Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS)
The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department regularly conducts an online health survey called the Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (BRFS) to understand the health needs of our county residents. The BRFS asks questions on health, health risk behaviors, preventive practices, and demographic information from adults ages 18 and older. The data are used to assess the health status of our county residents and provide insight into our health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services.
The results of our most recent survey, conducted in Spring 2019, are not yet available.
Every three to four years the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department conducts this Health Survey to understand the overall health of our residents and community. The survey is based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance survey. The BRFS is a survey that gathers information about health, health risk behaviors, preventive practices, and demographic information from adults ages 18 and older in the United States.
Your address was randomly selected from all possible addresses in Santa Clara County. Your participation is important because you represent others in your area similar to yourself. The survey’s success is dependent on the sample size, which is why it’s important for those selected to take the survey.
Randomly selected county residents will be invited to participate, and will be notified by a letter in the mail during the month of February 2019. The letter will contain a URL to the online survey. Only those who receive a letter invitation can participate.
The survey is taken online and requires an internet connection.
Adults 18 years and older who live in Santa Clara County.
Your participation is important for three reasons. One, your answers will help the Public Health Department develop programs and resources that help your neighbors, family, friends, and coworkers live healthier lives. Two, your participation helps ensure we reach our goal sample size. We need a good sample size for the results to be helpful. Three, your answers will help the Public Health Department make informed decisions about policies, funding to our partners and nonprofits, and distribution of other resources throughout the county.
No. Participation is completely voluntary. However, participation by those randomly selected for the survey is very important to accurately represent all adults in Santa Clara County.
Yes. The survey is available online in Chinese, English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Yes. The online survey is accessible to those with auditory and sight disabilities with use of a screen reader. If you need further assistance, please contact the Public Health Department by phone 408-792-5040.
No. There is no personally identifiable information associated with the respondent’s answers. A fundamental principle of the health survey is protecting the respondent’s privacy. Answers to the questions are aggregated, which means that responses to any particular question are grouped together for reporting purposes. Individual responses are never reported.
The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
Yes. A postcard was mailed in November inviting selected individuals to participate in the Health Survey. Due to a small response, we are mailing a letter invitation in February 2019 to persuade more people to respond. If you received a postcard and completed a survey, there is no need to complete the survey again. You will receive a follow-up link by email for additional surveys if you indicated interest.
Data is organized by neighborhood and city, and is made accessible to the public. Personally identifiable information associated with the respondent’s answers are kept private and anonymous. The data provides insight into our health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. Information gathered through the BRFS is used to identify emerging health problems; identify demographic differences and trends in health-related behaviors; establish and track health objectives; develop, implement and evaluate a broad array of disease prevention activities; and support health-related legislative and policy efforts.
The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department has contracted with California State University, Sacramento’s Institute for Social Research, which specializes in survey research. It has conducted the BRFS statewide for California and has extensive experience designing and implementing survey-based studies. Visit their website for more information.
Yes. On behalf of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, our partner California State University, Sacramento’s Institute for Social Research will send a follow-up link via email to people who participated in the health survey and indicated that they would like to be contacted to participate in future surveys. The email will invite the participant to take a brief online health survey on additional topics. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department is sponsoring this survey, and encourages those contacted to participate. We thank you for your time.
If you have more questions about the survey, please contact County of Santa Clara Public Health Department by phone at 408-792-5040.