Codes and Frequencies
Description
For sample adults who had "any symptoms of pain, aching, or stiffness in or around a joint" (excluding the neck and back) during the past 30 days (JNTMO), JNTMOKNEEL indicates whether the left knee joint was an affected joint.
Interviewers handed respondents a card listing sixteen numbered joints and asked, "Which joints are affected?" They marked all categories indicated by respondents and then entered "N" to indicate "No more." The responses to the question about affected joints were converted into dichotomous variables (such as JNTMOKNEEL) by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Related Variables
In addition to JNTMOKNEEL, the other variables in this series are the following:
- JNTMOANKLEL (Joint affected (past 30 days): Left ankle)
- JNTMOANKLER (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right ankle)
- JNTMOELBOWL (Joint affected (past 30 days): Left elbow)
- JNTMOELBOWR (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right elbow)
- JNTMOHANDL (Joint affected (past 30 days): Left fingers/thumb)
- JNTMOHANDR (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right fingers/thumb)
- JNTMOHIPL (Joint affected (past 30 days): Left hip)
- JNTMOHIPR (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right hip)
- JNTMOKNEER (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right knee)
- JNTMOSHOUL (Joint affected (past 30 days): Left shoulder)
- JNTMOSHOUR (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right shoulder)
- JNTMOTOEL (Joint affected (past 30 days): Left toes)
- JNTMOTOER (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right toes)
- JNTMOWRISTL (Joint affected (past 30 days): Left wrist)
- JNTMOWRISTR (Joint affected (past 30 days): Right wrist)
- JNTMOOTHER (Joint affected (past 30 days): Other not listed)
Comparability
This variable is largely comparable over time. As noted above, only sample adults who acknowledged having joint problems during the past 30 days were asked which joints were affected. In 2002 and 2003, persons coded as "unknown" or "refused" for the "filter" variable JNTMO were coded as "not ascertained" for JNTMOKNEEL and the other variables in this series. In subsequent years, persons coded as "unknown" or "refused" for JNTMO retained this same coding for JNTMOKNEEL and the other variables in this series. Users can achieve comparability across years by grouping together cases coded as "unknown-refused" (IPUMS NHIS code 7), "unknown-not ascertained" (IHIS code 8), and "unknown-don't know" (IHIS code 9).
Differences from Similar Variables for 1997-2001
For 1997-2001, a similar variable, JNTYRKNEEL, is available. While JNTYRKNEEL also indicates whether sample adults had joint problems affecting the left knee, the reference period for joint pain was the past 12 months, rather than the past 30 days. The NHIS Survey Descriptions for 2003 forward warn that any comparisons of joint symptom data before 2002 with joint symptom data after 2002 "should be undertaken with caution."
Universe
- 2002-2013; 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018: Sample adults age 18+ with any symptoms of pain, aching, or stiffness in or around a joint during the past 30 days.
Availability
- 2002-2018
Weights
- 2002-2018 : SAMPWEIGHT
