Glossary of Terms

Donee – In hot deck imputation, the record that receives imputed information (see also hot deck imputation).

Donor – In hot deck imputation, the record that contributes information for imputation (see also hot deck imputation).

Flashcard - A flashcard is a visual aid that is used to help respondents answer questions in the survey. The flashcards used in the NHIS contain the response categories for specific questions, particularly those with complex response categories or many response categories.

Hot-deck imputation – A method of imputation where values of variables for valid records in the file from the current (hot) survey year are used to impute values for missing data on records.

Hispanic or Latino - A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. The term, "Spanish origin," can be used in addition to "Hispanic or Latino."

Imputation flag – One or more variables on the data file that identify the categories for which values were imputed, the types of records that were imputed, and the number of records imputed in each category.

Instrument – A term that is synonymous with “questionnaire”; also referred to as “survey instrument”.

Modal value – In the context of the hot-deck imputation methods applied to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, this is the most frequently mentioned race group or Hispanic origin subgroup within the secondary sampling unit (SSU). See also secondary sampling unit.

Modified Race Data summary file (MRD) – This file provides data from Census 2000 for all persons in the United States (including Puerto Rico), where the race data have been modified to meet the needs of selected data users. This modification reconciles the Census 2000 race categories with those race categories that appear in the data from administrative records. The modified data are used to produce population estimates and projections.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – The federal agency that facilitates budget, policy, legislative, regulatory, and management issues on behalf of the President. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within OMB develops policies to improve government statistics and information management, including statistical standards related to the collection of race and ethnicity data in the federal government.

OMB Directive 15 – A policy established by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 1977. It was designed to standardize the collection of racial and ethnic data across federal agencies, and established categories for the collection of data on race and Hispanic origin. Federal data systems were required to classify individuals in four racial groups: American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, black, and white. This policy remained in effect until the standards were revised in 1997.

Race – The revised race standards identify five categories for data on race: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and White. These represent the minimum categories for data on race and ethnicity for Federal statistics, program administrative reporting, and civil rights compliance reporting. The minimum categories are defined as follows:

American Indian or Alaska Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Black or African American - A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Terms such as "Haitian" or "Negro" can be used in addition to "Black or African American."

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

White - A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

Recode – A new variable that is created by regrouping categories on an existing variable.

Secondary Sampling Unit (SSU) – In the NHIS sample design, the SSU is the first stage of subsampling within each primary sampling unit (PSU). An SSU is expected to contain 4-8 households for interview.