IPUMS NHIS: descr: YTQYOGYR

IPUMS NHIS

NHIS
MEPS

NATIONAL HEALTH INTERVIEW SURVEY

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YTQYOGYR

Practiced yoga, past 12 months

Description

YTQYOGYR reports whether the person had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. Please see the Comparability and Universe Tabs for information on changes to the universe of this variable over time.

For 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017, yoga, Tai chi, and Qi gong were one of many alternative health treatment modalities included in the Complementary and Alternative Health Supplements.

Beginning in 2022, YTQYOGYR was one of twenty-five variables sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to assess complementary and integrative health (CIH) practices. Please see THPYART to learn more about the Complementary and Integrative Health content section, including a complete list of CIH variables fielded in the 2022 NHIS.

Definitions[show more]

The 2002 Field Representative's Manual provides the following definition:

Yoga, practiced for over 5,000 years, combines breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation to calm the nervous system and balance body, mind, and spirit. It is thought to prevent specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians [see ACUYR] open and life energy (qi) flowing. Usually performed in classes, sessions are conducted once a week or more and roughly last 45 minutes. Yoga has been used to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve coordination, flexibility, concentration, sleep, and digestion. It has also been used as supplementary therapy for such diverse conditions as cancer, diabetes, asthma, and AIDS.

This definition was not routinely shared with respondents.

Beginning in 2007, the Field Representative's Manual provides a truncated version of that definition:

Yoga combines breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation to calm the nervous system and balance body, mind, and spirit. Usually performed in classes, sessions are conducted once a week or more and roughly last 45 minutes.

In 2007 and later years, field representatives were advised to "feel free to offer [this definition] even if the respondent has not requested [it]."

In 2022, yoga was not further defined in the field representative's manual.

Related Variables

In some years, additional information about use of yoga was collected for respondents who reported practicing yoga in the past 12 months.

Prior to 2022, the additional information collected included variables on frequency of practice, whether or not any conventional medical treatments were used, and the reason for using yoga.

Beginning in 2022, the additional information collected includes variables on breathing exercises and meditation used as part of yoga and the use of yoga to treat or manage physical pain and to restore overall health.

YTQYOGBREX: Does breathing exercises as part of yoga

YTQYOGMED: Does meditation as part of yoga

YTQYOGPAIN: Used yoga for pain

YTQYOGHLTH: Used yoga to restore overall health

Comparability

Changes in the universe and sample design affect the comparability of this variable across time.

Sample Adults
In 2002, 2007, and 2012, sample adults 18 and older were first asked whether they had ever practiced yoga (YTQYOGAEV) and, for those who indicated that they had, YTQYOGYR records whether they had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. In 2017 and 2022, the initial question asking about whether sample adults had ever practiced yoga was not asked. Instead, all sample adults aged 18 and older were asked whether they had practiced yoga in the past 12 months.

Sample Children
In 2007, sample children were added to the universe for this question. In 2007 and 2017, the person responding for the sample child was asked whether the child had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. In 2012, the respondent was first asked whether the sample child had ever practiced yoga and then asked whether the child had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. In 2007, respondents for sample children under age 18 were asked about yoga, and in 2012, 2017, and 2022 respondents for sample children aged 4 and older were asked about yoga.

In addition, 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

2002: Sample adults age 18+ who have ever practiced yoga for their own health (YTQYOGAEV).
2007: Sample adults age 18+ who have ever practiced yoga (YTQYOGAEV) and sample children under 18.
2012: Sample adults age 18+ and sample children age 4+ who have ever practiced yoga.
2017: Sample adults age 18+ and sample children age 4+.
2022: Sample adults age 18+ and sample children age 4-17.

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