Discussion

In growing recognition of the effects of behavior on personal health, public health officials now also collect and analyze behavioral information regarding behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, seat belt and helmet use, smoking, nutrition, exercise, and sexual activities. Surveillance of noncommunicable conditions like heart disease and diabetes has also expanded in recent years. Whereas infectious disease surveillance relies heavily on case reports by physicians, behavioral and noncommunicable disease surveillance is primarily conducted through surveys designed to be representative of the sampled population.

Discuss a Public Health (PH) change made on the local or state level based on the collection of behavioral health information.