Codes and Frequencies
Description
For sample persons under age 18, TONSILSEV indicates if the child ever had repeated tonsilitis or enlargement of the tonsils or adenoids. The inquiry did not require the problem to be diagnosed by a doctor or health professional, and definitions of the terms "tonsilitis" or "adenoids" were not provided in the survey text or Field Representative's Manual and were assumed to be respondent-defined. According to the National Library of Medicine, tonsilits is an inflammation) of the tonsils.
The Manual instructed interviewers to circle the condition (repeated tonsilitis or enlarged adenoids for future reference, but the NHIS and IPUMS NHIS do not provide additional variables on these conditions.
The question for TONSILSEV was part of a series of questions on child health conditions in the 1988 Supplement on Child Health.
Related Variables
Along with TONSILSEV, respondents were asked if the child ever had any of 33 conditions, and respondents could also specify up to three conditions not directly included in the inquiry.
Variables grouped with STUTTEREV listed in the condition list include:
- EARINFREQYR, ever had frequent ear infections
- FALLERGYEV, ever had any kind of food allergy
- ASTHMAEV, ever told had asthma
- ANEMIAEV, ever told anemia
- SICKLCELEV, ever told had sicle cell
- DIARRHEAYR, ever had frequent diarrhea
- BOWELNONDEV, ever had frequent diarrhea, and
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- DIABETICEV, told had diabetes
From 1997 forward, the variable STREPYR, had any tonsillitis in past 12 months, is available for all sample children.
Universe
- 1988: Sample persons under age 18.
Availability
- 1988
Weights
- 1988 : SAMPWEIGHT
