Codes and Frequencies
Description
For sample adults in 1987, 1992, and 2000 who had taken a multi-vitamin during at least 1 month of the past 12 months (VITAMULTV and VITAMULTVMO), VITAMULTVDMO reports the number of days per month respondents had taken a multi-vitamin.
Data Collection
For 2000, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) used the information recorded in two separate variables--one reporting the time period selected by the respondent (VITAMULTVTP), and the other reporting the number of days per week or month reported (VITAMULTVNO)--to create the new recoded variable VITAMULTVDMO with a single time unit of times per month.
VITAMULTVTP and VITAMULTVNO record responses to the question, "During [the/those] month(s), about how many [days [per week]/days per month] did you take multi-vitamins?"
For 1987 and 1992, VITAMULTVDMO is not a recoded variable. In those years, respondents who had taken multi-vitamin supplements in the past 12 months (VITAMULTVMO) were asked to report their multi-vitamin supplement usage in terms of days per month, rather than responding as desired in terms of days per week or days per month.
Related Variables
For 2000 only, the NCHS used data from VITAMULTVTP and VITAMULTVNO to create a second recoded variable with a single time unit, VITAMULTVDWK, which reports the number of days per week respondents had taken a multi-vitamin during the relevant months of the past 12 months.
Variables similar to VITAMULTVDMO are available for the following vitamins/minerals (all are available for 1987, 1992, and 2000):
- Calcium (VITACALCDMO)
- Vitamin A (VITAMINADMO)
- Vitamin C (VITAMINCDMO)
- Vitamin E (VITAMINEDMO)
For more information on the full range of variables related to vitamins, see VITANY.
Comparability
As noted in the variable description, VITAMULTVDMO was directly reported in 1987 and 1992. In 2000, this variable was created by the NCHS, using a formula to convert data from other variables on the "time period" and "number of units in a time period" for multi-vitamin consumption.
The differing data collection methods yield somewhat different patterns of "heaping" at particular digits between 1 and 31 (1987 and 1992) or 1 and 30 (2000). Due to the pronounced heaping at some points in the distribution, analysts may wish to regroup the data for VITAMULTVDMO into broad categories (such as "at least every other day" or weekly groupings).
Universe
- 1987: Half of sample persons age 18+ (excluded from CACT supplement) who took vitamin/mineral supplements and multiple vitamins in the past 12 months.
- 1992: Half of sample persons age 18+ in quarters 1 and 2, and in 2 weeks of quarter 3 (excluded from CACT supplement) who took multi-vitamins in past 12 months.
- 2000: Sample adults age 18+ who took multi-vitamins in past 12 months.
Availability
- 1987, 1992, 2000
Weights
- 1987, 1992, 2000 : SAMPWEIGHT
