Data Guides: Chronic Conditions

About

  • Data from Disability & Health Data System (DHDS) come from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
  • The BRFSS is a telephone interview with questions on a variety of health risks and behaviors, chronic conditions, and demographics.
  • Below are the specific questions and response categories about chronic health conditions.
DHDS logo

Ever had arthritis

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) respondents were asked, "Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional ever told you that you have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

Ever had arthritis data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Defined based on;

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State prevalence of self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation―United States, 2003. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55:477–80.

Ever had asthma

BRFSS respondents who reported ever having had asthma were asked, "Do you still have asthma?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

Analyses assigned respondents who reported they had never been told they had asthma to No.

Currently have asthma data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 202.

Defined based on:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Self-reported asthma prevalence and control among adults―United States, 2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2003;52:381–4.

Ever had cancer (excluding skin cancer)

BRFSS respondents were asked, "Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER told you that you had any other types of cancer?" This question followed a question that asked about skin cancer, and in 2022, melanoma was included in "other types of cancer". Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No. Respondents who had a type of cancer other than skin cancer were defined as Yes. Respondents who did not have a type of cancer other than skin cancer were defined as No.

Ever had cancer (excluding skin cancer) data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Ever had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

BRFSS respondents were asked, "Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER told you that you have COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), emphysema, or chronic bronchitis?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

Ever had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Defined based on:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults―United States, 2011. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012;61:938–43.

Ever had diabetes

BRFSS respondents were asked, "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No. Respondents who reported no diabetes, borderline diabetes, or prediabetes, and females who reported having had diabetes only during pregnancy were defined as No.

Ever had diabetes data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Defined based on:

  • Communication with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).

Ever had a stroke

BRFSS respondents were asked, "Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional EVER told you that you had a stroke?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

Ever had a stroke data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Related Indicators: Have Heart Disease

Defined based on:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of stroke―United States, 2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2007;56:469–74.

Ever had long COVID

BRFSS respondents were asked, "Has a doctor, nurse, or other health professional ever told you that you tested positive for COVID-19?" Those who responded "Yes" were asked, "Did you have any symptoms lasting 3 months or longer that you did not have prior to having coronavirus or COVID-19?" Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No. Respondents who reported having had a positive test for COVID-19 and having had any symptoms lasting 3 months or longer were defined as Yes. Respondents who never tested positive for COVID-19 or whose symptoms did not last 3 months or longer were defined as No.

Ever had long COVID data available: 2022.

Definition based on Ford ND, Agedew A, Dalton AF, Singleton J, Perrine CG, Saydah S. Notes from the Field: Long COVID Prevalence Among Adults—United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(6):135–136.

Print
Content Source:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD)