The New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NYC HANES) is a local version of the National HANES, an important health survey begun by the federal government in the 1960s. In 2012, Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, described the importance of the "gold standard" NHANES in identifying health problems in the United States and tracking how well the country is addressing them.
In addition to gathering information from participant survey responses, NHANES also includes brief physical exams and tests on blood and urine samples. NHANES results have led to many important health programs and policy changes.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted the first NYC HANES in 2004. Through a detailed health survey and a brief physical exam, NYC HANES collected data from nearly 2,000 New Yorkers.
Researchers used this data to learn more about how many New Yorkers have health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and depression and how well these conditions are controlled. They have also learned about environmental exposures, including second-hand tobacco smoke, lead and mercury. Findings from the study have led to changes in New York City laws and regulations as well as to educational campaigns to improve the health of New Yorkers.
The CUNY School of Public Health and the New York City Health Department are conducting a second NYC HANES with grant funding in 2013. Adults from nearly 3,000 randomly selected NYC households are being asked to answer survey questions and take a physical exam that will provide a picture of the city's health almost 10 years after the first NYC HANES. This will enable researchers to examine changes in the city's health over two points in time and assess the impact of several important health policy initiatives that have occurred since 2004.