DEPARTMENT: Health Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Thomas Schlenker (SAMHD)
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Authorizing an Agreement with the Texas Department of State Health Services
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes an agreement with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) so that the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) may fund 1,000 additional interviews and add three diabetes questions to the 2014 Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey conducted by DSHS of the community within the geographic boundaries of Bexar County. The agreement is for an amount not to exceed $95,800.00 for the period beginning November 1, 2013 and ending on June 30, 2015.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
BRFSS is the nation's premier system of health-related telephone surveys that collect data from U.S. residents regarding their health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of preventive services. With technical and methodological assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state health departments contract for telephone surveys or use universities or in-house interviewers to administer the BRFSS surveys continuously throughout the year. The states use a standardized core questionnaire, optional modules, and state-added questions. The survey is conducted using Random Digit Dialing (RDD) techniques on both landlines and cell phones. BRFSS data is used to help establish and track state and local health objectives, plan health programs, implement disease prevention and health promotion activities, and monitor trends. Adults 18 years or older are asked to take part in the survey.
The BRFSS survey in Bexar County is conducted annually by DSHS and captures the health behaviors as well as the health conditions of the residents. The BRFSS data is used as population data by many programs and agencies in San Antonio for planning and implementing health programs. The number of respondents for BRFSS is 500 per year as per CDC funding and guidelines. The proposed agreement will allow Metro Health to pay for an additional 1,000 surveys in 2014. A higher number of respondents may provide validity for subpopulations and may also allow for the identification of zip codes with disparities. The proposed agreement also provides for the addition of three diabetes questions to the BRFSS survey.
Metro Health relies extensively on BRFSS data as it provides data for all the agencies in San Antonio as the rationale for program planning, grant requests and to educate the public and aim to reduce the burden of diabetes, obesity, and asthma and address related risk behaviors - physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. Metro Health employs evidence-based intervention strategies to promote health and wellness in Bexar County and improve nutrition, increase physical activity, and prevent tobacco use and exposure. This information is important to Metro Health as it continues to focus on the strategic community health improvement plan in Bexar County.
ISSUE:
The data from BRFSS survey in Bexar County is one of the key resources for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. It is necessary in order to plan, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the various initiatives and interventions in public health programs in Bexar County.
ALTERNATIVES:
The CDC works closely with state and territorial partners to ensure that the BRFSS continues to provide data that are useful for public health research and practice and for state and local health policy decisions. Since state health departments are responsible for coordinating BRFSS, DSHS is the sole source for this agreement.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Metro Health is requesting authorization of an agreement with DSHS in the amount of $95,800.00 for the period beginning November 1, 2013 and ending on June 30, 2015 to provide funding for the oversampling and three additional questions in the 2014 BRFSS survey. This agreement will be funded by the DSHS Local Public Health Systems grant in the amount of $12,000.00, the DSHS Local Immunization Branch grant in the amount of $20,000.00, and the General Fund in the amount of $63,800.00.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of an ordinance authorizing an agreement with the Texas Department of State Health Services for a total amount not to exceed $95,800.00 for the period beginning November 1, 2013 and ending on June 30, 2015 so that Metro Health may fund additional interviews and add questions to the 2014 Texas Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey.