The 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data are in!

From Hawaii Department of Health, April, 2015

The 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data (BRFSS) data are in! Big thanks to the nearly 8,000 Hawaii adult residents who participated in this important survey in 2013! Because of you, we can continue to monitor trends in topics from chronic disease to injuries in our state. BRFSS is an annual, confidential, phone survey. If you are chosen to participate, please do!

Here are some of the results from the 2013 BRFSS survey…

More than 1 in 4 adults in Hawaii have been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Men and women are equally likely to have this condition, but the rate is highest among Japanese (40%). Among people with high blood pressure, almost 80% take medication to help control it. Over half of the adult population (58%) is taking the preventive step of watching their sodium intake. The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1500 mg of sodium per day to decrease the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Only 2/3 of adults aged 50-75 years have had a colorectal cancer screening in the past 10 years. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends adults begin colorectal cancer screening at the age of 50 years, unless you have additional risk factors such as a family history of colon cancer. Over 200 hundred adults in Hawaii die of colon cancer each year. If the disease is caught early through screening, the chance of survival increases greatly. If you are 50 or older, talk to your doctor about colorectal cancer screening.

The prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults in Hawaii decreased by more than 20% from 2011 to 2013. In 2013, 13% of adults reported being current cigarette smokers. The rate remains elevated among Native Hawaiians (22%) and men (16%). The good news is more than 60% of smokers stopped for a day or more because they were trying to quit smoking. If you are a smoker and you’d like to quit, contact the Hawaii Quitline (808-784-8669) for free support and coaching.

For more of the latest results from BRFSS, go here and select your topic area of interest. And don’t forget to visit our sister site, Hawaii Health Matters, for additional information!

The 2013 Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) data are in!

Cigarette smoking among high school students continues to show a downward trend. In 2013, 6.7% of high schoolers and 3.6% of middle school students reported having smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days. However, use of e-cigarettes continues to grow at an alarming rate. Between 2011 and 2013, the percentage of youth who had tried e-cigarettes increased over 250% among high school students and over 315% among middle school youth! One in ten high school students report current use of e-cigarettes. With little knowledge available on the true effects of inhaling vaporized tobacco, the growth in e-cigarette use among youth is troubling.

On a better note, secondhand smoke exposure in vehicles and rooms continues to decline. In 2013, 17.7% of high school students and 12.7% of middle school students reported being exposed to cigarette smoke in a vehicle in the past week. Additionally, the proportion of students who report that smoking in their home is never allowed continues to grow.

This year, we’ve added reports on hookah usage, past year initiation of tobacco use, and perceptions of the social standing of smokers.

For additional information: Questionnaire, documentation and latest data.

Summary report, "Data Highlights from 2013 Hawaii Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS) and Comparisons with Prior Years"