For sample adults, interviewers asked, "During the past 12 months, have you had urinary problems such as incontinence, frequent or slow urination or infections?" For sample adults, the question did not specify that the urinary problem experienced during the past 12 months had to be diagnosed by a doctor or other health professional.

For sample children, the question was, "During the past 12 months, has a doctor or other health professional told you that [sample child] had urinary problems, including urinary tract infection?" The wording of this question may have led to an understated incidence of urinary problems in children. Respondents for sample children who experienced urinary problems during the past 12 months that were not diagnosed by a doctor or other health professional could well have answered "no" under a literal interpretation of this question wording.

For 1997 forward, KIDNEYWKYR identifies sample adults diagnosed during the past 12 months with weak or failing kidneys (with problems other than kidney stones, bladder infections, or incontinence). For 1999, KIDNYSTONYR identifies sample adults diagnosed with kidney stones during the past 12 months.

Available in 2007, BEDWETYR identifies sample children age 4 to 17 who had incontinence, including bed wetting, during the past 12 months.