| **National Center    for     Health Statistics            Division of Data     Services            6525 Belcrest Road     Hyattsville, MD     20782-2003     (301)458-4636      **

 
 

 

 

 

 
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**National    Health Interview Survey (NHIS)    Public-Use Data Files**

**Survey    description | Data file descriptionList of data file variables at a glanceData file technical characteristics | Geographic    coverageData availability | Ordering information |    Documentation contents | Related reports |    Contact | NHIS Web    Page **

**Survey description**The National Health Interview Survey    (NHIS) is a continuing nationwide survey of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized    population conducted in households. Each week a probability sample of households is    interviewed by trained personnel of the U.S. Bureau of the Census to obtain information    about the health and other characteristics of each living member of the sample household.    During a year, the sample is composed of 36,000 to 47,000 households, including 92,000 to    125,000 persons, depending upon the year. Information is obtained on the number of    restricted-activity days, bed days, work- or school-loss days, and all physician visits    occurring during the 2-week period prior to the week of the interview. Data are also    obtained on the acute and chronic conditions that were responsible for these days or    visits. Respondents are asked about long-term limitation of activity and the chronic    conditions related to this disability. All conditions are coded according to the Health    Interview Survey Medical Coding Manual and Short Index, a modified version of the    International Classification of Diseases, using the limited diagnostic detail available    from a household respondent. Data are obtained on all hospital episodes during the prior    12 months, including length of stay and whether surgery was performed.  

**Data file description**    There are five possible record types, each containing data on a particular topic:    household characteristics,  person characteristics, health conditions, doctor visits,    and hospital stays. Selected items from the person and household records are also included    on each of the other record types. The records are arranged in five files.  

**General list of variables by files**

**Household**    Household ID number      Type of  living quarters      Telephone in home      Interview type      Date of completion      Size of family      Region      Type of PSU      Type of MSA  

**Person****Person ID number**    Demographic variables      Sex      Age      Month and year of birth      Main racial background      Hispanic origin (1978-94 only)      Marital status      Veteran status      Education of:  Individual  Family head or reference    person      Family income      Family relationships      Family size      Born in the United States, number of years lived in  State of present residence    (1989-94 only)      Foreign-born, number of years lived in the United   States (1989-94 only)      Employment status      Class of worker      Industry      Occupation      Region      Respondent (self or proxy)      Height      Weight  

Health and utilization variables      Limitation of activity      Self-assessed health status (1972-95 only)      Restricted-activity days      Bed days      Work-loss days      School-loss days      Doctor visits      Hospital days      Bed days in 12 months (1977-95 only)      Doctor visits:  In the past 12 months  Interval since last    visit      Hospitalization:  Number of episodes  Days in past 12 months  

**Condition**    ID number      Same demographic variables as in Person Record      Conditions list assigned:  Musculoskeletal-skin         Impairments         Digestive         Miscellaneous         Circulatory  Respiratory      Condition codes      For all conditions:  Chronic or acute code  Onset       Whether doctor seen  Last seen by doctor       Related restricted-activity days:  Bed days  Work- or school-loss    days       Hospitalized       Condition status       Limitation of activity due to chronic conditions:  Overall limitation    status  Limitation in ability to work    (1983-95 only)      Injuries:  Motor vehicle involved  Place of accident  

**Doctor visit**    ID number      Same demographic variables as in Person Record      Date of visit      Place of visit      Type of doctor      Conditions causing visit      Operations performed (1982-95 only)  

**Hospital**    ID number      Same demographic variables as in Person Record      Type of service      Hospital ownership      Date of admission      Date of discharge      Number of nights in hospital      Operation performed      Hospitalization for delivery (1984-95 only)  

NOTES: MSA is metropolitan statistical    area. SMSA is standard metropolitan statistical area. ID is identification.

