support in Coping Terrorism


Social Support in Coping with Terrorism

o Overall, 64% of respondents report sufficient support

o Females are more likely to report sufficient support

o Those with lower income are less likely to report sufficient support

o Residents of the Western, Central, and Northeast region are least likely to report sufficient support

o Blacks and Hispanics are least likely to report sufficient support


Summary

o Metro West performs well on most indicatorso There is variation throughout Western,

Southeast, and Boston regionso Northeast and Central regions tend to face

more challengeso Adults with lower household income report less

access to health care, higher rates of risk factors for chronic disease, and lower rates of cancer screenings


DPH uses these data to:

o Help inform state and local health departments and the general public about health risks and behaviors

o Target available resources to geographic areas at greater risk

o Assist and inform policy makers, programs, and health care providers about health related disparities


How to obtain these data?

For access to reports and data:

Visit the BRFSS website: http://www.state.ma.us/dph/bhsre/cdsp/brfss/brfss.htm MassCHIP: 2002 BRFSS data will be available late in 2004

For more information about BRFSS, please contact: Zi Zhang, Director of Health Survey Program Tel: (617) 988-3395 E-mail: [email protected]

Documents

Geographic and Economic Patterns in Health Risks and Behaviors Highlights from the 2002 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Health