Codes and Frequencies
Description
VARICOSEYRC indicates whether the person had chronic varicose veins in the past year. This variable is created with supplemental programming by the IPUMS NHIS staff from the pre-1997 condition records. For general information about IHIS variables (such as VARICOSEYRC) created from the pre-1997 condition records, see the User Note on Condition Records and Condition Variables.
Defining Varicose Vein Records and Identifying Persons with Varicose Veins
For all available years, persons who were asked a direct question about having varicose veins and who have a chronic varicose veins condition record are given a "Yes" code for VARICOSEYRC. Persons who were asked a direct question about varicose veins but do not have a chronic varicose veins record are given a code of "No." Persons who were not asked a direct question about varicose veins, or for whom it is unknown whether they were asked such a question, are given a code of "NIU" (not in universe), regardless of whether they have a chronic varicose veins record.
1972 and 1978
For 1972 and 1978, varicose veins records were defined as those condition records with any of the following codes in the variable DCICDCOD in the original NHIS public use files:
- "4540" ("Varicose veins of lower extremities, with ulcer")
- "4541" ("Varicose veins of lower extremities, with stasis dermatitis, without ulcer")
- "4549" ("Varicose veins of lower extremities, other and unspecified, without ulcer")
- "4560" ("Varicose veins of esophagus")
- "4561" ("Varicose veins of scrotum")
- "4569" ("Varicose veins of other sites")
These condition code values come from the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Revision 8. Additionally, to be considered "chronic," varicose veins condition records must have a code of "1" ("Chronic") in the variable CACODE in the original NHIS public use files.
1979 to 1996
Beginning in 1979, NHIS began using ICD Revision 9 to code conditions. For 1979 to 1996, varicose veins records were defined as those condition records with any of the following codes in the variable DCICDCOD in the original public use files:
- "4540" ("Varicose veins of lower extremities, with ulcer")
- "4541" ("Varicose veins of lower extremities, with inflammation")
- "4542" ("Varicose veins of lower extremities, with ulcer and inflammation")
- "4549" ("Varicose veins of lower extremities, without mention of ulcer or inflammation")
- "4560" ("Esophageal varices with bleeding")
- "4561" ("Esophageal varices without mention of bleeding")
- "4562" ("Esophageal varices in diseases classified elsewhere")
- "4563" ("Sublingual varices")
- "4564" ("Scrotal varices")
- "4565" ("Pelvic varices")
- "4566" ("Vulval varices")
- "4568" ("Varices of other sites")
As with earlier years, to be considered "chronic," varicose veins condition records must also have a code of "1" ("Chronic") in the variable CACODE in the original NHIS public use files.
Weights
For 1972, VARICOSEYRC should be weighted with PERWEIGHT.
For 1978 to 1996, VARICOSEYRC should be weighted with CONDWT5.
Comparability
As with all of the person-level condition variables created by IHIS from condition records prior to 1997, the universe for VARICOSEYRC is substantially different for 1978 forward than it is for years prior to 1978. Beginning in 1978, only persons living in 1/6 of households, rather than all persons, were asked a direct question about having varicose veins in the past year. This change requires that different weight variables be used depending on which years of data are analyzed. See the "Description" tab for details.
Additionally, there is a change in the way "Yes" responses are coded over time. See the User Note on Condition Records and Condition Variables for details about the composite coding scheme employed by IHIS.
Universe
- 1972: All persons.
- 1978-1996: Persons living in 1/6 of households (who received Condition List 5).
Availability
- 1972, 1978-1996
