Codes and Frequencies
Description
For sample adults who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes (SMOKEV), currently smoke "some days" (IPUMS NHIS code 2 in SMOKFREQNOW), and smoked 1+ days or an unknown number of days during the past 30 days (CIGDAYMO), CIGSDAY2 reports responses to the question, "On the average, when you smoked during the past 30 days, about how many cigarettes did you smoke a day?" The 1997-2000 Field Representative's Manuals instructed interviewers not to include days "when the Sample Adult did NOT smoke" when computing the average.
Definitions and Instructions
The 1997-2000 Field Representative's Manuals stated, "The questions in this section concern cigarette smoking only. Accept whatever the Sample Adult reports, except if it is volunteered that he/she smoked a pipe, cigars of any kind, marijuana, hashish, 'crack', or the like." The Manuals for 1991-1995 and from 2001 forward define a cigarette as anything "the respondent reports except cigars or any kind of marijuana."
When asking the question associated with CIGSDAY2, the 1997-2000 Manuals instructed interviewers to "[a]lways probe for an exact number" and to assist respondents in making an estimate if they reported a range or interval. The 1991-2000 Manuals also stated, "If the response is given in packs rather than the number of cigarettes, multiply the number of packs by 20, verify the result with the Sample Adult (some brands have 25 cigarettes per pack), and enter the number of cigarettes per day."
Related Variables
Respondents who had ever smoked 100 cigarettes (SMOKEV) and who were "Every day" smokers (IPUMS NHIS code 3 in SMOKFREQNOW) were asked, "On the average, how many cigarettes do you now smoke a day?" (CIGSDAY1). The variable CIGSDAY combines responses given to the questions associated with CIGSDAY1 and CIGSDAY2, reporting the average number of cigarettes smoked per day for "current smokers" (i.e., all "every day" smokers and "some day" smokers who smoked 1+ days or an unknown number of days in the past 30 days). The universe for CIGSDAY also includes (in 1997-2003) respondents whose current smoking status was unknown (IPUMS NHIS code 7-9 in SMOKFREQNOW). Respondents whose smoking status was unknown were all coded as "Unknown-not ascertained" in CIGSDAY (IPUMS NHIS code 98).
CIGSDAY also reports the average number of cigarettes smoked per day for persons age 17+ who were current smokers (1970) and persons age 20+ who were part of a 1/3 subsample and who were current smokers (1976-1977).
Comparability
Apart from slight changes in the universe, this variable is largely comparable over time.
The introduction of a substantially revised questionnaire in 2019 may affect comparability with earlier years. 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
- 1991: Sample persons age 18+ who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes, currently smoke some days, and who smoked at least 1 cigarette in the past 30 days or for whom the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days is unknown.
- 1992: Sample persons age 18+ in quarters 1 and 2 and in 2 weeks of quarter 3 who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes, currently smoke some days, and who smoked at least 1 cigarette in the past 30 days or for whom the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days is unknown.
- 1993: Half of sample persons age 18+ in quarters 3 and 4 (excluded from AIDS supplement) who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes, currently smoke some days, and who smoked at least 1 cigarette in the past 30 days or for whom the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days is unknown.
- 1994-1995: Half of sample persons age 18+ (excluded from AIDS supplement) who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes, currently smoke some days, and who smoked at least 1 cigarette in the past 30 days or for whom the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days is unknown.
- 1997-2018: Sample adults age 18+ who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes, currently smoke some days, and who smoked at least 1 cigarette in the past 30 days or for whom the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days is unknown.
- 2019-2020: Sample adults age 18+ who have ever smoked 100 cigarettes, currently smoke some days, and who smoked at least 1 cigarette in the past 30 days or for whom the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days is unknown.
Availability
- 1991-1995, 1997-2020
Weights
- 1991-1992, 1997-2020 : SAMPWEIGHT
- 1993-1995 : SUPP2WT
