Description

SCOLIONOWC indicates whether the person now has chronic scoliosis. This variable is created with supplemental programming by the IPUMS NHIS staff from the pre-1997 condition records. For general information about IHIS variables (such as SCOLIONOWC) created from the pre-1997 condition records, see the User Note on Condition Records and Condition Variables.

Defining Scoliosis Records and Identifying Persons with Scoliosis

For all available years, persons who were asked a direct question about scoliosis and who have a chronic scoliosis condition record are given a "Yes" code for SCOLIONOWC. Persons who were asked a direct question about scoliosis but do not have a chronic scoliosis record are given a code of "No." Persons who were not asked a direct question about scoliosis, or for whom it is unknown whether they were asked such a question, are given a code of "NIU" (not in universe), regardless of whether they have a chronic scoliosis record.

For 1971 and 1977-1978, scoliosis records were defined as those condition records with a code of "X80" ("Curvature of the spine") in the variable DIAGR1 in the original NHIS public use files. This condition code value comes from NCHS's Diagnostic Recode #1: Diseases, Injuries, and Impairments. Additionally, to be considered "chronic," scoliosis condition records must have a code of "1" ("Chronic") in the variable CACODE in the original NHIS public use files.

For 1979-1981, scoliosis records were defined as those condition records with a code of "X70" ("Curvature and other structural deformities of spine or back, except spina bifida") in the variable DIAGR1 in the original NHIS public use files. This condition code value comes from NCHS's Diagnostic Recode #1: Diseases, Injuries, and Impairments. As with earlier years, to be considered "chronic," scoliosis condition records must have a code of "1" ("Chronic") in the variable CACODE in the original NHIS public use files.

For 1982-1996, chronic scoliosis records were defined as those condition records with a code of "228" ("Curvature or other deformity of back or spine") in the variable C1CONDRC in the original NHIS public use files. This condition code value comes from NCHS's Diagnostic Recode C: Chronic Conditions and Impairments.

Comparability

As with all of the person-level condition variables created by IHIS from condition records prior to 1997, the universe for SCOLIONOWC is substantially different for 1978 forward than it is for years prior to 1978. Beginning in 1978, only persons living in 1/6 of households, rather than all persons, were asked a direct question about now having scoliosis. There is also a minor universe change between the sets of years 1978-1981 and 1982-1996. These changes require that different weight variables be used depending on which years of data are analyzed. See the "Weights" tab for details.

Additionally, there is a change in the way "Yes" responses are coded over time. See the User Note on Condition Records and Condition Variables for details about the composite coding scheme employed by IHIS.

Universe

Availability

• 1971, 1977-1996

Weights

• 1971, 1977 : PERWEIGHT
• 1982-1996 : CONDWT2
• 1978-1981 : CONDWT4