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HERYJOH
Took St. John's wort, past 12 months

Codes and Frequencies



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Description

For sample adults who had taken any mixed or single herbal or botanical supplement (2000) or had used natural herbs for their own health (2002) during the past 12 months (HERYR), HERYJOH indicates whether the person had taken St. John's wort during the past 12 months.

Questions for Collecting Information on Use of Specific Herbs

In 2000, interviewers showed respondents a flash card listing 26 specific herbs and asked "During the past 12 months did you take any mixed or single herbal or botanical supplements?" Interviewers were instructed to "read if necessary" the following: "Include pills, capsules, liquid tinctures and extracts. Do not include teas or food. Do not include garlic or ginger used in cooking." Respondents who answered affirmatively (i.e., a "Yes" response in HERYR) were asked, "Which ones?" Interviewers were instructed to "mark all that apply."

 

In 2002, interviewers showed respondents a flash card listing 35 specific herbs. Some, but not all, of the herbs were the same as those recognized in 2000, and some were only included in 2002. Interviewers asked, "During the past 12 months, did you use any of the following natural herbs for health reasons?" Interviewers were instructed to "mark all that apply."

Specific Herbs Identified in NHIS

St. John's wort is one of 46 possible specific herbal supplements that respondents could report using during the past year in 2000 and/or 2002.

 

The other such supplements, along with the years the variables are available, are:

  • Bee pollen or royal jelly (HERYBEEP, 2002 only)
  • Cascara sagrada (HERYCASC, 2000 and 2002)
  • Chasteberry or vitex (HERYCHAS, 2002 only)
  • Black cohosh (HERYCOH, 2002 only)
  • Echinacea (HERYECH, 2000 and 2002)
  • Evening primrose (HERYEVE, 2000 and 2002)
  • Feverfew (HERYFEV, 2000 and 2002)
  • Fish oils or omega fatty acids (HERYFISH, 2002 only)
  • Garlic supplements (HERYGAR, 2000 and 2002)
  • Ginger supplements (HERYGIG, 2000 and 2002)
  • Gingko biloba (HERYGIK, 2000 and 2002)
  • Siberian ginseng (HERYGIS, 2000 only)
  • Glucosamine with or without chondroitin (HERYGLUC, 2002 only)
  • Grapeseed extract (HERYGRA, 2000 only)
  • Kava kava (HERYKAV, 2000 and 2002 only)
  • Bladder wrack or kelp (HERYKELP, 2002 only)
  • Melatonin (HERYMEL, 2000 and 2002)
  • Milk thistle (HERYMIL, 2000 and 2002)
  • Progesterone cream (HERYPROG, 2002 only)
  • Saw palmetto (HERYSAW, 2000 and 2002)
  • Soy supplements (HERYSOY, 2002 only)
  • Valerian (HERYVAL, 2000 and 2002)
  • Other herbal supplement (HERYOTH, 2000 only)

Other Related Variables

In 2000 (but not 2002), information was also collected on how long the respondent had taken herbal supplements.

 

Respondents reported the number of months they had taken herbal supplements (HERYMONO). They also reported the frequency with which they had taken such supplements (HERYDAYNO), responding as they wished in terms of either days per week or days per month (HERYDAYTP). The National Center for Health Statistics recoded the data from the last two variables to create two new variables with consistent time units across respondents: HERYDPW (Number of days per week took herbal supplements during past 12 months) and HERYDPM (Number of days per month took herbal supplements during past 12 months).

For persons who took more than one herbal supplement, one cannot disentangle the length of time taking individual herbs. For example, persons who took both aloe and St. John's wort, and who reported taking herbal supplements every day per week for 12 months, might have taken St. John's wort daily and aloe occasionally, or might have taken aloe daily and St. John's wort occasionally, or might have taken both supplements every day for a year.

For more information on the full range of variables related to herbs, see HERYR.

Comparability

The differing question wording for 2000 and 2002 is noted above. In 2000, respondents were asked about taking "mixed or single herbal or botanical supplements" with no particular purpose for taking such supplements specified. In 2002, they were asked about "natural herbs" used "for health reasons."

Researchers must judge for themselves how seriously this change in wording compromises comparability between 2000 and 2002 for their analyses.

Universe

  • 2000: Sample adults age 18+ who took herbal supplements in past 12 months.
  • 2002: Sample adults age 18+ who have used natural herbs for their health during the past 12 months.

Availability

  • 2000, 2002

Weights