Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2020 - The Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (MA BRFSS) is the cornerstone for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s (MDPH) surveillance system to monitor health status and risk behaviors of Massachusetts adults. The MA BRFSS is an important source of public health information for the overall state as well as for geographic areas within such as towns/cities, counties, and regions. Over the past 5 years, MDPH has greatly improved and expanded the infrastructure for storing, analyzing, and linking public health surveillance data collected across the Department. These improvements have focused on: 1) making the data more accessible to partners, stakeholders, and the general public; 2) making MDPH data more accessible to public health researchers external to the department; and 3) integrating or linking data collected in MDPH surveillance programs to present a more complete picture of any one individual. In addition to these Department-wide data infrastructure developments, the Health Survey Program (HSP), the MDPH program that administers the BRFSS, has improved the BRFSS by gradually increasing the proportion of interviews conducted by cell phone to 67%, compared to landline, and will continue to increase the proportion of cell phone interviews as allowed. HSP also continues to collaborate across MDPH to ensure that the data collected with the BRFSS meets the needs of our public health programs. In addition to working to more fully integrate BRFSS with the data infrastructure improvements detailed above, over the next 3 years, HSP will: 1) Develop an annual survey instrument and sampling methodology that addresses state public health priorities. 2) Ensure that all BRFSS data collected is the highest possible quality, collected in compliance with all CDC protocols, and submitted to CDC in a timely manner. 3) Disseminate relevant, timely data findings to MDPH programs, policy makers, and community members for use in public policy and program development. 4) Collect high quality BRFSS data and disseminate data findings on disparities for MA sub-populations. 5) Disseminate data findings for relevant sub-state geographies. 6) Increase our capacity for small area estimates for cities and town in Massachusetts and expand our stakeholder base. 7) Conduct the asthma call-back survey, increasing the number and representativeness of respondents MDPH is accredited by the national Public Health Accreditation Board. This accreditation, achieved in 2017, ensures MDPH meets national standards for quality. MDPH HSP has 34 years experience administering the BRFSS and disseminating the resulting data. Data collected by the BRFSS is central to MDPH program planning, needs assessment and evaluation. HSP will continue to ensure that the BRFSS data is high quality, relevant, and accessible.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).