**Data file technical characteristics**The block size and record    length pertain to data stored on tape. The CD-ROM format comes with Statistical Export and    Tabulation System **(SETS)**    retrieval software. 
Data          yearRecord        lengthBlock        sizeHouse-        holdPersonCondi-        tionVisitsHospital199636032,76025,99063,40244,35714,0246,103199533531,82541,824102,46775,70122,72110,120199433531,82548,584116,17989,19927,81111,811199333531,82544,978109,67184,75725,81511,09819923353,35051,643128,41297,63029,21513,11119913353,35048,853120,03288,07426,55912,26119903353,35048,860119,63192,53425,31212,52419893353,35048,054116,92983,54824,34012,48119883353,35050,061122,31088,34525,54113,58019873353,35049,569122,85988,59925,51413,81419863353,35024,69862,05245,10612,8337,07419853353,35036,39991,53165,80618,40811,07919843353,35041,471105,29075,26020,51513,51519833353,35040,912105,62075,38820,57914,14519823353,35039,988103,92372,34020,50514,02219814694,69041,265107,48076,64319,07014,22719804804,80039,226102,62974,18218,76413,86319794664,66041,883110,53059,62920,09214,60619785165,16041,164109,94057,51720,10014,58319775165,16041,277111,27963,37120,63714,82919764804,80041,559113,17858,34621,55015,23919754644,64041,649116,28951,50722,52215,65019744784,78041,314116,28737,45315,69222,05819734644,64042,135120,49351,40123,16916,14019724644,64046,149132,89163,714100,24517,55319714864,86045,422134,50268,44125,39317,71419705165,16039,011116,46668,33121,41216,07319693203,20044,110131,57591,29522,43718,023
**Geographic coverage**Each person's region of    residence (four census categories) is shown.  The SMSA is identified in data years    1969-84 if the sample person lived in one of the larger standard metropolitan statistical    areas (SMSAs) that was selected for the sample with certainty.

**Data availability**NHIS data are collected    annually. **Data tapes**    are available for individual years from 1969-96. Data on **CD-ROM**    are available from 1987-97.  ASCII files for 1995-97 are available on CD-ROM directly    from from **NCHS**.  The 1997 data    files and documentation are also available on the **CDC/FTP Server**.     An errata for the 1982-94 Condition files can be downloaded from the **CDC/FTP    server**.

In addition to the data files already    described, tapes containing data collected in special supplements **(Current    Health Topics)**to NHIS are available directly from the National Center for    Health Statistics. The CD-ROMs for 1987-97 contain most of the topics collected for each    data year.  Data for the 1994 Income file can be dowloaded from the **CDC/FTP    Server**.

A **longtudinal    component** of the NHIS is available on CD-ROM for 1986-94.  

NHIS **State Data    files** have been constructed to allow for the production of direct State    estimates.  

**Ordering information**NHIS data tapes can only be    purchased through the National Technical Information Service **(NTIS)**.    The CD-ROM can be purchased from NTIS and the Government Printing Office **(GPO)**.    The NTIS and GPO order numbers are as follows:  

**Data on tape**  
Data yearNTIS order no.Price 1996PB98-502959$305.001995PB98-500432742.001994PB96-501721742.001993PB95-502241742.001992PB94-500915742.001991PB93-500700742.001990PB92-5011701,029.001989PB91-5062791,029.001988PB90-5011801,029.001987PB89-1406511,029.001986PB88-146139891.001985PB87-1481441,029.001984PB87-1215471,029.001983PB86-1388561,029.001982PB85-236172891.001981PB84-1116571,029.001980PB83-2489221,029.001979PB82-1571731,029.001978PB81-1792851,029.001977PB80-2039531,029.001976PB-3004231,029.001975PB-2811261,029.001974PB-2855171,029.001973PB-2855111,029.001972PB-2854601,025.001971PB-2385241,029.001970PB-2373221,029.001969PB-2355431,029.00
 **Data on CD-ROM**  
Data          yearNTIS order no.PriceGPO order          no.Price1997**ContactNCHS**   1996PB99-501793$69.00017-022-01457-2$16.001995PB99-50178569.00017-022-01456-416.001994PB97-50153060.00017-022-01368-121.001993PB96-50224060.00017-022-01333-916.001992PB95-50250630.00017-022-01368-115.001991PB94-50123630.00017-022-01228-616.001990PB94-50122830.00017-022-01227-816.001989PB94-50124430.00017-022-01223-516.001988PB94-50111130.00017-022-01282-115.001987PB93-50593130.00017-022-01220-116.00
**Documentation content**Each NHIS product contains    the necessary documentation, which  includes tape content and technical information    needed to access the data. Data stored on tape is accompanied by printed documentation.    Documentation is available electronically on the CD-ROM.  Documentation for the 1997    data file is available on the **CDC/FTP    server**.

**Related reports**A detailed description of    the survey and summary tables of the data are in the "Current Estimates" reports    of the Vital and Health Statistics, **Series 10**.    Data are also released in **Advance Data**    reports.  

**Contact**    Division of Health Interview Statistics      National Center for Health Statistics      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention      6525 Belcrest Road, Room 850      Hyattsville, Maryland 20782-2003      (301) 458-4001

 

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This page last    reviewed May 25, 2000

**U.S.    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES****Centers    for Disease Control and Prevention**    National Center for Health Statistics    Division of Data Services     Hyattsville, MD    20782-2003    (301) 458-4636
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