Use of Local Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data in the Development of Health Promotion Programs

In the U.S.-Mexico border region, as in other partsof the United States, chronic diseases have be-come the major causes of disease burden(Remington et al., 1988). The U.S.-Mexico border area is unique because of its blend of cultures, customs, and languages and because two distinct federal, state, and local governments are working separately and to-gether to address health issues. Because of a lack of lo-cal data, state or national level data are often used to make decisions about which health problems should be addressed and how interventions should be developed, without taking into account the distinctive characteris-tics of different communities