Description

For persons age 18+ who have at least one activity limitation (LANY), and for whom arthritis or rheumatism was reported as a condition causing any activity limitation (CLIMARTH), CLIMARTHNO reports the number of time units which the respondent stated when reporting the duration of arthritis or rheumatism.

Data on the duration of limiting arthritis or rheumatism were collected via the question, "How long [have/has] [you/person] had [arthritis or rheumatism]?" Respondents could answer this open-ended question using the time unit of their choice (i.e., days, weeks, months, years, or since birth). The original responses to the question are reported in two complementary variables, CLIMARTHTP (which specifies the time unit) and CLIMARTHNO (which reports the number of such units). As noted in the Codebooks for 1997 forward, "years are topcoded at 85." For the NHIS public use files, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) recoded the results from these two variables to create two other variables using standard time units: years (CLIMARTHY) and groups of months (CLIMARTHMO).

Comparability

The variable is completely comparable across time.

Universe

Availability

• 1997-2018

Weights

• 1997-2018 : PERWEIGHT