Data Sources

BRFSS is a state-based system of health surveys that collects information on health-risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health-care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. For many states, BRFSS is the only available source of timely, accurate data on health-related behaviors.

• Heath-risk behaviors
• Preventive health practices
• Health-care access
• Health-related quality of life
• Mental illness screening
• Disability
• Violence

• Anxiety and depression module (PHQ-8, lifetime diagnosis of anxiety and depression)
• Mental illness and stigma module (K-6, stigma, mental health treatment, and mental illness–related disability)
• Health-related quality of life (number of days in past 30 days respondent felt that mental health was not good, felt depressed, felt anxious, felt not getting enough sleep, and felt full of energy)
• Life satisfaction
• Social support
• Smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and body mass index
• Health-care use and access
• Sexual and intimate partner violence

Additional survey information available at BRFSS Questionnaires.

National sample of one person (aged ≥18 years) from each household

Approximately 450,000 completed interviews, as of 2010

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources

• http://www.cdc.gov/
  nchs/nhis.htm
• National Center
  for Health Statistics

NHIS is a national survey on the health of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. The main objective of NHIS is to monitor the health of the U.S. population through the collection and analysis of data on a broad range of health topics.

• Health status limitations
• Health-care use
• Family resources
• Health insurance
• Health-care access
• Vaccination
• Injury
• Health behaviors
• Functioning
• Disability

• Activity limitation due to physical, mental, or emotional problems
• External causes and circumstances of injury
• Mental health-care use
• Mental health conditions and symptoms (in 2007 survey), including ADHD; schizophrenia; bipolar disorder; depression, anxiety, and emotional problems; dementia and senility; mental retardation; learning disabilities; and general distress symptoms
• Health-risk behaviors (including tobacco use and alcohol use)
• K-6 measure of serious psychological distress

Additional survey information available at NHIS Questionnaires.

Approximately 40,000 households per year, as of 2010

Oversample of blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and adults aged ≥65 years

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources

• http://www.cdc.gov/
  nchs/nhanes.htm
• National Center
  for Health Statistics

NHANES is designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The survey combines interviews and physical examinations.

• In-person household interviews
• Physical examinations
• Laboratory tests
• Nutritional assessments
• DNA repository

• Numerous diseases, medical conditions, and health indicators
• Nutrition and nutritional disorders
• Environmental risk factors
• Health-care use
• Mental, behavioral, and emotional problems of children
• Weight and physical fitness
• Risk factors

• Sleep disorders
• Alcohol and drug use
• Social and emotional support
• Use of mental health-care professionals
• Activity limitation from poor physical or mental health
• PHQ-9 depression screening

Additional survey information available at NHANES Questionnaires.

Approximately 5,000 persons per year, as of 2008

Oversample of blacks, Mexican-Americans, adolescents, and adults aged ≥60 years

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources

• http://www.cdc.gov/
  prams
• National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
  Health Promotion, Division of
  Reproductive Health

PRAMS is a surveillance project of CDC and state health departments. PRAMS collects state-specific, population-based data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and shortly after pregnancy.

• Postpartum depressive symptoms
• Attitudes and feelings about most recent pregnancy
• Prenatal care
• Maternal alcohol and tobacco use
• HIV testing
• Health insurance coverage
• Physical abuse before and during pregnancy
• Pregnancy-related morbidity
• Infant health care
• Contraceptive use
• Breastfeeding practices
• Health-care provider advice

• Whether health-care provider discussed with respondent healthy and risky pregnancy behaviors (including drinking alcohol and smoking during pregnancy)
• Maternal tobacco and alcohol use before, during, and after pregnancy
• Difficult or traumatic events before or during pregnancy
• Pregnancy intention, both of mother and of partner
• Whether respondent needed and received counseling for substance use or personal problems during or after pregnancy
• Interpersonal violence before and during pregnancy
• Injury control and prevention
• Social support and stress
• Infant sleeping behaviors
• Infant and maternal exposure to smoke
• Feelings, diagnosis, and treatment of postpartum depression, hopelessness, and anxiety

Additional survey information available at Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS): Questionnaire.

