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Asthma is one of the nation's most common and costly chronic conditions, affecting over 38 million Americans at some time in their lives. Managing asthma requires a long term, multifaceted approach, including patient education, behavior changes, asthma trigger avoidance, pharmacological therapy, and frequent medical follow-up. This study provides asthma data available at the state and local level to direct and evaluate interventions undertaken by asthma control programs located in the state health departments. Improved tracking for asthma is critical for planning and evaluating efforts to reduce the health burden from the disease.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a state-based system of health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. For many states, the BRFSS is the only available source of timely, accurate data on health-related behaviors. BRFSS was established in 1984 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); currently data are collected monthly in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and Guam. More than 350,000 adults are interviewed each year, making the BRFSS the largest telephone health survey in the world. States use BRFSS data to identify emerging health problems, establish and track health objectives, and develop and evaluate public health policies and programs. The BRFSS is a cross-sectional telephone survey conducted by state health departments with technical and methodological assistance provided by CDC. States conduct monthly telephone surveillance using a standardized questionnaire to determine the distribution of risk behaviors and health practices among adults. Responses are forwarded to CDC, where the monthly data are aggregated for each state, returned with standard tabulations, and published at the year's end by each state. The BRFSS questionnaire was developed jointly by CDC's Behavioral Surveillance Branch (BSB) and the states. Data derived from the questionnaire provide health departments, public health officials, and policymakers with necessary behavioral information. When combined with mortality and morbidity statistics, these data enable public health officials to establish policies and priorities and to initiate and assess health promotion strategies. Demographic variables include race, age, sex, education level, marital status, employment status, and income level.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the August 2006 basic CPS questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in May 2006 (ICPSR 24781) and January 2007 (ICPSR 24783). These three supplements comprise the 2006-2007 waves of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

The TUS, like most CPS supplements, was designed to be a proxy response supplement, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent was a household member 15 years of age or older. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent supplement questions. All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS core items were eligible for the August 2006 supplement items. Beginning in August 2006, 15-17 year old respondents were phased out of the TUS and they were entirely omitted from the January 2007 sample due to Census Bureau budget constraints.

The TUS consisted of items PEA1 through SINTTP. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for certain items. Information was collected from proxies on topics such as smoking status (items PEA1-PEA3) and the use of other tobacco-related products, such as pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PEAJ1A1-PEAJ1A4 and PEJ2A1-PEJSA4).

In addition to these smoking and other tobacco use status questions, self-respondents were queried on the following topics depending on their smoking/tobacco use status (i.e., every day, some days, or former cigarette smokers and/or users of other non-cigarette tobacco products):

• Smoking history

• Current cigarette smoking prevalence and consumption

• Type of cigarettes smoked

• Price of last pack/carton of cigarettes purchased and state of purchase

• Medical and dental advice to quit smoking

• Attempts and intentions to quit smoking cigarettes and/or other forms of tobacco use

• Awareness of 1-800-QUIT-NOW

• Workplace smoking policies and smoking rules in the home

• Attitudes toward smoking in public places

Another generally unique feature to the 2006-2007 TUS-CPS was the administration of questions to former smokers on their previous level of addiction, use of quitlines, and advice from health professionals. This feature enables comparisons between characteristics of former smokers (or successful quitters) and current smokers attempting to quit.

Demographic information collected include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the February 2002 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in June 2001 (ICPSR 4043) and November 2001 (ICPSR 4044). These three supplements comprise the 2001-2002 waves of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS monthly items were eligible for the TUS, which consisted of items PES32 through PES77. The TUS was mainly designed to be a proxy response survey, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent questions. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for questions on the topics of smoking status (items PES32-PES34) and the use of other tobacco products; for example, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PES62A-PES63B).

