Introduction

This research paper aims at developing a standard operating procedure for use by the staff that describes how BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool can be used to conduct a public health needs assessment of the state of North Carolina where there is a high rate of tobacco smoking.

Description of the Public Health Tool-Being Used

All the 50 states in the United States of America have a state-based surveillance system known as Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) which is illustrated by the below image (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).

Figure 1: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

Source: (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014).

In collaboration, the state of North Carolina among other states in the country works closely with thewith the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the effort of collecting data that can be used in conducting a community-based needs assessment(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The most commonly used tool in undertaking this exercise is the BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool which entails the use of both cellular and landline telephones to collect information that is related to health care access, clinical preventive health practices and health risk behaviors of the target group in the community.

In North Carolina, this tool is used when there is a need for collecting data that is related to tobacco use in the effort of determining the status of tobacco smokers in this state. It is also used when the local government of North Carolina wants to assess a particular health need of a specific group of people in the country (Brice et al., 2018). The collected data using this tool is then analyzed thus facilitating timely actions to be undertaken towards solving a particular health issue that is facing the public (Brice et al., 2018). The BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool is now being considered as the best solution towards challenges faced during community needs assessment as it allows productive solutions to be made from research and expert recommendations as it will enable stakeholders in the healthcare sector to compare public health data available within the state and nationally(Schneider et al., 2012). With more than 440,000 interviews being conducted in 2015, BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool has become the most significant ongoing telephone-based health surveillance tool both within the United States and across the world.

Things that Employees Need to know about This Tool

Moreover, it is essential for the staff to understand that users of this tool need to have deep analytical skills to use it while collecting and analyzing data effectively. Another strength of this tool is that it allows comparisons of health data between state-to-state and state-to-nation (Schneider et al., 2012). Employees to also understand that the best way to collect health-related data is through the use of BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool since it enables, states, communities, CDC and federal agencies with reliable and high quality information that can be used to for conducting public health needs assessment (Schneider, et al., 2012). Additionally, users of this tool such as BRFSS coordinators have to undergo comprehensive training that is provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC)(Schneider et al., 2012).

Step by Step Instructions for Using this Tool

There are several steps that an individual using the BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool to collect has to follow to obtain the desired level of data. While collecting data regarding tobacco use in North Carolina, the researcher has to follow these steps. Firstly, the researcher has to explore the location that has been chosen for the study. This is done by selecting North Carolina as the study location to create the scope of the research since there are many states which an individual can choose to explore(Doescher, Jackson, Jerant & Gary Hart, 2006). Secondly, the researcher has to select the class from which data collection will focus on by clicking the class option where he or she, in this case, will choose ‘Tobacco Use’ as the main indicator that is being addressed in this research(Tsai et al., 2010). The third step is choosing the topic that the research will focus on throughout while using this tool. In this study, the researcher will click on the “topic’ option from where he or she will choose the ‘Smoker Status’ (Tsai et al., 2010). Fourthly, the researcher then chooses the year which data collection will focus on during data collection and analysis. The BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool makes it possible for the researcher to collect health-related data from various past years. Fifthly, the researcher is then supposed to click the ‘Go’ option from where the researcher is free to customize the data being collected to suit the various intended goals and objectives (Tsai et al., 2010). That data being obtained is in the form of bar graphs which show the percentage of individuals involved in smoking at different periods. The last step consists of decoding the data. The below screenshot illustrates the findings of the level of smoking status in North Carolina following data collection using the BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool(Brice et al., 2018).

Source: (Brice et al., 2018).

Ten Indicators for Measuring Public Health

The BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool has various indicators that are very helpful during the measurement of public health. One of the most critical indicators that are present in this tool is the alcohol consumption which is used in determining the rate of the level of alcohol consumption within a given state during a particular year (Tsai et al., 2010). Secondly, the demographics as an indicator helps in illustrating statistical data about a specific population within a state and the different groups that exist in that population such as males and females (Tsai et al., 2010). The third indicator is the colorectal cancer screening which helps in providing statistical data that elaborates the rates of individuals diagnosed with cancer of the rectum or colon in a particular state within a given period (Tsai et al., 2010). Fourthly, the cholesterol awareness indicator is used in determining the level of awareness of the residents of a given state about the actual effects and prevalence of cholesterol and its key sources (Tsai et al., 2010).

The fifth indicator is the health care access or coverage which helps in providing statistical data that allows the researcher to determine the number of people within a given state that can access quality health care. This indicator also helps in elaborating the role of government of a given state in ensuring comprehensive healthcare coverage by statistically indicating those areas it has managed to cover (Tsai et al., 2010). Sixthly, BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data tool has chronic health indicator that helps in examining the level of prevalence and severity of chronic illnesses within a given state at a given period (Tsai et al., 2010). Seventhly, this tool also has overweight and obesity (BMI) which is a type of indicator that provides statistical data that shows the percentage number of individuals who have been diagnosed with obesity and overweight and determining their level of BMI (Tsai et al., 2010).

The eighth indicator is prostate cancer which helps the researcher obtain statistical data about the prevalence of prostate cancer within a given population for a given period in the chosen state (Tsai et al., 2010). The ninth indicator is a physical activity which helps in providing information regarding the engagement level of a specific group of population in physical activity as one of the strategies of maintaining high health standards. The last indicator for analysis is the women’s health which helps the researcher obtain statistical data about the health status of females in a given state and within a specified period thus determining any case of health disparity (Tsai et al., 2010).

Importance of the Indicators in Completing Community Health Needs Assessment

Reliable and effective community health needs assessment (CHNA) I only achieved when the various indicators for measuring health are included(Laymon et al., 2015). The indicators of measuring public health assist the communities in meeting the vision, mission, and goals of their projects that are mostly aimed at addressing the issue of chronic disease control and prevention (Laymon et al., 2015). Moreover, these indicators assist the communities in effectively identifying the existing community health needs hence facilitating timely actions and strategies to be undertaken to meet these needs (Laymon et al., 2015).

 
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