Codes and Frequencies
Description
CHOLHIGHEV identifies sample adults who were ever told by a doctor or other health professional that they have high cholesterol. Please see Comparability and Universe tabs for information on changes in the wording and universe between samples.
One of the national health objectives of Healthy People 2010 is to increase to 80 percent the proportion of people age 20 and over who have been screened for high blood cholesterol in the preceding 5 years. According to the 2003 Field Representative's Manual, the questions on blood cholesterol in that year's survey derived from the Healthy People 2010 Objectives.
Comparability
Apart from the change in universe, this variable is largely comparable over time. The question wording changed slightly between 2002/2007/2015 forward and 2003. For 2002 and 2007, the question was "Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had high cholesterol?" For 2003, the question was, "Have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that your blood cholesterol level was high?" The substantive meaning of the two questions is the same, and the subtle change in wording is unlikely to compromise comparability across the two time periods.
The NHIS questionnaire was substantially redesigned in 2019 to introduce a different data collection structure and new content. For more information on changes in terminology, universes, and data collection methods beginning in 2019, please see the user note.
Universe
- 1985: Sample persons age 18+.
- 1990: Sample persons age 18+ who ever had their blood cholesterol checked.
- 1991: Sample persons age 18+ who have had their blood cholesterol checked by a doctor or other health professional, or for whom it was unknown whether they had their cholesterol checked.
- 1993: Half of sample persons age 18+ in quarters 3 and 4 (excluded from AIDS supplement) who have had their blood cholesterol checked by a doctor or other health professional.
- 1998: Sample adults age 18+ who have had their blood cholesterol checked by a doctor or other health professional, or for whom it was unknown whether they had their cholesterol checked.
- 2002; 2007: Sample adults age 18+.
- 2003: Sample adults age 18+ who have had their blood cholesterol checked by a doctor or other health professional and knew how long it had been since they last had it checked.
- 2008: Sample adults 18+ who have ever had their cholesterol checked.
- 2012; 2015-2018: Sample adults age 18+.
- 2019-2023: Sample adults age 18+.
Availability
- 1985, 1990-1991, 1993, 1998, 2002-2003, 2007-2008, 2012, 2015-2023
Weights
- 1985, 1990-1991, 1998, 2002-2003, 2007-2008, 2012, 2015-2023 : SAMPWEIGHT
- 1993 : SUPP2WT
