Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a telephone survey that tracks health risks in the United States. BRFSS was established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 1984. For more information about BRFSS, visit CDC's BRFSS website.

To determine whether the BRFSS may be excluding populations in need, we initially used data in the public domain to compare BRFSS 1993-2002 survey areas with minority and ethnic populations, rural populations, areas of poverty and physician shortage areas. While the BRFSS sampling approach is efficient from a public health perspective, our analysis shows that surveys may be targeted more effectively by assuring inclusion of populations most in need. The analysis also shows some states are surveying these target populations more effectively than others.