Health Indicator Report of Blood Cholesterol Screening

Compared to the U.S., Utah has lower rates of people reporting having their cholesterol checked within the past fie years. However, since 2015 screening rates have been rising in Utah and in the U.S.

Notes

Beginning in 2011, BRFSS data include both landline and cell phone respondent data along with a new weighting methodology called iterative proportional fitting, or raking. This methodology utilizes additional demographic information (such as education, race, and marital status) in the weighting procedure. Both of these methodology changes were implemented to account for an increased number of U.S. households without landline phones and an under-representation of certain demographic groups that were not well-represented in the sample. More details about these changes can be found at: [[a href="pdf/opha/resource/brfss/RakingImpact2011.pdf" https://ibis.utah.gov/ibisph-view/pdf/opha/resource/brfss/RakingImpact2011.pdf]].   Rates are age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population.

Data Interpretation Issues

BRFSS data are self-reported. Patients may not be aware of the specific tests conducted in clinical settings on their blood samples. However, BRFSS is a large, population-based survey that provides the only state-level assessment of high blood cholesterol screening and prevalence every 2 years. Due to small numbers, data by race, ethnicity, and geographic area are based on combined years. Some estimates may be statistically unreliable and should be interpreted with care.

Definition

Percentage of adults aged 18 years and older who have had their cholesterol checked within 5 years.

Numerator

Number of BRFSS survey respondents aged 18 years and older who have had their cholesterol checked within the past 5 years.

Denominator

Number of surveyed adults aged 18 years and older.

How Are We Doing?

The percentage of Utah adults who have had a cholesterol check in the last 5 years has been increasing since 2015. The most recent estimate in 2021 indicates that 81.2% of Utah adults had at least one cholesterol screening in the past five years, rising from 70.3% in 2015 (age-adjusted rates).

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Utah has consistently had lower rates of cholesterol screenings compared to other states and the U.S. as a whole. In 2021, 81.2% of Utah adults had had a cholesterol screening in the past five years. U.S. data for 2021 indicates that 86.4% of adults had a cholesterol screening in the past five years. The 2021 data is the most recent data available for the U.S. at this time.

What Is Being Done?

The Healthy Environments Active Living (HEAL) was previously known as the EPICC Program. EPICC was formed in 2013, consolidating three Utah Department of Health programs (Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, and the Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Program). The purpose of the consolidation was to ensure a productive, collaborative, and efficient program focused on health outcomes. In 2021, the program name was changed to HEAL. HEAL aims to reduce the incidence of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke by targeting risk factors including reducing obesity, increasing physical activity and nutritious food consumption, and improving diabetes and hypertension control. The program is organized around four domains: *Domain 1: Epidemiology and Surveillance--gather, analyze, and disseminate data and information and conduct evaluation to inform, prioritize, deliver, and monitor programs and population health. *Domain 2: Policy and Environment--environmental approaches the promote health and support and reinforce healthful behaviors (statewide in schools and childcare, worksites, and communities). *Domain 3: Health Systems--Health system interventions to improve the effective delivery and use of clinical and other preventive services in order to prevent disease, detect diseases early, and reduce or eliminate risk factors and manage complications. *Domain 4: Community Clinical Linkages--Strategies to improve community-clinical linkages ensuring that communities support and clinics refer patients to programs that improve management of chronic conditions. [[br]] The primary program strategies include: *Increasing healthy nutrition and physical activity environments in K-12 schools *Increasing healthy nutrition and physical activity environments in early care and education (childcare/preschool) *Increasing healthy nutrition and physical activity environments in worksites *Improving awareness of prediabetes and hypertension for Utahns *Improving the quality of medical care for people with diabetes and hypertension *Improving the linkages between healthcare providers and supporting community programs for Utahns with diabetes and hypertension *Improving access and availability to community health programs for Utahns with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity *Improving care and management of students with chronic conditions in Utah schools

Evidence-based Practices

A wide variety of community and medical treatment activities address cholesterol screening and treatment. For example, HEAL supports implementing evidence-based practices in community and clinical settings, specifically highlighting cholesterol control within communities. Therapeutic lifestyle changes are an important approach that incorporates a low-fat, high-fiber diet and physical activity on most days. If cholesterol-lowering drugs are needed, they are used together with therapeutic lifestyle changes. Healthy People 2030 objectives aim to decrease cholesterol prevalence and increase cholesterol treatment in adults. The Million Hearts initiative, a national federal/private partnership, is a recent, innovative alignment and coordination of clinical and community activities targeting leading causes of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality, including high blood cholesterol. These and other community and clinical activities are important measures to combat the impact of high blood cholesterol nationally.

Health Program Information

The Healthy Environments Active Living (HEAL) Program is a program within the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Office of Health Promotion and Prevention. HEAL focuses on enabling education and engaged change for public health by engaging its three main audiences: individuals, partners, and decision-makers. HEAL champions public health initiatives and addresses the challenges of making health awareness and access truly universal and equitable in eight key areas: nutrition, heart health, diabetes, physical activity, schools, child care, community health workers, and worksites.