Additionally, self-respondents were asked various questions depending on their smoking status -- former, everyday, or occasional (items PES36-PES46 and PES55-PES61). Current everyday and occasional smokers were then asked whether the medical community had advised them to quit smoking or if they were planning to quit in the near future (items PES47-PES54). Self-respondents were further queried on smoking policies in their work place (items PES67-PES71), smoking rules in the home (item PES73) and questions on opinions about smoking (items PES72, PES75-PES77).

Administrative information was collected on who the proxy respondents were, the language in which the interview was conducted, and the survey method (telephone vs. personal-visit interviews; Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) vs. Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)). Demographic information collected includes age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the February 2003 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in June 2003 (ICPSR 4527) and November 2003 (ICPSR 4528). These three supplements comprise the 2003 wave of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

The TUS, like most CPS supplements, was designed to be a proxy response supplement, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent was a household member 15 years of age or older. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent supplement questions. All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS core items were eligible for the February 2003 supplement items.

The TUS consisted of items PEA1 through PEK5. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for certain items. Information was collected from proxies on topics such as smoking status (items PEA1-PEA3) and the use of other tobacco-related products, such as pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PEJ1a -PEJ2a).

In addition to these smoking status and other tobacco use questions, self-respondents were queried on the following topics depending on their smoking/tobacco use status (i.e., every day, some days, or former cigarette smokers and/or users of other non-cigarette tobacco products):

• Smoking history

• Current cigarette smoking prevalence and consumption

• Type of cigarettes smoked

• Price of last pack/carton of cigarettes purchased and state where purchased

• Medical and dental advice to quit smoking

• Attempts and intentions to quit smoking cigarettes and/or other forms of tobacco use

• Workplace smoking policies and smoking rules in the home

• Attitudes toward smoking in public places

Another generally unique feature to the 2003 TUS-CPS was the administration of questions to former smokers on their previous level of addiction, products/resources/methods used to quit smoking, and advice from health professionals. This feature enables comparisons between characteristics of former smokers (or successful quitters) and current smokers attempting to quit.

Administrative information was collected on who the proxy respondents were, the language in which the interview was conducted, and the survey method (telephone vs. personal-visit interviews; Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) vs. Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)). Demographic information collected include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the January 2007 basic CPS questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in May 2006 (ICPSR 24781) and August 2006 (ICPSR 24782). These three supplements comprise the 2006-2007 waves of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

The TUS, like most CPS supplements, was designed to be a proxy response supplement, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent was a household member 15 years of age or older. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent supplement questions. All household members age 18 years and older who had completed the basic CPS core items were eligible for the January 2007 supplement items. Beginning in August 2006, 15-17 year old respondents were phased out of the TUS and they were entirely omitted from the January 2007 sample due to Census Bureau budget constraints (but remained for the May and August 2006 waves).

The TUS consisted of items PEA1 through SINTTP. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for certain items. Information was collected from proxies on topics such as smoking status (items PEA1-PEA3) and the use of other tobacco-related products, such as pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PEAJ1A1-PEAJ1A4 and PEJ2A1-PEJSA4).

In addition to these smoking and other tobacco use status questions, self-respondents were queried on the following topics depending on their smoking/tobacco use status (i.e., every day, some days, or former cigarette smokers and/or users of other non-cigarette tobacco products):

• Smoking history

• Current cigarette smoking prevalence and consumption

• Type of cigarettes smoked

• Price of last pack/carton of cigarettes purchased and state of purchase

• Medical and dental advice to quit smoking

• Attempts and intentions to quit smoking cigarettes and/or other forms of tobacco use

• Awareness of 1-800-QUIT-NOW

• Workplace smoking policies and smoking rules in the home

• Attitudes toward smoking in public places

Another generally unique feature to the 2006-2007 TUS-CPS was the administration of questions to former smokers on their previous level of addiction, use of quitlines, and advice from health professionals. This feature enables comparisons between characteristics of former smokers (or successful quitters) and current smokers attempting to quit.

