The St. Clair County Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS) begins today, July 12th, and St. Clair County residents may be randomly selected to participate in the survey. The health department is asking residents who are contacted by Wilkins Research to answer the phone call and take the survey.
At least 1,200 residents will be randomly selected and contacted by Wilkins Research, and the call will come from a 423 area code number from Tennessee. Participation in the survey is voluntary, anonymous, and confidential.
Responses to the survey will be included in a report that provides an overview of the community’s opinion of health-related needs and concerns.
The feedback provided will help:
- assess community members’ health risks
- monitor health trends
- respond to emerging public health issues
- provide data for planning and development
- enable community organizations to secure grant funding
- determine where funds can best be allocated
- work to improve treatment
The survey includes health-related questions about exercise, tobacco use, doctor visits, health insurance and other topics. Additional questions were added to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected people’s behaviors and in what ways it may have impacted their health.
“Information from this survey reveals how healthy St. Clair County is in many specific areas compared to Michigan and the United States,” said Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer with the St. Clair County Health Department. “The results will help hospitals and other organizations target their efforts to where the need is greatest. We’re asking residents who receive a call to please contribute their time to this valuable project.”
The St. Clair County BRFS is one of the primary data sources that contributes to the St. Clair County Community Needs Assessment (CHNA). Previous assessments also guided strategies developed in the St. Clair County Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP).
To find more information about St. Clair County community assessments and planning visit http://www.stclaircounty.org/Offices/health/CHAP.aspx
For more information call (810) 987-5300. To learn more about Health Department services visit www.scchealth.co and follow us on social media @scchdmi.
Submitted by the St. Clair County Health Department
