Executive Summary
1999 Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Note: only responses to questions on general health, health risk behaviors for chronic disease (including health care access), and screening behaviors are given here. All percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Health status

• 21% report that their general health is fair or poor
• 13% report that their physical health was not good for more than 7 days during the past 30 days
• 13% report that their mental health was not good for more than 7 days during the past 30 days
• 15% report that poor physical/mental health prevented usual activities for more than 7 days during the past 30 days
  

Arthritis

• 25% report that they have been told by a doctor that they have arthritis
• Of these respondents, 37% are currently being treated by a doctor for their arthritis
• 41% report that they have had joint pain, stiffness, or swelling during the past 12 months
• Of these respondents, 32% are limited in some way because of joint symptoms

Asthma

• 9% report that they have ever been told by a doctor that they have asthma
• Of these respondents, 53% still have asthma

Cigarette smoking

• 23% report that they are current cigarette smokers (have ever smoked 100 cigarettes and now smoke every day or some days)
• 20% report that they are former cigarette smokers (have ever smoked 100 cigarettes but do not smoke now)
• 55% of current daily smokers report that they have quit smoking for 1 day or longer during the past 12 months

Smokeless tobacco use

• 24% report that they have ever used or tried any smokeless tobacco products
• Of these respondents, 25% are currently using such products

Body weight and weight control

• 64% of respondents are overweight [NEW DEFINITION: BMI 25]
• 40% of respondents are overweight [OLD DEFINITION: BMI 27.8 for men, 27.3 for women]
• 26% of respondents are obese (BMI 30)
• 34% report that they have been advised by a doctor to eat fewer high fat/high cholesterol foods to lower their risk of developing heart disease or stroke
• 77% of those so advised report that they are eating fewer high fat/high cholesterol foods
• 62% of all respondents report that they are eating fewer high fat/high cholesterol foods to lower their risk of developing heart disease or stroke

Diabetes

• 8% of respondents report that they have been told by a doctor that they have diabetes

Cardiovascular disease

• 5% report that they have been told by a doctor that they had a heart attack or myocardial infarction
• 5% report that they have been told by a doctor that they have angina or coronary heart disease
• 3% report that they have been told by a doctor that they had a stroke
• 34% report that they have been advised by a doctor to eat fewer high fat/high cholesterol foods to lower their risk of developing heart disease or stroke
• 77% of those so advised report that they are eating fewer high fat/high cholesterol foods
• 62% of all respondents report that they are eating fewer high fat/high cholesterol foods to lower their risk of developing heart disease or stroke
• 45% report that they have been advised by a doctor to exercise more to lower their risk of developing heart disease or stroke
• 65% of those so advised report that they are exercising more
• 62% of all respondents report that they are exercising more to lower their risk of developing heart disease or stroke
• 10% of all respondents are taking aspirin every day or every other day to reduce the chance of heart attack or stroke
• 46% of persons who have been told by a doctor that they had heart disease or stroke are taking aspirin every day or every other day to reduce the chance of heart attack or stroke
• 15% of peri- or post-menopausal women report that they are currently taking estrogen pills to prevent a heart attack

Hypertension awareness

• 33% report that they have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure
• 87% have had their blood pressure taken by a health professional within the past year
• 94% have had their blood pressure taken by a health professional within the past 2 years
• 97% have had their blood pressure taken by a health professional within the past 5 years

Cholesterol awareness

• 67% of respondents have ever had a blood cholesterol check
• 67% have had their blood cholesterol checked within the past year
• 84% have had their blood cholesterol checked within the past 2 years
• 92% have had their blood cholesterol checked within the past 5 years
• 30% of those tested report that they have been told by a health professional that they have high blood cholesterol

Mammography screening

• 63% of women 50-59 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past year
• 81% of women 50-59 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past two years
• 58% of women 60-69 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past year
• 82% of women 60-69 years of age have had a screening mammogram within the past two years

Pap smear screening

• 87% of women 18-65 years of age have had Pap smear screening within the past three years

Colorectal cancer screening

• 21% of respondents have ever had a blood stool test using a home kit
• 47% have had a blood stool test using a home kit within the past year
• 62% have had a blood stool test using a home kit within the past 2 years
• 77% have had a blood stool test using a home kit within the past 5 years
• 30% of respondents have ever had a sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy exam
• 33% have had a sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy exam within the past year
• 52% have had a sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy exam within the past 2 years
• 74% have had a sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy exam within the past 5 years

Immunization

• 31% of respondents have had a flu shot within the past 12 months
• 18% of respondents have ever had a pneumonia vaccination

Health care access

• 17% report that they have no kind of health care coverage
• 15% report that there was a time during the past 12 months that they needed to see a doctor but could not because of the cost