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3.HealthBehaviors andChronicDiseases among
AgingArizonans
3.1 Introduction
Estimating the population prevalence of health risk factors and common chronic diseases is a
crucial step in the planningof targeted and effective healthcare policy. The use of survey
methodologyprovides an accurate and cost-effectivemeans of estimating the population
prevalence of health indicatorswithout the burden of interviewing every state resident. The
Behavioral RiskFactor SurveillanceSystem (BRFSS) is a survey conducted inArizona and
across theUnitedStates to provide population-level estimates of important health indictors. To
better understand the health behaviors ofArizona?s agingpopulation, the 2012ArizonaBRFSS
surveywas used to estimate the percentage ofArizona adults age 65 and olderwith health-
related behaviors known to either harm or protect health, including exercise and obesity, routine
checkups, smoking, and heavydrinking. The percentage ofArizonans livingwith common
morbidities and chronic disease includingpoormental or physical health,mobility limitations,
cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, cancers, and pulmonarydiseaseswas also
estimated and compared to national estimates.
3.2Methodology
TheBRFSS, a telephone survey that uses random-digit dialingof both landlines and cellphones,
is conducted in all 50U.S. states aswell as theDistrict ofColumbia and 3U.S. territories
). TheCenters forDiseaseControl (CDC)
partnerswithU.S. states and territories to conduct theBRFSS survey. The survey is designed to
measure the prevalence of behavioral risk factors of adults age 18 and older at the household
level and to provide estimates ofmorbidityprevalence that are both nationally and locally
representative of non-institutionalized adult populations. Sampling at the household levelmeans
older adults living in retirement facilities or nursinghomes are not included in theBRFSS
population.More detailed information on the surveydesign and execution can be found at the
following address:
To examine health behaviors and chronic diseases amongArizona?s non-institutionalized older
adults, data collected in the 2012BRFSSwas restricted to adults age 65 and older. Demographic
and socioeconomic characteristics ofArizona?s older adult population are reported initially.
Arizona?s older adult residentswere compared to the national population of adults age 65 and
older on a number of health behaviors includingphysical activityor exercisewithin the past
month, being either overweight or obese (having a bodymass index (BMI) of 25 or greater),
having routine health checkups, dental checkups, and receiving a flu shot in the past year. For
males, having received a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test in the past year, and for females,
having received a breast exam in the past year, also are examined. Additionalmeasures included
being a current smoker and engaging in heavydrinking (>2 drinks a day formales and>1 drink
a day for females). Indicators of broad health status included poormental or physical health for
all of the past 30 days, activity limitations, and use of special equipment. Common chronic
