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WALKDIF5BL1
Amount of difficulty walking 5 blocks on level ground
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Codes and Frequencies



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Description

WALKDIF5BL1 reports the level of difficulty the respondent faces (if any) when walking without the use of aids for a third of a mile on level ground (which is equivalent to the length of five football fields or five city blocks).

This variable was first introduced in 2010 as part of the Quality of Life supplement and was included in that supplement through 2017. In 2018, this item was included on the sample adult questionnaire. Beginning in 2019, WALKDIF5BL1 was separated into two questions, one for respondents who used equipment or received help for getting around and one for respondents who did not use equipment or receive help for getting around. For respondents who used equipment to get around, the question was prefaced with "Without the use of your aid." Both questions were included on the sample adult and sample child questionnaires.

The Washington Group on Disability Statistics 

In 2019, functioning and disability measures included on the NHIS questionnaire were modified to align with validated, internationally-comparable disability measures developed by the Washington Group on Disability Statistics (WG). For more information about the WG initiative, other WG functioning and disability measures included on the NHIS questionnaire, and guidance for researchers about how to use the WG measures in analyses, please see our user note on the Washington Group Disability Measures.

Comparability

Changes in survey design (e.g., quarters in which the supplement was collected) may affect raw frequencies, but do not affect comparability of the variable. In 2018, this item was included on the sample adult questionnaire and beginning in 2019 was included on both the sample adult questionnaire and sample child questionnaire. As always, data users should use the prescribed IPUMS NHIS weights.

The NHIS questionnaire was substantially redesigned in 2019 to introduce a different data collection structure and new content. For more information on changes in terminology, universes, and data collection methods beginning in 2019, please see the user note.

Universe

  • 2010: One quarter of sample adults, included in quality of life supplement (and excluded from family disability supplement), who do not use equipment or receive help with walking, climbing steps, or moving around (or for whom this was unknown) or who use equipment or receive help but do not use a wheelchair, and who have no difficulty, some difficulty, a lot of difficulty, or an unknown amount of difficulty walking 100 yards on level ground without the use of their aid.
  • 2011-2017: Sample adults 18+ who were asked the family disability questions (FDB), were randomly selected to receive the Adult Functioning and Disability supplement (AFD) and did not use a wheelchair or scooter AND they had no difficulty, some difficulty, or a lot of difficulty walking 100 yards on level ground (without the use of an aid), or refused to answer or didn't know if they had difficulty walking 100 yards on level ground (without the use of an aid).
  • 2018: Sample adults 18+ who do not use a wheelchair or scooter AND had no difficulty, some difficulty, or a lot of difficulty walking 100 yards on level ground (without the use of an aid), or refused to answer or didn't know if they had difficulty walking 100 yards on level ground (without the use of an aid).
  • 2019-2023: Sample adults age 18+ and sample children age 5 to 17 who had no difficulty, some difficulty, or a lot of difficulty walking 100 yards without the use of an aid, or refused to answer or didn't know if they had difficulty walking 100 yards without use of an aid.

Availability

  • 2010-2023

Weights