Demographic information collected include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the June 2001 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in November 2001 (ICPSR 4044) and February 2002 (ICPSR 4031). These three supplements comprise the 2001-2002 waves of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS monthly items were eligible for the TUS, which consisted of items PES32 through PES77. The TUS was mainly designed to be a proxy response survey, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent questions. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for questions on the topics of smoking status (items PES32-PES34) and the use of other tobacco products; for example, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PES62A-PES63B).

Additionally, self-respondents were asked various questions depending on their smoking status -- former, everyday, or occasional (items PES36-PES46 and PES55-PES61). Current everyday and occasional smokers were then asked whether the medical community had advised them to quit smoking or if they were planning to quit in the near future (items PES47-PES54). Self-respondents were further queried on smoking policies in their work place (items PES67-PES71), smoking rules in the home (item PES73) and questions on opinions about smoking (items PES72, PES75-PES77).

Administrative information was collected on who the proxy respondents were, the language in which the interview was conducted, and the survey method (telephone vs. personal-visit interviews; Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) vs. Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)). Demographic information collected includes age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the June 2003 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in February 2003 (ICPSR 4526) and November 2003 (ICPSR 4528). These three supplements comprise the 2003 wave of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

The TUS, like most CPS supplements, was designed to be a proxy response supplement, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent was a household member 15 years of age or older. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent supplement questions. All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS core items were eligible for the June 2003 supplement items.

The TUS consisted of items PEA1 through PEK5. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for certain items. Information was collected from proxies on topics such as smoking status (items PEA1-PEA3) and the use of other tobacco-related products, such as pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PEJ1a -PEJ2a).

In addition to these smoking status and other tobacco use questions, self-respondents were queried on the following topics depending on their smoking/tobacco use status (i.e., every day, some days, or former cigarette smokers and/or users of other non-cigarette tobacco products):

• Smoking history

• Current cigarette smoking prevalence and consumption

• Type of cigarettes smoked

• Price of last pack/carton of cigarettes purchased and state where purchased

• Medical and dental advice to quit smoking

• Attempts and intentions to quit smoking cigarettes and/or other forms of tobacco use

• Workplace smoking policies and smoking rules in the home

• Attitudes toward smoking in public places

Another generally unique feature to the 2003 TUS-CPS was the administration of questions to former smokers on their previous level of addiction, products/resources/methods used to quit smoking, and advice from health professionals. This feature enables comparisons between characteristics of former smokers (or successful quitters) and current smokers attempting to quit.

Administrative information was collected on who the proxy respondents were, the language in which the interview was conducted, and the survey method (telephone vs. personal-visit interviews; Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) vs. Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)). Demographic information collected include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the May 2006 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in August 2006 (ICPSR 24782) and January 2007 (ICPSR 24783). These three supplements comprise the 2006-2007 waves of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

The TUS -- like most CPS supplements -- was designed to be a proxy response supplement, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent was a household member 15 years of age or older. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent supplement questions. All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS core items were eligible for the May 2006 supplement items. Beginning in August 2006, 15-17 year old respondents were phased out of the TUS and they were entirely omitted from the January 2007 sample due to Census Bureau budget constraints.

The TUS consisted of items PEA1 through SINTTP. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for certain items. Information was collected from proxies on topics such as smoking status (items PEA1-PEA3) and the use of other tobacco-related products, such as pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PEAJ1A1-PEAJ1A4 and PEJ2A1-PEJSA4).

In addition to these smoking and other tobacco use status questions, self-respondents were queried on the following topics depending on their smoking/tobacco use status (i.e., every day, some days, or former cigarette smokers and/or users of other non-cigarette tobacco products):

• Smoking history

• Current cigarette smoking prevalence and consumption

• Type of cigarettes smoked

• Price of last pack/carton of cigarettes purchased and state of purchase

• Medical and dental advice to quit smoking

• Attempts and intentions to quit smoking cigarettes and/or other forms of tobacco use

• Awareness of 1-800-QUIT-NOW

• Workplace smoking policies and smoking rules in the home

• Attitudes toward smoking in public places

Another generally unique feature to the 2006-2007 TUS-CPS was the administration of questions to former smokers on their previous level of addiction, use of quitlines, and advice from health professionals. This feature enables comparisons between characteristics of former smokers (or successful quitters) and current smokers attempting to quit.