Approximately 50,000 women with live-born infants per year, as of 2008

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources

• http://www.cdc.gov/
  nchs/ahcd.htm
• National Center
  for Health Statistics

NAMCS is a national survey that collects data on the provision and use of ambulatory medical care services in the United States. Findings are based on a sample of visits to nonfederal, employed, office-based physicians who are primarily engaged in direct patient care.

• Demographic characteristics of patients
• Expected payment sources
• Patients’ principal complaints, symptoms, or other reasons for visit
• Physician diagnoses, diagnostic and screening services
• Medications
• Types of health-care providers seen during visit
• Disposition
• Causes of injury (if applicable)

• Current diagnosed mental health conditions
• Current depression
• Cause of injury (including intentional)
• Health education services ordered or provided at visit (including injury prevention, stress management, and tobacco use and exposure)
• Nonmedication treatment provided at visit (including psychotherapy and mental health counseling)
• Type of health-care providers patient visited or was referred to during visit (including providers of mental health services)
• Medications

Additional survey information available at NAMCS Survey Instruments.

Office-based physicians and then visits within the practices. In 2007, data were provided on 32,778 visits.

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources

• http://www.cdc.gov/
  nchs/ahcd.htm
• National Center
  for Health Statistics

NHAMCS is designed to collect data on the use and provision of ambulatory care services in hospital emergency and outpatient departments. Findings are based on a national sample of visits to the emergency departments and outpatient departments of noninstitutional general and short-stay hospitals.

• Demographic characteristics of patients
• Expected payment sources
• Patients’ principal complaints, symptoms, or other reasons for visit
• Physician diagnoses, diagnostic and screening services
• Procedures (emergency department only)
• Medications
• Disposition
• Types of health- care providers seen during visit
• Causes of injury (if applicable)

• Patients’ principal complaints, symptoms, or other reasons for visit
• Causes of injury (including intentional)
• Health-care provider diagnoses
• Medications
• Mental health providers seen during visit
• Transfer to psychiatric hospital
• Admission to mental health or detoxification unit

Outpatient department:

• Current diagnosed mental health conditions
• Current depression
• Cause of injury (including intentional)
• Health education services ordered or provided at visit (including injury prevention, stress management, and tobacco use and exposure)
• Nonmedication treatment provided at visit (including psychotherapy and mental health counseling)
• Type of health-care providers patient visited or was referred to during visit (including providers of mental health services)
• Medications

Additional survey information available at NHAMCS Survey Instruments.

Nationally representative sample of 500 nonfederal short-stay (<30 days) hospitals

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources

• http://www.cdc.gov/
  nchs/nhds.htm
• National Center
  for Health Statistics

NHDS is a national probability survey of characteristics of inpatients discharged from nonfederal short-stay hospitals in the United States.

• Demographic characteristics of patients
• Expected sources of payment
• Type and source of admission
• Disposition
• Discharge diagnoses (up to seven)
• Surgical and diagnostic procedures (up to four)

• Discharge diagnoses (up to seven)
• Surgical and diagnostic procedures (up to four)

Additional survey information available at National Hospital Discharge Survey Questionnaires.

Nationally representative sample of nonfederal short-stay hospitals and systematic samples of discharges within hospitals.

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources

• http://www.cdc.gov/
  nchs/nnhs.htm
• National Center
  for Health Statistics

NNHS is a continuing series of national sample surveys of nursing homes and their residents and staff members.

• Demographic characteristics of patients
• Admitting diagnosis
• Current diagnoses (up to 16)
• Health status
• Activities of daily living
• Vision and hearing
• Continence
• Pain assessment
• Behavior
• Mood
• Medications
• Falls
• Services received
• Sources of payment

• Behavioral problems
• Depressed mood
• Medications
• Admitting diagnosis
• Current diagnoses (up to 16)
• Current assignment to specialty unit (i.e., dementia or behavioral health)
• Decision-making ability

Additional survey information available at National Nursing Home Survey Questionnaires.

Sample of nursing homes (that had at least three beds and were either certified by Medicare or Medicaid or had a state license to operate as a nursing home) and then sample of residents within nursing homes

Return to Mental Illness Surveillance Data Sources