Table 1.
Child health indicators in the National Health Interview Survey (1998–2009).
| Characteristic | Ages (years) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||
| Overall health status | 0–16 | Fair/Poor (vs. Excellent/Very Good/Good) |
| Disability | ||
| Limited in kind or amount of play | 0–4 | Limited in the amount of play activities child could do because of a physical, mental, or emotional problem (Yes/No) |
| Activities of Daily Living (ADL) limitation | 3–16 | Help with eating/bathing, dressing, or getting around inside the home because of physical, mental, or emotional problem (Yes/No) |
| Consequences of illness | ||
| Missed School Days | 5–16 | School days lost due to illness or injury, prior 12 months (≥18 days vs. <18 days) |
| Overnight at hospital | 1–16 | Overnight stay in hospital (excluding ER visits), prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| Specific conditions | ||
| Allergies Respiratory | 0–16 | Respiratory allergy or hay fever, prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| Skin | 0–16 | Skin allergy, prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| Frequent headaches | 3–16 | Frequent headaches/migraines, prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| Asthma Ever diagnosed | 0–16 | Ever diagnosed as having asthma (Yes/No) |
| ER visit due to asthmaa | 0–16 | Emergency room visit for asthma, prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| Frequent Diarrhea | 0–16 | Frequent or repeated diarrhea, prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| Ear Infection | 0–16 | 3 + ear infections, prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| ADHDb | 2e16 | Ever diagnosed as having ADHD/ADD (Yes/No) |
| Vision Problems | 0–16 | Trouble seeing even when wearing glasses or contact lenses (Yes/No) |
| Stutter and Stammer | 3–16 | Stutter/stammer, prior 12 months |
| Anemia | 0–16 | Had anemia, prior 12 months (Yes/No) |
| Autism | 2–16 | Ever diagnosed with autism (Yes/No) |
a
Among those who reported being diagnosed with asthma and reported as having had an asthma attack/episode in the prior 12 months.
b
ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder.