Description

ACUPMED reports if the person received prescription medication for most important health condition she/he treated with acupuncture.

For more information about the full range of variables related to acupuncture, including definitions, see ACUYR. For related variables and more information, please see TABDOM1, or use the search function or IPUMS NHIS drop-down menus.

Comparability

Prior to 2012, in universe persons were asked about a series of specific health problems, symptoms, or conditions they may have treated with different complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. Beginning in 2012, persons were instead asked to select three of sixteen therapies that were most important and only asked the series of questions related to treating health problems, symptoms, or conditions about these top three therapies. Persons who did not include acupuncture among their top three CAM therapies did not answer follow up questions for this therapy beginning in 2012 and are reported as responding no.

Changes in universe also pose comparability challenges; in 2007, only sample adults were included in the universe. Beginning in 2012, however, sample adults and sample children are included in the universe.

Universe

Availability

• 2007, 2012

Weights

• 2007 : SAMPWEIGHT
• 2012 : SUPP4WT