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Unique questions added to your state/jurisdictional BRFSS survey that are related to cancer?

  • 1.  Unique questions added to your state/jurisdictional BRFSS survey that are related to cancer?

    Posted 09-04-2024 08:10 PM
    Do you have any unique questions added to your state/jurisdictional BRFSS survey that are related to cancer? For example, does anyone have a question or questions that have to do with alcohol and its connection to cancer? I'm aware of the cancer-related modules that the CDC has already created (which are all related to survivorship and are called course of treatment, pain management, and type of cancer), but I'm curious about unique questions you may have added, especially that have to do with tobacco, lung cancer screening (not including the core questions that are already included about lung cancer screening), alcohol and its connection to cancer, and/or related to cancer survivorship issues (not including the CDC modules). Thank you!


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    Katie Jones, MPH
    Comprehensive Cancer Control Manager
    Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
    katie.jones@hhs.iowa.gov
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  • 2.  RE: Unique questions added to your state/jurisdictional BRFSS survey that are related to cancer?

    Posted 09-16-2024 10:07 AM
    Edited by Katie Jones 09-16-2024 10:10 AM

    In case anyone else was interested in my question, I thought I'd follow up - I ended up finding the following questions, related to alcohol and radon:

    I pulled this first question from the HINTS survey, based on this article which found that many people are unaware of alcohol's connection to cancer and think that it depends on the type of alcohol. The HINTS survey also has a question in there about interest in potential restrictions to alcohol (it starts with "To reduce the problems associated with excessive alcohol use, to what extent would you support or oppose..." on page 13).
    1. In your opinion, how much does drinking the following types of alcohol affect the risk of getting cancer?
      a. Beer: Decreases risk a lot, decreases risk a little, no effect, increases risk a little, increases risk a lot, don't know
      b. Wine: Decreases risk a lot, decreases risk a little, no effect, increases risk a little, increases risk a lot, don't know
      c. Liquor: Decreases risk a lot, decreases risk a little, no effect, increases risk a little, increases risk a lot, don't know

    Our state BRFSS office said that question above would technically count as three questions since there's three responses. Since we didn't have enough funding to have it be three questions, I reworked it to be one question (without distinguishing type of alcohol):

    Alcohol question 1
    In your opinion, how much does drinking alcohol (any kind of alcohol) affect the risk of getting cancer?

    Read if necessary:
    1 Decreases Risk a Lot
    2 Decreases Risk a Little
    3 No Effect
    4 Increases Risk a Little
    5 Increases Risk a Lot
    Do not read:
    7 Don't Know/Not Sure
    9 Refused

    We also added this question:

    Alcohol question 2
    If you knew that drinking alcohol of any kind increases your risk of developing cancer, would you try to drink less alcohol?
    Read if necessary:
    1 Yes, I would try to drink a lot less alcohol
    2 Yes, I would try to drink a little less alcohol
    3 No, I would not try to drink less alcohol
    4 No, I already do not drink alcohol
    Do not read:
    7 Don't Know/Not Sure
    9 Refused



    For radon, my colleague found great questions from Maine's BRFSS. This is basically what Maine had:
    Radon question 1

    Has your household air been tested for the presence of radon gas?

    Read if necessary: 

    1          Yes 

    2          No [GO TO NEXT MODULE]

    Do not read: 

    7          Don't Know/Not Sure  [GO TO NEXT MODULE]

    9          Refused [GO TO NEXT MODULE]

     

    Radon question 2

    Were the radon levels in your household above the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended action level of 4 Pci/L (picocuries per liter)?

    Read if necessary: 

    1          Yes 

    2          No [GO TO NEXT MODULE]

    Do not read: 

    7          Don't Know/Not Sure  [GO TO NEXT MODULE]

    9          Refused [GO TO NEXT MODULE]

     

    Radon question 3

    Have the radon levels been reduced or fixed?

    Read if necessary: 

    1          Yes 

    2          No

    Do not read: 

    7          Don't Know/Not Sure  

    9          Refused 



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    Katie Jones
    Comprehensive Cancer Control Manager
    Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
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