National Health Interview Survey, 1994

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 Household Record file
(Part 1) presents information on type of living quarters, size of
family, number of families in the household, whether there is a
telephone, number of unrelated individuals, and region. Variables in
the Person Record file (Part 2) cover sex, age, race, marital status,
Hispanic origin, education, veteran status, family income, family
size, major activities, health status, activity limits, employment
status, industry, and occupation. These person-level variables are
also found in the Condition, Doctor Visit, and Hospital Record files
(Parts 3-5). The Person Record file also contains height, weight, bed
days, doctor visits, hospital stays, years at residence, and region
variables. Data for each reported health condition, with specifics on
injury and accident reports, are supplied in the condition file, while
the Doctor Visit Record file documents doctor visits within the time
period and identifies acute or chronic conditions. The Hospital Record
file contains information on conditions, hospital episodes, type of
service, type of hospital ownership, date of admission and discharge,
number of nights in hospital, and operations performed, within the
12-month period.