FSNRTCAN is a two-digit count variable.

00: Not in Universe
21: Top code of 21 or more
97: Unknown-Refused
98: Unknown-Not Ascertained
99: Unknown-Don't Know

Description

For sample adults with at least one full sister who ever had rectum cancer (FSRTCAN), FSNRTCAN reports the number of full sisters who had ever been told they had rectum cancer. Only persons with at least one full sister (FSNUM) who ever had cancer of any kind (FSNHCAN) were asked follow-up questions about what kind(s) of cancer their full sister(s) had, and about the number of full sisters they had with the specified type(s) of cancer (such as rectum cancer).

Beginning in 2015, details about rectum cancer (and several other cancer types) were suppressed because of low frequencies of these types of cancer among family members. Cancers of the colon and rectum are not available separately on the NHIS public use files to protect confidentiality; the number of full sisters diagnosed with these cancer types are all combined in FSNCLRCAN, which reports the number of full sisters diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

FSNRTCAN is one of a series of related variables in the "Family History" section of the the 2000, 2005, and 2010 Cancer Modules. In all three years, this section begins with the general comment:

According to the 2000 and 2005 Field Representative's Manuals, the purpose of this and other family cancer history questions is to "determine the prevalence of cancer in families in the population" to "allow a greater understanding of how data obtained from genetics clinics can be applied to the general population." The 2010 Manual provides a similar rationale, stating that the collection of this data "will allow analysts a greater understanding of how family history relates to cancer."

The Manuals for all three years define "full siblings" as people who have "the same biological father and mother." Thus, a respondent's full sister is a sister who has the same biological father and mother as the respondent (i.e., not half-sisters, stepsisters, adopted sisters, foster sisters, or sisters-in-law).

Comparability

FSNRTCAN is fully comparable between 2005 and 2010.

FSNRTCAN is largely comparable between 2000 and 2005/2010, though there may be some difference in the meaning of "refused," "not ascertained," and "don't know" as used in 2000 compared to the meanings of those terms in 2005 and 2010.

The Survey Descriptions for all three years caution that while "all sample adults were to be asked the questions in the Cancer Control Module, some persons did not complete the supplement." However, whereas in 2000, persons who answered less than 50 percent of the questions in the supplement had a value of "not ascertained" automatically inserted in the appropriate fields of the Cancer Control Module file, in both 2005 and 2010, persons who answered none of the questions in the supplement had a value of "not ascertained" automatically inserted in the appropriate fields of the Cancer Control Module file.

Universe

Availability

• 2000, 2005, 2010

Weights

• 2000, 2005, 2010 : SAMPWEIGHT