--- title: "Field test of brief health behavior measures in primary care | Sutter Health" description: "Brief set of health behavior measures was usable in primary care settings with adults and adolescents." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/brief-health-beh-measures-primary-care-1055312525" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Field test of brief health behavior measures in primary care # Common measures, better outcomes (COMBO): a field test of brief health behavior measures in primary care. Fernald DH, Froshaug DB, Dickinson LM, Balasubramanian BA, Dodoo MS, Holtrop JS, Hung DY, Glasgow RE, Niebauer LJ, & Green LA. _Am J Prev Med. 35(5 Suppl):S414-22. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.08.006._ 2008-11-01 ## Abstract BACKGROUND: Primary care offices have been characterized as underutilized settings for routinely addressing health behaviors that contribute to premature death and unnecessary suffering. Practical tools are needed to routinely assess multiple health risk behaviors among diverse primary care patients. The performance of a brief set of behavioral measures used in primary care practice is reported here. METHODS: Between August 2005 and January 2007, 75 primary care practices assessed four health behaviors, using a 21-item patient self-report questionnaire for adults or a 16-item questionnaire for adolescents. Data were collected via telephone, paper, or electronic means, either with or without assistance. The performance of these measures was evaluated by describing risk-behavior prevalences, combinations of risk behaviors, and missing data. RESULTS: Of 227 adolescents and 5358 adults, most patients completed all of the survey questions. Two or more unhealthy behaviors were reported by 47.1% of adolescents and 69.2% of adults. Percentages of adults who completed all the survey items varied by health behavior: tobacco use, 98.5%; diet, 98.2%; physical activity, 96.2%; alcohol use, 85.1%. Missing data rates were higher for unassisted patient self-reporting. CONCLUSIONS: A relatively brief set of health behavior measures was usable in a variety of primary care settings with adults and adolescents. The performance of these measures was uneven across behaviors and administration modes, but yielded estimates of unhealthy behaviors consistent overall with what would be expected based on published population estimates. Further work is needed on measures for alcohol use and physical activity to bring practical assessment tools for key health behaviors to routine primary care practice. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18929989) ## Research topics - [Alcohol Epidemiology](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Alcohol+Epidemiology%5C%22%22) - [Child and Adolescent Health](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Child+and+Adolescent+Health%5C%22%22) - [Food and Nutrition](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Food+and+Nutrition%5C%22%22) - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) - [Prevention and Health Maintenance](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Prevention+and+Health+Maintenance%5C%22%22) - [Smoking](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Smoking%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Practice-level approaches for behavioral counseling and patient health behaviors.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/practice-level-approach-beh-counsel-pt-health-behs-1055312530) Balasubramanian BA, Cohen DJ, Clark EC, Isaacson NF, Hung DY, Dickinson LM, Fernald DH, Green LA, Crabtree BF. Am J Prev Med. 35(5 suppl):S407-13. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.08.004. 2008 Nov 01 - Publication ### [Diabetes prevention and weight loss with a fully automated behavioral intervention by email, web, and mobile phone: a randomized controlled trial among persons with prediabetes.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/diabetes-prev-wt-loss-automated-beh-intervention-1055312953) Block G, Azar KM, Romanelli RJ, Block TJ, Hopkins D, Carpenter HA, Dolginsky MS, Hudes ML, Palaniappan LP, Block CH. J Med Internet Res. 17(10):e240. doi: 10.2196/jmir.4897. 2015 Oct 23 - Publication ### [Development of the adult and child complementary medicine questionnaires fielded on the National Health Interview Survey.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/complementary-med-questionnaires-on-nhis-1055312378) Stussman BJ, Bethell CD, Gray C, Nahin RL. BMC Complement Altern Med. 13:328. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-328. 2013 Nov 23 - Publication ### [Prevalence and correlates of doctor-geriatric patient lifestyle discussions: analysis of ADEPT videotapes.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/preval-correlates-md-geriat-pt-lifestyle-discuss-1055312586) Ory MG, Yuma PJ, Hurwicz ML, Jarvis C, Barron KL, Tai-Seale T, Tai-Seale M, Patel D, Hackethorn D, Bramson R, Street R, Cook MA. Prev Med. 43(6):494-7. Epub 2006 Aug 9. 2006 Dec 06 - Publication ### [Assessing the impact of behavioral risk factors and known-groups validity of the SF-12 in a US Chinese immigrant population.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/beh-risk-factors-sf-12-validity-chinese-immigrants-1055312973) Hung DY, Lubetkin EI, Fahs MC, Shelley DR. Med Care. 47(2):262-7. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0b013e3181844de4. 2009 Feb 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/brief-health-beh-measures-primary-care-1055312525#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Field test of brief health behavior measures in primary care"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/brief-health-beh-measures-primary-care-1055312525#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Common measures, better outcomes (COMBO): a field test of brief health behavior measures in primary care.","headline":"Field test of brief health behavior measures in primary care","abstract":"BACKGROUND: Primary care offices have been characterized as underutilized settings for routinely addressing health behaviors that contribute to premature death and unnecessary suffering. Practical tools are needed to routinely assess multiple health risk behaviors among diverse primary care patients. The performance of a brief set of behavioral measures used in primary care practice is reported here. METHODS: Between August 2005 and January 2007, 75 primary care practices assessed four health behaviors, using a 21-item patient self-report questionnaire for adults or a 16-item questionnaire for adolescents. Data were collected via telephone, paper, or electronic means, either with or without assistance. The performance of these measures was evaluated by describing risk-behavior prevalences, combinations of risk behaviors, and missing data. RESULTS: Of 227 adolescents and 5358 adults, most patients completed all of the survey questions. Two or more unhealthy behaviors were reported by 47.1% of adolescents and 69.2% of adults. Percentages of adults who completed all the survey items varied by health behavior: tobacco use, 98.5%; diet, 98.2%; physical activity, 96.2%; alcohol use, 85.1%. Missing data rates were higher for unassisted patient self-reporting. CONCLUSIONS: A relatively brief set of health behavior measures was usable in a variety of primary care settings with adults and adolescents. The performance of these measures was uneven across behaviors and administration modes, but yielded estimates of unhealthy behaviors consistent overall with what would be expected based on published population estimates. 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