What to know
Cancer screening and risk factor data are based on information obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. HPV immunization data are collected through the National Immunization Survey-Teen.
Data on screening and risk factors
Data on cancer screening and risk factors are based on information obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The BRFSS is a system of ongoing state-based health-related telephone surveys that collect data on health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services.
The BRFSS surveys adults in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S. territories. The BRFSS completes more than 400,000 interviews each year.
The BRFSS field operations are managed by state health departments that follow protocols adopted by the states, with technical assistance from CDC. The data are transmitted to CDC for editing, processing, weighting, and analysis. CDC provides an edited and weighted data file to each participating health department for each year of data collection. CDC also prepares summary reports of geographic area-specific data.
Data on HPV vaccinations
Data on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations are collected through the National Immunization Survey-Teen (NIS-Teen). The NIS-Teen is a random-digit-dialed survey of parents or guardians of teens who are 13 to 17 years old. The telephone survey is followed by a questionnaire mailed to vaccination providers to obtain the teen's vaccination history.
The national sample contains more than 20,000 teens with adequate vaccination coverage data reported by their health care providers (adequate provider data). Vaccination coverage estimates are based on provider-reported vaccination histories.