NHANES, the nation’s most comprehensive health and nutritional survey of the U.S. population is coming to New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS — The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is sponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). NHANES has Neen traveling across the country learning about the health of the U.S. population since 1960.
Have you ever wondered how health care providers know what’s considered a healthy blood pressure? NHANES collects a broad range of data that addresses everything from the chemicals people are exposed to in their environment to the tracking of critical health concerns, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Public health officials and legislators use this information to develop public health policies, like eliminating lead from gasoline and soft drink cans. NHANES data also help produce national baseline information, like blood pressure or cholesterol averages, and standardized growth charts used by physicians across the country.
“NHANES serves as the nation’s ‘health check-up’ by going into communities throughout the country to collect health information.”- Brian C. Moyer, PhD, Director of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
All U.S. counties and cities are eligible for NHANES, but this year, New Orleans is one of 20 selected areas to be part of this initiative. A random sample of about 500 New Orleans households will receive a letter inviting them to be part of NHANES. By selecting a random sample, NHANES data can more accurately represent the U.S. population.
Those who receive letters will be contacted by an NHANES staff member to complete a brief survey to see if anyone in their home is eligible to take part. Eligible participants will complete an interview at their home, followed by a health exam at the NHANES Mobile Exam Center at a convenient time. The Mobile Exam Center is specifically equipped to collect height and weight, blood pressure, body composition, vision, audiometry, oral health, spirometry, and multiple other types of exams, though specific measurements and exams depend on a participant’s age and sex.
Taking part in NHANES is voluntary. All information collected is kept confidential, and individual
privacy is protected by law. As a thank you for taking part in NHANES, participants receive:
- Free health exams at the NHANES Mobile Exam Center and results that can be shared with their health care providers
- Compensation for transportation and child or adult care costs
- A generous token of appreciation for their time
Collecting timely information on the status of the nation’s health is critical. Participation in the survey is by invitation only, so be on the lookout for your letter and for the Mobile Exam Center, located at 2919 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70112 from early October to mid-December.
For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/.
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs] conducts the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/], a national survey that monitors the health and nutritional
status of adults and children across the United States. NCHS is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.