Codes and Frequencies
Description
For persons ages 18 and older included in the 1986-2014 NHIS samples and sample adults 18 and older included in the 2015-2018 NHIS samples who provided sufficient data for linking (MORTELIG) and whose final vital status was judged deceased (MORTSTAT) as of December 31, 2019. MORTHYPR indicates whether, in addition to the underlying cause of death (MORTUCODLD), hypertension was listed as a contributing cause of death. For more information about the methodology to link NHIS records to the NDI, please see the the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) report on the NHIS-NDI linkage methods and analytic considerations. Hypertension was classified based on an ICD-9 code of 401 or 403 for 1986-1998 and on an ICD-10 code of I10 or I12 for 1999 forward.
MORTHYPR is one of a set of mortality variables released by the NCHS as part of the Linked Mortality File (LMF) update. The LMF includes mortality information for participants in the 1986-2018 NHIS samples with mortality follow up in the NDI through December 31, 2019. For more information on the LMF, including which variables it offers and the appropriate sampling weights to use when analyzing the mortality data, see the description tab of MORTELIG. For more information on LMFs in general, see the IPUMS user note about the NHIS-LMFs.
Related Variables
MORTHYPR was one of three multiple cause of death flags that indicate whether specific health conditions were listed as contributing causes of death (in addition to the underlying cause of death). MORTDIAB indicates whether diabetes was listed as a contributing cause of death; MORTHIPFX, not available for NHIS participants in the 2005-forward surveys or for decedents who died after December 2006, indicates whether hip fracture was listed as a contributing cause of death.
For a list of all mortality variables from the LMF included in the IPUMS NHIS, please refer to the MORTELIG variable description.
For further information on the NDI and the creation of the mortality variables, see the variable description for MORTELIG and the technical documents from NCHS on the creation and analysis of the NHIS Linked Mortality Files.
Comparability
Aside from universe changes and the change from ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes to flag hypertension as a contributing factor, MORTHYPR is largely comparable across years. Between 1986 and 2014, the universe for MORTHYPR included all adults 18 and older. In 2015 and later years, the MORTHYPR universe narrowed to only persons selected to be the sample adult. As noted above, hypertension was classified based on an ICD-9 code of 401 or 403 for 1986-1998, and based on an ICD-10 code of I10 or I12 for 1999 forward.
For an overview of the LMF data, NHIS-NDI linkage activities, and more information about the public-use LMF offered through IPUMS NHIS, please refer to our user note on the Linked Mortality File.
Universe
- 1986-2014: All persons age 18+ eligible for mortality follow-up and assumed dead with a known cause of death (MORTUCODLD).
- 2015-2018: Sample adults age 18+ eligible for mortality follow-up and assumed dead with a known cause of death (MORTUCODLD).
Availability
- 1986-2018
