National Health Interview Survey, 1996

The purpose of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
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. The variables in the
Household Record file (Part 1) include type of living quarters, size
of family, number of families in the household, presence of a
telephone, number of unrelated individuals, and region. The Person
Record file (Part 2) includes information on sex, age, race, marital
status, Hispanic origin, education, veteran status, family income,
family size, major activities, health status, activity limits,
employment status, and industry and occupation. These variables are
found in the Condition, Doctor Visit, and Hospital Record files as
well. The Person Record also supplies data on height, weight, bed
days, doctor visits, hospital stays, years at residence, and region
variables. The Condition Record file (Part 3) contains information for
each reported health condition, with specifics on injury and accident
reports. The Doctor Visit Record file (Part 4) documents doctor visits
within the time period and identifies acute or chronic conditions. The
Hospital Record file (Part 5) provides information on medical
conditions, hospital episodes, type of service, type of hospital
ownership, date of admission and discharge, number of nights in
hospital, and operations performed.