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FLRETC
Chronic status of functionally limiting intellectual disability
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Codes and Frequencies



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Description

For sample adults who, without using special equipment, have at least a little difficulty with one or more functional activity (FLANY), and for whom mental retardation was reported as a condition causing any activity limitation (FLRET), FLRETC reports whether the condition status was chronic. Mental retardation is a condition consistently coded by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) as "chronic," regardless of the time since diagnosis.

Definition of chronic condition
For the most part, conditions that have lasted 3 months or longer (or were diagnosed at least 3 months prior to the interview) are classified as "chronic" in the National Health Interview Survey. Those conditions that have lasted less than three months are generally considered "not chronic" (or acute). However, some conditions are considered "chronic" by definition, regardless of the length of time since diagnosis.

 

As the NHIS Survey Descriptions for 2002 forward explain:

Conditions that are generally not cured, once acquired ... such as heart disease, diabetes, and birth defects ... are considered chronic, while ... other conditions must have been present for three months or longer to be considered chronic.

Correspondence with the NCHS staff provided the further information that the following conditions were considered chronic regardless of the amount of time the person had the condition: arthritis/rheumatism; birth defect; cancer; diabetes; heart problem; hypertension; missing limb or finger; old age; mental retardation; senility; stroke; and other developmental problem. These "instant chronic" conditions might be treated and may not cause problems, but they do not actually disappear with time, as might be the case for other conditions, such as a bone fracture.

Comparability

FLRETC is completely comparable for 1997-2010.

Beginning in 2011, the phrase "mental retardation" was replaced with the phrase "intellectual disability, also known as mental retardation" in the survey question associated with FLRETC.

Apart from this change in wording, the variable is completely comparable over time.

Universe

  • 1998-2013; 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018: Sample adults age 18+ who have difficulty with activities due to mental retardation.

Availability

  • 1998-2018

Weights