These questions are part of legitimate research project being conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and all information is kept in confidence. And, the more accurate the results are, the better able we are to design education and intervention programs to improve and protect the health of all Coloradans. The current survey, which will continue through the end of the year, is targeting residents of northern and western portions of the City and County of Denver. The survey is being conducted by the Colorado Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which is based at the State Health Department and is part of a nationwide program implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Random digit dialing of in-state telephone numbers is used to locate adults willing to participate.
All answers are confidential and any identifying characteristics are left out to ensure anonymity.
For this particular survey, additional questions have been added to estimate how many men in these sections of the City and County of Denver are presently aware of screening for prostate cancer and are receiving such screenings. The results of the survey will be used by the State Health Department and Denver Health Medical Center to help determine what changes may be needed to better address the health care needs of this segment of the involved population. This approach allows the state to more effectively target funds to where the need is greatest, Leff said. Similar telephone surveys involving residents of other sections of Colorado are conducted at various times of the year.