CDC National Health Survey is coming to King County

Some of the randomly selected households invited to participate are in Federal Way.

By Mirror Staff • December 21, 2022 2:00 pm

The CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) will be surveying randomly selected households in King County, including some in Federal Way, beginning Jan. 4, 2023.

Started in 1960, the NHANES is the most comprehensive survey of health and nutritional status of the U.S. population, with data informing national health policy, programs and care. Each year, NHANES selects different U.S. counties to survey, and this year King County is one of 15 counties that will be surveyed.

Randomly selected King County households will be mailed a letter inviting them to be a part of the study and are strongly encouraged to participate. Public Health — Seattle & King County confirmed some of the selected addresses are in Federal Way.

“I’m so pleased that our community was selected to participate in this year’s study,” said Dr. Faisal Khan, director of Public Health — Seattle & King County. “I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to participate to do so. The information provided by our residents will help us to better inform our policy makers and provide us with important information as we make decisions on how to best use our public health resources to meet the needs of our community.”

Randomly selected households will be sent one or more letters inviting them to be part of NHANES by completing a brief online questionnaire to see if anyone in their home is eligible to take part. Those eligible will be contacted by an NHANES representative to set up a telephone health interview at a convenient time, followed by a health examination that takes place in the NHANES mobile examination center.

While no medical care is provided directly in the mobile examination center, a report on physical findings is given to each participant, along with an explanation of those findings from survey medical staff.

Each year, only 5,000 residents nationwide are chosen to participate in NHANES, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“NHANES serves as the nation’s ‘health check-up’ by going into communities throughout the country to collect health information,” said Dr. Brian C. Moyer, director of the NCHS. “The survey provides a wealth of important data about many of the major health and nutritional issues affecting the country.”

Information collected by the surveys helps informs public health officials, legislators, and physicians use this information to develop evidence-based health policies, direct and design health programs and services, and expand the health knowledge of the nation. All information collected in the survey is confidential and individual privacy is protected by law.

NHANES collects a broad range of data that affect the lives of everyone in the country, regardless of age, addressing everything from air quality to the low-fat and “light” foods found in grocery stores.

Benefits of participating in NHANES, if selected: