title: A comparison of prevalence estimates for selected health indicators and chronic diseases or conditions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the National Health Interview Survey, and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2008.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the prevalence estimates of selected health indicators and chronic diseases or conditions among three national health surveys in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from adults aged 18 years or older who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in 2007 and 2008 (n=807,524), the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) in 2007 and 2008 (n=44,262), and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) during 2007 and 2008 (n=5871) were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence estimates of current smoking, obesity, hypertension, and no health insurance were similar across the three surveys, with absolute differences ranging from 0.7% to 3.9% (relative differences: 2.3% to 20.2%). The prevalence estimate of poor or fair health from BRFSS was similar to that from NHANES, but higher than that from NHIS. The prevalence estimates of diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke were similar across the three surveys, with absolute differences ranging from 0.0% to 0.8% (relative differences: 0.2% to 17.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the BRFSS continues to provide invaluable health information at state and local level, it is reassuring to observe consistency in the prevalence estimates of key health indicators of similar caliber between BRFSS and other national surveys.
authors.affiliation: Division of Behavioral Surveillance, Public Health Surveillance & Informatics Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. cli@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Chaoyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lina S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Balluz
authors.forename: Earl S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Okoro
authors.forename: Guixiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pierannunzi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology