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About NCHS
National Health Interview Survey
Health Topics Addressed
Examples of NHIS Data
Challenges and Future Opportunities
The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is the nation's principal health statistics agency, providing data to identify and address health issues. NCHS compiles statistical information to help guide public health and health policy decisions.
Collaborating with other public and private health partners, NCHS employs a variety of data collection mechanisms to obtain accurate information from multiple sources. This process provides a broad perspective to help us understand the population's health, influences on health, and health outcomes.
The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) provides information annually on the health status of the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized population through confidential interviews conducted in households. The NHIS is the nation's largest household health survey, providing data for analyses of health trends, determining barriers to care, and comparing health status, health related behaviors and risk factors across racial and ethnic populations.
Source: National Health Interview Survey,
2007.
*Current asthma = an asthma episode in the past
year
Source: National Health Interview Survey, 2007.
Other findings for 2007 include:
In May and December of each year, the NHIS releases selected estimates of telephone coverage based on in-person interviews including whether anyone in the household has a wireless telephone. The inability to reach households with only wireless telephones (or with no telephone service) has potential implications for results from health surveys and other research conducted using random-digit-dial telephone surveys. Coverage bias may exist if there are differences between persons with and without landline telephone for the substantive variables of interest.
To improve the usefulness and accessibility of NHIS data by continuous improvements in data quality, relevance and reporting. Major projects include enhanced Web access for both current and historic NHIS data.
National Center for Health
Statistics
3311 Toledo Road
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone:
1-800-232-4636
nchsquery@cdc.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, U.S.A
Tel: (404) 639-3311 / Public Inquiries: (404) 639-3534 / (800) 311-3435