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), CLIMARTHTP reports the time unit in which the duration of arthritis or rheumatism was measured by the respondent.

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, as noted above, specifies the time unit) and CLIMARTHNO (which reports the number of such units). 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