Description

For sample adults 18 and over who reported having a voice, swallowing, speech, or language problem in the past 12 months (VSLVYR, VSLSWYR, VSLSPYR, VSLLGYR), VSLDIAG identifies those respondents who were given a diagnosis for their voice, swallowing, speech, or language problem.

This variable is part of the Adult Voice, Speech, and Language Supplement, first included in the NHIS survey in 2012. The interviewer prefaced the supplement with the normative statement, "These next questions are about problems with your voice, swallowing, speech, or language. Please do not tell us about problems that resulted from drinking alcohol or were caused by use of illicit drugs."

The Adult Voice, Speech and Language Supplement is the first-ever large scale communication supplement included in the NHIS survey. It includes data about causes, age of onset, severity, and healthcare utilization in relation to voice, swallowing, speech, and language problems or difficulties.

Starting in 2022, this variable is a part of the Adult and Child Voice, Swallowing, Speech, and Language Communication Disorders section of sponsored content. These questions aim to capture sample persons that experience one or more problems with their voice, swallowing, speech, or language. These questions are sponsored by the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Important terms to understand for these questions that are listed in the Field Representative Manual include:

• Language Disorders: any problem with verbal communication and the ability to use or understand a symbol system for communication.

• Speech Disorders: any defect or abnormality that prevents an individual from communicating by means of spoken words. These may develop from nerve injury to the brain, muscular paralysis, structural defects, hysteria, or intellectual disability, also known as mental retardation.

• Speech-Language Pathologist: health professional trained to evaluate and treat people who have voice, speech, swallowing, or language disorders (including hearing impairment) that affect their ability to communicate.

• Swallowing Disorders: any of a group of problems that interferes with the transfer of food from the mouth to the stomach. Voice Disorders are a group of problems involving abnormal pitch, loudness, or quality of the sound produced by the larynx (voice box).

In a subsequent question, respondents who had had a diagnosed voice, swallowing, speech, or language problem that lasted for a week or longer were asked to specify the category of their problem:

• VSLVDIAG indicates diagnosed voice problem

• VSLSWDIAG indicates diagnosed swallowing problem

• VSLSPDIAG indicates diagnosed speech problem

• VSLLGDIAG indicates diagnosed language problem

After ascertaining the general category of the problem, the respondent who had had a diagnosed voice, swallowing, speech, or language problem that lasted for a week or longer was asked about specific causes of their diagnosed voice, swallowing, speech, and/or language problems.

For voice problems:[show more]

For swallowing problems:[show more]

For speech problems:[show more]

For language problems:[show more]

For information about voice, swallowing, speech, or language problems:[show more]

Comparability

This variable is comparable across time.

Universe

Availability

• 2012

Weights

• 2012 : SAMPWEIGHT