Demographic information collected include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the November 2001 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in June 2001 (ICPSR 4043) and February 2002 (ICPSR 4031). These three supplements comprise the 2001-2002 waves of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS monthly items were eligible for the TUS, which consisted of items PES32 through PES77. The TUS was mainly designed to be a proxy response survey, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent questions. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for questions on the topics of smoking status (items PES32-PES34) and the use of other tobacco products; for example, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PES62A-PES63B).

Additionally, self-respondents were asked various questions depending on their smoking status -- former, everyday, or occasional (items PES36-PES46 and PES55-PES61). Current everyday and occasional smokers were then asked whether the medical community had advised them to quit smoking or if they were planning to quit in the near future (items PES47-PES54). Self-respondents were further queried on smoking policies in their work place (items PES67-PES71), smoking rules in the home (item PES73) and questions on opinions about smoking (items PES72, PES75-PES77).

Administrative information was collected on who the proxy respondents were, the language in which the interview was conducted, and the survey method (telephone vs. personal-visit interviews; Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) vs. Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)). Demographic information collected includes age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

This data collection is comprised of responses from two sets of survey questionnaires, the basic Current Population Survey (CPS) and a survey administered as a supplement to the November 2003 questionnaire on the topic of tobacco use in the United States. The Tobacco Use Supplement (TUS), sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was also administered in February 2003 (ICPSR 4526) and June 2003 (ICPSR 4527). These three supplements comprise the 2003 wave of TUS data.

The basic CPS, administered monthly, collects labor force data about the civilian noninstitutional population living in the United States. Moreover, the CPS provides current estimates of the economic status and activities of this population which includes estimates of total employment (both farm and nonfarm), nonfarm self-employed persons, domestics, and unpaid helpers in nonfarm family enterprises, wage and salaried employees, and estimates of total unemployment. Data from the CPS are provided for the week prior to the administration of the survey.

The TUS, like most CPS supplements, was designed to be a proxy response supplement, meaning a single respondent could provide answers for all eligible household members, provided the respondent was a household member 15 years of age or older. Unique to the TUS design were also a set of self-respondent supplement questions. All household members age 15 years and older who had completed the basic CPS core items were eligible for the November 2003 supplement items.

The TUS consisted of items PEA1 through PEK5. Self-respondents were eligible for the entire supplement, whereas proxy respondents were only eligible for certain items. Information was collected from proxies on topics such as smoking status (items PEA1-PEA3) and the use of other tobacco-related products, such as pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff (items PEJ1a-PEJ2a).

In addition to these smoking status and other tobacco use questions, self-respondents were queried on the following topics depending on their smoking/tobacco use status (i.e., every day, some days, or former cigarette smokers and/or users of other non-cigarette tobacco products):

• Smoking history

• Current cigarette smoking prevalence and consumption

• Type of cigarettes smoked

• Price of last pack/carton of cigarettes purchased and state where purchased

• Medical and dental advice to quit smoking

• Attempts and intentions to quit smoking cigarettes and/or other forms of tobacco use

• Workplace smoking policies and smoking rules in the home

• Attitudes toward smoking in public places

Another generally unique feature to the 2003 TUS-CPS was the administration of questions to former smokers on their previous level of addiction, products/resources/methods used to quit smoking, and advice from health professionals. This feature enables comparisons between characteristics of former smokers (or successful quitters) and current smokers attempting to quit.

