Description

FOKUSMEDFAIL indicates whether sample adults had used folk medicine or had seen a traditional healer because medical treatments did not help the person. See Survey Text tab for specific changes in question wording between samples.

For information about the full range of variables related to folk medicine, including definitions, see FOKYR. For related variables and more information, please see TABDOM1, or use the search function or IPUMS NHIS drop-down menus.

Comparability

Prior to 2012, sample adults who had seen a practitioner for folk medicine during the past 12 months and, in 2002, had used folk medicine for a specific health problem or condition were asked their reasons for using folk medicine.

Beginning in 2012, sample adults and sample children were instead asked to select three of sixteen therapies that were most important and only asked the series of questions related to treating health problems, symptoms, or conditions as well as reasons for and the importance of using these top three therapies. Persons who did not include folk medicine among their top three CAM therapies did not answer follow up questions for this therapy beginning in 2012 and are reported as responding "no."

Universe

Availability

• 2002, 2007, 2012

Weights

• 2002, 2007 : SAMPWEIGHT
• 2012 : SUPP4WT