Description

CLIMENTALNO reports the number of time units the respondent stated when reporting the duration of a limiting mental problem. This information is reported only for persons age 18+ who had at least one activity limitation (LANY), and whose limitation was due to a mental problem not listed on the interviewer-provided flashcard (CLIMENTAL).

Data on the duration of the limiting mental problem, not listed on the interviewer-provided flashcard, were collected via the question, "How long [have/has] [you/person] had [a mental problem]?" Respondents could answer this open-ended question using the time unit of their choice (i.e., days, weeks, months, years, or since birth). The original responses to the question are reported in two complementary variables, CLIMENTALTP (which specifies the time unit) and CLIMENTALNO (which, as noted above, reports the number of such units). As noted in the Codebooks for 1997 forward, "years are topcoded at 85." For the NHIS public use files, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) recoded the results from these two variables to create two other variables using standard time units: years (CLIMENTALY) and groups of months (CLIMENTALMO).

Comparability

The variable is completely comparable across time.

Universe

Availability

• 1997-2018

Weights

• 1997-2018 : PERWEIGHT