Data Guides: Demographics

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 demographics.
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Age

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) respondents were asked, "What is your age?" Respondents reported their age in years. Responses were grouped into three categories:

  • 18–44 years
  • 45–64 years
  • 65+ years

Age data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Sex

BRFSS respondents were categorized as Male or Female.

Sex data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Race/ethnicity

BRFSS respondents were asked, "Are you Hispanic or Latino?" and "Which one or more of the following would you say is your race?" Responses were grouped into seven categories*†:

  • White
  • Black (or African American)
  • Hispanic (or Latino)
  • Asian
  • Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NHPI)
  • American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN)
  • Other/Multirace

*For these analyses, all respondents identified as White, Black (or African American), Asian, NHPI, AIAN, or Other/Multirace were Non-Hispanic. Respondents identified as Hispanic might be of any race.

†For health topic indicators analyzed by disability status and race/ethnicity, responses were grouped into four categories: White, Black (or African American), Hispanic (or Latino), and Other/Multirace. Other/Multirace includes any respondent not identified as White, Black, or Hispanic.

Race/ethnicity data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Veteran status

BRFSS respondents were asked, "Have you ever served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces, either in the regular military or in a National Guard or military reserve unit? Active duty does not include training for the Reserves or National Guard, but DOES include activation, for example, for the Persian Gulf War." Responses were grouped into two categories: Yes and No.

Veteran status data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Income level

BRFSS respondents were asked about their annual household income: "Is your annual household income from all sources—" Responses were grouped into five categories:

  • <$15,000
  • $15,000 to <$25,000
  • $25,000 to <$35,000
  • $35,000 to <$50,000
  • $50,000+

Income level data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Education level

BRFSS respondents were asked about their education level: "What is the highest grade or year of school you completed?" Responses were grouped into three categories:

  • Some High School or Less
  • High School Graduate*
  • College Graduate

*High School Graduate includes respondents with some college education.

Education level data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Marital status

BRFSS respondents were asked about their marital status: "Are you—married, divorced, widowed, separated, never married or a member of an unmarried couple?" Responses were grouped into four categories:

  • Married/Unmarried Couple
  • Divorced/Separated
  • Widowed
  • Never Married

Marital status data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Employment status

BRFSS respondents were asked about their current employment status: "Are you currently—employed for wages, self-employed, out of work for 1 year or more, out of work for less than 1 year, a homemaker, a student, retired or unable to work?" Responses were grouped into four categories:

  • Employed
  • Out of Work
  • Unable to Work
  • Other*

*Other consists of homemakers, students, and retirees.

Employment status data available: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Urban and rural classification

Based on state and county Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes, which include county and county equivalents (for example, independent cities, parishes, boroughs), in the United States. BRFSS uses data of state and county FIPS codes. Each U.S. county or county equivalent was assigned to one of the six following categories based upon 2013 NCHS Urban–Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, from most urban to most rural:

  1. Large central metropolitan
  2. Large fringe metropolitan
  3. Medium metropolitan
  4. Small metropolitan
  5. Micropolitan
  6. Noncore

The response was categorized into one of the six groups.

Urban and rural classification data available: 2022

Definition based on:

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