Important Facts for Self-Reported Cholesterol Screening
Definition
Proportion of adults aged 18 and older who have had their blood cholesterol checked by a health professional within the past five years.Numerator
Number of persons aged 18 and over interviewed for this survey who reported that they have had their blood cholesterol level checked in the past five yearsDenominator
Total number of persons aged 18 and older interviewed during the same survey periodData Interpretation Issues
Data from the New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey are intended to represent non-institutionalized adults in households with telephones. Data are collected using a random sample of all possible telephone numbers. Prior to analysis, data are weighted to represent the population distribution of adults by age, sex, and "race"/ethnicity. As with all surveys, however, some residual bias may result from nonresponse (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or to answer specific questions) and measurement error (e.g., social desirability or recall). Attempts are made to minimize such error by use of a strict calling protocol (up to 15 calls are made to reach each household), good questionnaire design, standardization of interviewer behavior, interviewer training, and frequent, on-site interviewer monitoring and supervision. Starting in 2011, BRFSS protocol requires that the NJBRFS incorporate a fixed quota of interviews from cell phone respondents along with a new weighting methodology called iterative proportional fitting or "raking". The new weighting methodology incorporates additional demographic information (such as education, race, and marital status) in the weighting process. These methodological changes were implemented to account for the underrepresentation of certain demographic groups in the land line sample (which resulted in part from the increasing number of U.S. households without land line phones). Comparisons between 2011 and prior years should therefore be made with caution. (More details about these changes can be found at [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6122a3.htm].)Why Is This Important?
Cholesterol testing is considered a necessary preventive health care measure. High blood cholesterol has been linked to hardening of the arteries, heart disease, as well an increased risk of death from heart attacks.Healthy People Objective: Increase the proportion of adults who have had their blood cholesterol checked within the preceding 5 years
U.S. Target: 82.1 percent (age-adjusted)State Target: 86.7 percent (age-adjusted)