October 1, 2024

About the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Healthy Aging Data

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) collects state data about U.S. residents regarding their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services.
CDC's Healthy Aging Program developed two optional modules to measure data for Subjective Cognitive Decline and Caregiving.
CDC's Healthy Aging Portal is available to explore this data in more detail.

About the BRFSS Cognitive Decline and Caregiver Modules

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is the nation’s premier health-related telephone survey that collects state data about U.S. residents regarding their health risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services.

CDC's Healthy Aging Program, in collaboration with national experts, developed two optional BRFSS modules to measure state data in two main areas: Subjective Cognitive Decline and Caregiving. This data can provide information to make decisions about strategies and policies that might help those with cognitive decline and caregivers.

Cognitive Decline Module

The Cognitive Decline module is a 6-question BRFSS module to measure subjective cognitive decline and its associated effects.

CDC developed these survey questions because of the importance of cognitive impairment as a public health issue, following recommendations from national partners and in consultation with a national panel of experts.

Caregiver Module

Caregivers providing regular care or assistance to family or friends with a chronic illness or disability are a paramount public health concern and a critical element of long-term services and supports in the United States.

The Caregiver module was identified by the Healthy Brain Initiative's Public Health Road Map series as an essential tool for collecting public health data on caregivers of older adults.

Understanding and addressing caregivers and their needs can help maintain both caregivers' health and the health of those they care for.
These data can also help guide development of appropriate strategies and policies to assure the health and well-being of caregivers.
This promotes our nation's health and postpones costly alternatives such as placement into long-term care facilities.

Data for Older Adults’ Health Webinar

Watch this webinar to see an overview of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). This webinar focuses on descriptions of both the Cognitive Decline and Caregiver modules and provides examples of previous analyses and analytic tools.