Codes and Frequencies
Description
For sample adults age 18+ who (1) lost interest in pleasurable activities (DEPLIFUN), (2) for all day long, most of the day, or about half the day (DEPDAYAMT), for 2+ weeks during the past 12 months, DEPLIHOWOFT reports responses to a question about how frequently respondents' symptoms related to major depression with anhedonia occurred. Before reading this question, interviewers instructed respondents, "For the next few questions, please think of the two week period during the past 12 months when you had the most complete loss of interest in things." Respondents were then asked, "During those two weeks, did you feel this way every day, almost every day, or less often?"
Related Variables for Scoring Major Depression
Respondents only received the question associated with DEPLIHOWOFT if they failed to pass a series of screening questions on major depression with dysphoric mood (feeling sad, blue, or depressed) (DEP2WKEV, DEPDAYAMT, DEPHOWOFT).
Respondents did not pass these screening questions if they:
- Did not feel sad, blue, or depressed for 2+ weeks in a row (a "No" in DEP2WKEV); or
- Volunteered in DEP2WKEV that they were on medication/anti-depressants; or
- Reported that their feeling sad, blue, or depressed lasted "Less than half of the day" in DEPDAYAMT; or
- Reported that their feeling sad, blue, or depressed lasted "Less often" in DEPHOWOFT; or
- Had an unknown response in DEP2WKEV, DEPDAYAMT, or DEPHOWOFT.
For more information on the dysphoric mood questions, see DEP2WKEV.
DEPLIHOWOFT was part of a series of mental health questions constituting the NHIS version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview - Short Form (CIDI-SF) screening scale for major depression. More specifically, DEPLIHOWOFT was part of a group of questions addressing symptoms of depression related to anhedonia (loss of interest in pleasurable activities).
According to the Field Representative's Manual for 1999, this set of questions was included "to determine if the Sample Adult has had or still has a loss of interest in things, indicating undiagnosed depression, in the past 12 months and, if so, how it affected them physically and emotionally, how long it has affected them, how they dealt with these problems, and how much these problems interfered with their life or activities."
DEPLIHOWOFT was the third of three screening questions used to determine whether individuals received a series of questions about the symptoms of anhedonia, along with supplemental questions about the duration and consequences of anhedonia.
Respondents who passed the first two screening questions (DEPLIFUN, DEPLIDAYAMT) and who answered "Every day" or "Almost every day" in DEPLIHOWOFT received a series of symptom questions on major depression with anhedonia. Respondents who did not pass all three of the anhedonia screening questions received no further questions on major depression related to anhedonic symptoms.
Respondents who reported experiencing at least one symptom of major depression with anhedonia were also asked supplemental questions about the length of time they lost interest in pleasurable activities and about the effects of these symptoms on their lives.
The anhedonia questions contained in the NHIS version of the CIDI-SF can be used to calculate the probability of psychiatric caseness for major depression with anhedonia.
For more information on all the variables associated with the NHIS CIDI-SF screening scale for major depression with anhedonia, and for instructions on how to calculate scores for major depression with anhedonia, see DEPLIFUN.
Comparability
This variable only occurs in 1999.
In 1999, a similar question, "During those two weeks, did you feel this way every day, almost every day, or less often?" (DEPHOWOFT), was asked of sample adults age 18+ who passed the first two screening questions for major depression with dysphoric mood (DEP2WKEV, DEPDAYAMT).
Universe
- 1999: Sample adults age 18+ who either did NOT feel sad/blue/depressed all day long, most of the day, or about half of the day, every day or almost every day, for 2+ weeks during past 12 months, OR were on medication/anti-depressants OR whose feelings of being sad/blue/depressed, or the duration of these feelings, or the frequency of these feelings is unknown AND lost interest in activities at least half of the day for 2+ weeks during the past 12 months.
Availability
- 1999
Weights
- 1999 : SAMPWEIGHT
