. 2012 Jan;102(1):163–170. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300296

TABLE 2—

Survey Questionnaire and Interview Wording on Selected Diseases: The Netherlands, 1990–2008

	AVO	POLS	LASA	MAAS	DCS
Introductory text	The following is a list of diseases and conditions. Please indicate whether you currently have any of these diseases or conditions or have had them in the past 12 mo.^a	I am going to mention a number of diseases and conditions. Please indicate whether you currently have any of these or have had them in the past 12 mo.^b	Now, I'd like to ask about a number of diseases. It's about diseases and symptoms that last for at least 3 mo or for which people need to be treated by a physician. Please indicate whether you currently have any of the diseases that I list.	Have you been told by a physician within the past 3 y that you suffer from any of the following conditions?	NA
Diabetes	Diabetes	Do you have diabetes?^c ^d	Do you have diabetes?	Diabetes (IDD or NIDD)	Do you have diabetes?
Heart disease	Severe heart condition (such as heart failure or angina), (consequences of a) heart attack^e	Did you ever have a heart attack? Did you have another severe heart condition in the past 12 mo?^d ^f	Do you have heart disease, or did you have a heart attack?	Heart failure or cardiac insufficiency; heart attack	Did you ever have a heart attack?
Peripheral arterial disease	Narrowing of veins in the abdomen or legs (no varicosis)^g	Narrowing of veins in the abdomen or legs (no varicosis)^h	Do you have abnormalities or diseases of arteries or veins in the abdomen or legs?	Peripheral arterial diseases or claudication	Do you experience pain in your legs when walking?
Stroke	(Consequences of) stroke, brain hemorrhage, or cerebral infarctionⁱ	Did you ever have a stroke, brain hemorrhage, or cerebral infarction?^d ^j	Did you ever have a stroke or a brain attack? (also brain hemorrhage)	NA	Did you ever have a stroke?
Lung disease	Asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or CNSLD^k	Asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or CNSLD^l	Do you have CNSLD (asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema)?	CNSLD, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema	Did you ever have asthma?
Joint disease	Arthritis of knees, hips; rheumatoid arthritis^m	Arthritis of knees, hips, or hands; rheumatoid arthritisⁿ	Do you have arthritis of knees, hips, or hands? Do you (also) have rheumatoid arthritis?	Rheumatic condition or joint disease	NA
Back problems	Severe or long-lasting back problems^o	Severe or long-lasting back problems^p	NA	NA	In the past 12 mo, did you have problems (pain, discomfort) in the low back? In the past 12 mo, did you have problems (pain, discomfort) in the upper back?
Cancer	Cancer or malignant condition^q	Did you ever have any kind of cancer (malignant condition)?^d ^r	Do you have tumor formation or cancer, or did you have it in the past?	Cancer or malignancy	Do you have any kind of cancer, or did you have it in the past?

Note. AVO = Amenities and Services Utilization Survey; CNSLD = chronic nonspecific lung disease; DCS = Doetinchem Cohort Study; IDD = insulin-dependent diabetes; LASA = Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam; MAAS = Maastricht Aging Study; NA = not available; NIDD = non–insulin-dependent diabetes; POLS = Permanent Life Situation Survey;

^{^a}

Wording used in 1995 differed from the wording in this column; no disease information available before 1995.

^{^b}

Interview wording used in the period 1990–2000 differed from the wording used in the questionnaire (in this column).

^{^c}

Before 2001 this question read “diabetes.”

^{^d}

These questions precede the introductory text.

^{^e}

Two separate questions; in 1995 this question read “Severe heart condition or heart attack.”

^{^f}

Two separate questions; before 2001 this question read “Severe heart condition or heart attack.”

^{^g}

Not available before 1999.

^{^h}

Not available before 2001.

^ⁱ

In 1995 this question read “(Consequences of a) stroke.”

^{^j}

Before 2001 this question read “(Consequences of a) stroke.”

^{^k}

In 1995 this question read “Asthma, chronic bronchitis, or CNSLD.”

^{^l}

Before 2001 this question read “Asthma.”

^{^m}

Two separate questions; in 1995 the first question read “Arthritis of knees, hips, or hands.”

^ⁿ

Two separate questions; before 2001 these were 3 questions that read “Arthritis of knees, hips, or hands; rheumatoid arthritis; other chronic rheumatoid condition lasting for 3 mo or more.”

^{^o}

In 1995 this question read “Persistent back problems, lasting longer than 3 mo, or spinal hernia.”

^{^p}

Before 2001 this question read “Persistent back problems, lasting longer than 3 mo.”

^{^q}

In 1995 the order of cancer and malignant neoplasm was reversed.

^{^r}

Before 2001 this question read “Malignant condition or cancer.”