Administrative information was collected on who the proxy respondents were, the language in which the interview was conducted, and the survey method (telephone vs. personal-visit interviews; Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) vs. Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI)). Demographic information collected include age, sex, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, veteran status, educational attainment, family relationship, occupation, and income.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) is a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States. The NHANES combines personal interviews and physical examinations, which focus on different population groups or health topics. These surveys have been conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) on a periodic basis from 1971 to 1994. In 1999 the NHANES became a continuous program with a changing focus on a variety of health and nutrition measurements which were designed to meet current and emerging concerns. The surveys examine a nationally representative sample of approximately 5,000 persons each year. These persons are located in counties across the United States, 15 of which are visited each year.

For NHANES 2003-2004, there were 12,761 persons selected for the sample, 10,122 of those were interviewed (79.3 percent) and 9,643 (75.6 percent) were examined in the mobile examination centers (MEC). Many of the NHANES 2003-2004 questions were also asked in NHANES II 1976-1980, Hispanic HANES 1982-1984, NHANES III 1988-1994, and NHANES 1999-2002. New questions were added to the survey based on recommendations from survey collaborators, NCHS staff, and other interagency work groups. As in past health examination surveys, data were collected on the prevalence of chronic conditions in the population. Estimates for previously undiagnosed conditions, as well as those known to and reported by survey respondents, are produced through the survey. Risk factors, those aspects of a person's lifestyle, constitution, heredity, or environment that may increase the chances of developing a certain disease or condition, were examined. Data on smoking, alcohol consumption, sexual practices, drug use, physical fitness and activity, weight, and dietary intake were collected. Information on certain aspects of reproductive health, such as use of oral contraceptives and breastfeeding practices, were also collected. The diseases, medical conditions, and health indicators that were studied include: anemia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and lower extremity disease, environmental exposures, equilibrium, hearing loss, infectious diseases and immunization, kidney disease, mental health and cognitive functioning, nutrition, obesity, oral health, osteoporosis, physical fitness and physical functioning, reproductive history and sexual behavior, respiratory disease (asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema), sexually transmitted diseases, skin diseases, and vision. The sample for the survey was selected to represent the United States population of all ages. Special emphasis in the 2003-2004 NHANES was on adolescent health and the health of older Americans. To produce reliable statistics for these groups, adolescents aged 15-19 years and persons aged 60 years and older were over-sampled for the survey. African Americans and Mexican Americans were also over-sampled to enable accurate estimates for these groups. Several important areas in adolescent health, including nutrition and fitness and other aspects of growth and development, were addressed. Since the United States has experienced dramatic growth in the number of older people during the twentieth century, the aging population has major implications for health care needs, public policy, and research priorities. NCHS is working with public health agencies to increase the knowledge of the health status of older Americans. NHANES has a primary role in this endeavor. In the examination, all participants visit the physician who takes their pulse or blood pressure. Dietary interviews and body measurements are included for everyone. All but the very young have a blood sample taken and see the dentist. Depending upon the age of the participant, the rest of the examination includes tests and procedures to assess the various aspects of health listed above. Usually, the older the individual, the more extensive the examination. Some persons who are unable or unwilling to come to the examination center may be given a less extensive examination in their homes.

Demographic data file variables are grouped into three broad categories: (1) Status Variables: provide core information on the survey participant. Examples of the core variables include interview status, examination status, and sequence number. (Sequence number is a unique ID assigned to each sample person and is required to match the information on this demographic file to the rest of the NHANES 2003-2004 data). (2) Recoded Demographic Variables: these variables include age (age in months for persons through age 19 years, 11 months; age in years for 1- to 84-year-olds, and a top-coded age group of 85 years of age and older), gender, a race/ethnicity variable, current or highest grade of education completed, (less than high school, high school, and more than high school education), country of birth (United States, Mexico, or other foreign born), Poverty Income Ratio (PIR), income, and a pregnancy status variable (adjudicated from various pregnancy related variables). Some of the groupings were made due to limited sample sizes for the two-year data set. (3) Interview and Examination Sample Weight Variables: sample weights are available for analyzing NHANES 2003-2004 data. For a complete listing of survey contents for all years of the NHANES see the document -- Survey Content -- NHANES 1999-2010.