Overview

Topic: General Health; Healthcare Access; Healthcare Utilization; Population Health
Dataset Type: Nationally representative household survey; Cross-sectional (annual)
Expertise Required: 🎓🎓 (Intermediate)
Cost: Free
Dataset Summary

The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is a nationally representative household survey conducted annually by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Administered in English and Spanish, NHIS collects information on health status, prevalence of medical conditions, disability, and self-reported healthcare access and utilization.

NHIS is widely used to generate national estimates of illness, chronic conditions, preventive service use, insurance coverage, and barriers to care. The survey serves as a foundational data source for monitoring population health and informing federal health policy.

Caveats
  • Cross-sectional design limits longitudinal inference.
  • Data are self-reported and may be subject to recall or reporting bias.
  • Some detailed geographic and restricted variables require access through the NCHS Research Data Center (RDC).
  • Complex survey design requires appropriate weighting to produce nationally representative estimates.
Examples of Outcomes Examined
  • Access to care and barriers to care
  • Prevalence of illness and chronic conditions
  • Disability and functional limitations
  • Use of preventive services
  • Health insurance coverage and healthcare utilization

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Topic

Health Equity, Population Health

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