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Show RISK FACTORS Certain indicators that may have adverse impacts upon health are considered valuable in assessing risks to health status. Some of these factors are lack of exercise, poor nutrition, smoking, and substance abuse, which are analyzed in this section. Also in this section are behaviors that can have an adverse effect on the health status of children. These include such factors as neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and inadequate prenatal care. The risk factors in this section have been divided into four subsections: (1) Behavioral Risk Factors • No Leisure-Time Physical Activity • Obesity • Safety Belt Non-Use (2) Alcohol, Tobacco, And Substance Abuse • Drinking Prevalence • Binge Drinking • Drinking and Driving • Alcohol Consumption • Smoking • Tobacco Use • Substance Abuse (3) Child Physical and Sexual Abuse • Child Abuse/Neglect • Child Sexual Abuse (4) Factors That Increase The Health Risk To Infants. • Low Birth-Weight • Births to Adolescents (15-19 yrs) • Prenatal Care Sources for these subsections are found on pp. 88-91 of the Review. BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTORS The risk factor data in this section are taken from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). The BRFSS is a state-based random digit-dialing telephone survey of non-institutionalized adults (> 18yrs) conducted in 47 states and Washington D.C. (in 1991). Data are collected year round (to minimize seasonal variations) and are reported annually. Utah's averages are compared to the other states. The scores are given in percentages of persons reporting the indicated behaviors. Based upon the assumption that healthier lifestyles decrease the risk for disease, a lower score for a state means a lower percentage of that state's residents are at risk. The median score is the middle state's score, with half the state's residents averaging above that number and half below. The high score represents the state with the highest average score (highest percentage of participants reporting the behavior) on each survey. In each of the risk factor categories, Utah's average score from the self-reported survey is given. The U.S. low, median, and high scores are also given for comparisons. Utah's Health: An Annual Review 1994 47 |