DOI: 10.3886/icpsr08668.v2
title: National Health Interview Survey, 1985
title: Version 2

description: The basic purpose of the National Health Interview Survey is to obtain information about the amount and distribution of illness, its effects in terms of disability and chronic impairments, and the kinds of health services people receive. There are five types of records in the core survey, each in a separate data file. The variables in the Household File (Part 1) include type of living quarters, size of family, number of families in household, and geographic region. The variables in the Person File (Part 2) include sex, age, race, marital status, veteran status, education, income, industry and occupation codes, and limits on activity. These variables are found in the Condition, Doctor Visit, and Hospital Episode Files as well. The Person File also supplies data on height, weight, bed days, doctor visits, hospital stays, years at residence, and region variables. The Condition (Part 3), Doctor Visit (Part 4), and the Hospital Episode (Part 5) Files contain information on each reported condition, two-week doctor visit, or hospitalization (twelve-month recall), respectively. A sixth, seventh, and eighth file have been added along with the five core files. The Health Promotions and Disease Prevention Supplement is separated into three categories as follows: Child Safety/Infant Feeding (Part 6), Sample Person (Part 7), and Smoking (Part 8). These data files include questions on health and fitness awareness, general
health habits, injury control, child safety and health, high blood
pressure, stress, exercise, smoking, alcohol use, dental care, and
occupational safety and health.
description: Detailed information regarding the use of weights is located within the documentation.
description: Starting in 1985, the NHIS multi-stage probability sampling
design incorporates several major changes which facilitate linkages
with other National Center for Health Statistics surveys, improve
precision of estimates, and reduce costs. Starting with an all-area
frame, a reduced number of 198 Primary Sampling Units (PSU) were
selected, including two from each non-self representing stratum. Black
persons were oversampled. Four independent representative samples were
drawn which may be used in any combination.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: Household
DS2: Person
DS3: Condition
DS4: Doctor Visit
DS5: Hospital Episode
DS6: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Child Safety/Infant Feeding Supplement
DS7: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Sample Person Supplement
DS8: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Smoking Supplement
description: Civilian, non-institutionalized population of the United
States and the District of Columbia from 1,900 geographically defined
Primary Sampling Units (PSU).
description: face-to-face interviewThe data contain amp (&), dash (-), and blank codes. In
conjunction with the changes made to the core of NHIS in 1982, all 5
types of files have revised tape layouts. In general, identification
items are at the beginning of each record followed by household and
person information in the same location on each tape. Limitation of
activity, acute conditions, disability days, and doctor visits should
not be compared to data gathered before 1982. For the Health Promotions
and Disease Prevention Supplement, one person was selected from each
family interviewed and this sample person was a self-respondent to the
supplement's questions.