Sunday, May 18, 2025
5/18/2025
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System - West Virginia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) FOA: CDC-RFA-DP-24-0023 Project Abstract West Virginia was one of the original states to implement Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (WV BRFSS) in 1984 and the Health Statistics Center (HSC) (an office within the West Virginia Department of Health) manages the operation. Nationally, West Virginia ranks poorly in both the prevalence and adverse impact of chronic diseases and their associated risk factors. Confounding issues, such as diminishing State resources and the rural nature of the state marginalized communities have underlined the necessity of collaboration among health promotion and disease prevention efforts. During the project period, West Virginia’s focus areas will include data collection, developing a surveillance plan, building community partnerships, and conducting outreach and education to underrepresented communities. These focus areas align with the agency’s state health assessment (SHA) and improvement planning process (SHIP), programmatic planning and reporting, and targeted health priority areas identified through the SHA/SHIP process or by internal and external stakeholders. These goals will be accomplished through ensuring the WV BRFSS program is fully staffed, trained and fiscally responsible to maintain the BRFSS surveillance, data collection and evaluating systems in accordance with CDC protocols. Additionally, the HSC Epidemiology Division staff will be trained in advanced analysis; assisting with a collaborative approach to SHA and the SHIP; collaborating with internal and external partners for conducting outreach and education to underrepresented communities; and increasing access to BRFSS statistics for program planning. All activities will be implemented through the Health Statistics Center of the WV Bureau for Public Health and will build opportunities for prevention and health promotion programs to achieve greater impact using BRFSS statistics. It is expected that increasing local, regional, and statewide partnerships and collaborations will lead to positive and measurable health improvements. Below are just a few recent WV BRFSS Program Success Stories that we plan to expand upon during the coming years. ● WV BRFSS statistics are used to develop SMART objectives and monitor progress for objectives in the WV Cancer Plan. ● WV BRFSS data was used to describe the burden of tobacco and alternative tobacco product use in the Annual Governor’s WV Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Task Force. Data was used to help WV policymakers evaluate and ultimately pass T21 legislation. ● WV BRFSS statistics were incorporated into the state health assessment and improvement planning process, including presented to the Prevention Workgroup, statewide listening sessions. ● WV BRFSS Reports are posted annually to the HSC website for public access and use. ● Fact Sheets for 2021 The Burden of Heart Disease in West Virginia and for Cancer in West Virginia.
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).