Codes and Frequencies
Description
HOSPNGHT identifies persons who were patients in a hospital overnight during the past 12 months. Respondents were prompted to include any new mothers and/or babies who were hospitalized for the baby's birth and to not include overnight stays in the emergency room.
Comparability
The survey question used to create this variable changed between 2005 and 2006, though the underlying meaning remains the same. Beginning in 2006, respondents were asked if a person was "hospitalized OVERNIGHT" in the past 12 months and instructed to exclude overnight stays in the emergency room. In 1997-2005, respondents were asked about being "a patient in a hospital OVERNIGHT".
The Field Representative's Manual provided additional guidance via the definitions of "hospital stay (hospitalization)" and "hospital patient." These sections of the text reiterated the exclusion of overnight stays in an emergency room or outpatient clinic, unless the person was admitted to the hospital and stayed overnight, even if surgery was performed. Stays for nonmedical reasons, such as staying with a sick family member, were also excluded. Interviewers were instructed not to count any nights spent in the hospital during the interview week.
Universe
- 1997-2013; 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018: All persons.
Availability
- 1997-2018
Weights
- 1997-2018 : PERWEIGHT
