Executive Summary
2004 Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Note: All percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number.

Health status

• 23% report that their general health is either fair or poor
• 48% report that their general health is either very good or excellent

Healthy days

• 16% report that their physical health was not good for more that seven days during the past month
• 16% report that their mental health was not good for more that seven days during the past month
• 11% report that their activities were limited for more than seven days during the past month because of poor physical or mental health

Health care access

• 20% report that they have no kind of health care coverage
• 20% report they could not see a doctor in the past twelve months because of cost

Cigarette smoking

• 24% report that they are current cigarette smokers

Diabetes

• 11% report that they have been diagnosed with diabetes

Sunburn

• 38% of the whites report that they had a sunburn in the past twelve months
• 7% of the nonwhites report that they had a sunburn in the past twelve months

Immunization

• 33% report that they have had a flu shot in the past twelve months
• 23% report that they have ever had a pneumonia shot

Body weight

• 64% report that they are overweight (BMI ≥25)
• 30% report that they are obese (BMI ≥30)

Mammography screening

• 79% of women age 40 and older report that they have had a screening mammogram and a clinical breast examination during their lifetime
• 59% of women age 50 and older report that they have had a screening mammogram and a clinical breast examination within the past two years

Pap smear screening

• 94% of all female respondents report that they have ever had a Pap smear
• 82% of all female respondents report that they have had a Pap smear within the past three years

Physical activity and exercise

• 31 % report that they have had no exercise in the past 30 days

Colorectal Cancer Screening

• 46% of respondents age 50 and older report that they have ever had a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy examination
• 20% of respondents age 50 and older report that they have had a blood stool test in the past two years

Environmental Air

• 24% report that they were made ill by bad indoor air during the past twelve months
• 11% report that they were made ill by bad outdoor air during the past twelve months

Asthma

• 12% report that they have ever had asthma
• 7% report that they presently have asthma

Prostate Cancer Screening

• 60% of males age 40 and older report that they have ever had a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test
• 50% of males age 40 and older report that they have had a PSA test within the past two years

Oral Health

• 43% reported report that they have had no permanent teeth extracted
• 41% reported that they have not had a dental visit within the past year

Alcohol Consumption

• 10% report that they are at risk from binge drinking

HIV/AIDS

• 53% from age 18 through 64 report that they have never been tested for HIV
• 5% the age 18 through 64 report that they have participated in high risk behavior during the past twelve months

Disability

• 22% report that their activities are limited by health problems
• 8% report that they need special equipment for their health problems

Birth Control

• 63% of the combined male population between the age of 18 and 59 and females between the age of 18 and 44 report that they practice some method of birth control