Improvements to the Collection of Injury and Poisoning Data in the National Health Interview Survey

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Improvements to the Collection of Injury and
Poisoning Data in the National Health Interview
Survey
Patricia Barnes, M.A. Margaret Warner, Ph.D. Lois
Fingerhut, M.A. Melissa Heinen, M.P.H. Montreal
2002
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention National Center for Health Statistics
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National Health Interview Survey

• Face-to-face household survey
• Nationally representative sample of civilian,
  non-institutionalized US population
• Sample yields data on approx. 100,000 persons
  per year

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Timeline

• 1957-96 Imbedded in questionnaire
• 1997-99 Section on injury poisoning
• 2000-03 Combined inj poi questions
• 2004 Unpacked screen question

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Changes from the 1995 Survey to the 1997 Survey

• Placement, phrasing and number of questions

• Recall period

• Severity threshold

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Data issues 1997-1999

• Some questions not common to both injuries and
  poisonings
• Injuries recorded as poisonings and poisonings
  recorded as injuries
• High proportion in Other
• No question on treatment location

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Changes 1997-99 to 2000 Survey

• Combined injury and poisoning questions

• Added a question about medical advice or
  treatment

• Revised categories for several questions

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Screener question1997-99 and 2000-present
1997-99 DURING THE PAST THREE MONTHS, that is
since 91 days before today date, were/was
you/anyone in the family injured seriously
enough that you/they got medical advice or
treatment? DURING THE PAST THREE poisoned
seriously enough that you ?
2000 DURING THE PAST THREE MONTHS, that is since
91 days before today date, were/was
you/anyone in the family injured or poisoned
seriously enough that you/they got medical
advice or treatment?
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Injury and poisoning
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Fixed Question Wording
1997-99 How many different times in the PAST 3
MONTHS were/was you/subjects name injured
seriously enough to seek medical advice or
treatment?
2000 How many different times in the PAST 3
MONTHS did you/subjects name seek medical
advice because you/subjects name were injured
or poisoned?
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Finding Solutions to the Other Problems

• Analyzed data
• Held a teleconference with the interviewers in
  the field

• Sent the injury and poisoning section through
  the Questionnaire Design Research Lab

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Unpacking the question
2000-03 DURING THE PAST THREE MONTHS, that is
since 91 days before today date, were/was
you/anyone in the family injured or poisoned
seriously enough that you/they got medical
advice or treatment?

• Three questions in one
• Were you injured?
• Were you poisoned?
• Did you seek medical advice?

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Proposed for 2004
During the past three months, that is since
January 2, did you have an injury where any
part of your body was hurt, for example, with a
broken bone, sprain, burn, wound, bruise, or
animal or insect bite? During the past three
months, that is since January 2, were you
poisoned by swallowing or breathing in a harmful
substance such as bleach, carbon monoxide, or too
many pills or drugs? Did you talk to or see a
medical professional about this
injury/poisoning?
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What next?
Stay tuned for whether our recommendations are
implemented.
See more information about the survey on the NHIS
website