Description

For sample adults in 2007 who had previously had side effects from meditation (RELNOSIDE), RELSIDEMED indicates whether those side effects required medical attention.

The 2002 and 2007 NHIS included supplements covering a range of alternative health practices (see ACUYR). In 2007, respondents who had ever used meditation but had not done so in the past 12 months (i.e., those with a positive response to RELMEDEV coupled with a negative response to RELMEDYR) were asked their reason for not using meditation in the past 12 months. (See RELNOCOST for the range of possible reasons.)

Respondents who had not used meditation in the past 12 months because they had had side effects the last time they had used it (RELNOSIDE) were asked to specify those side effects. (Because these data were recorded in the form of alphabetic verbatim responses, IPUMS NHIS does not harmonize this material. However, these verbatim responses are available in the public use files for NHIS.) Respondents were then asked whether they had needed medical attention for those side effects.

In 2007, information about whether alternative treatments had previously resulted in side effects requiring medical attention was also collected for acupuncture (ACUSIDEMED), chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation (COMSIDEMED), and yoga (YTQSIDEMED).

Comparability

RELSIDEMED is only available for 2007.

Universe

Availability

• 2007

Weights

• 2007 : SAMPWEIGHT