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CEREBPALEV
Ever told had cerebral palsy
Group: Condition — PERSON

Description

CEREBPALEV identifies children (and, in 2008, adults) who ever had, or were ever diagnosed as having, cerebral palsy.

Definitions and Related Variables 

The Field Representative's Manual for 2001 forward defined Cerebral Palsy as "a disability resulting from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth and outwardly manifested by muscular in coordination and speech disturbances." This definition was not routinely shared with respondents.

From 1997 forward, cerebral palsy was also included in the survey as an example of "other developmental problem" (i.e., "other" relative to "mental retardation") when information was collected on the conditions or health problems that limited an individual's activities (CLIMOTHDEV). Information was collected separately on whether a sample child was ever diagnosed as having "other developmental delay" (i.e., "other" relative to "Mental Retardation" and "ADD/ADHD") (ODDEV).

Comparability

Along with universe changes, the wording of the question for CEREBPALEV varied across years.

 

In 1988, interviewers simply asked if the child ever had cerebral palsy. For 1997 forward, the question wording required that cerebral palsy be diagnosed and reported to the respondent by a doctor or other health professional.

Beginning in 2006, the "Notes" section of the sample child layout codebook reported a problem in the frequencies for this variable.

 

For example, the 2009 codebook contained the following text:

Beginning in 2004 there has been a 10-fold increase in the number of sample children who were reported to have cerebral palsy in CHS.060_02.000, CONDL2. In 2003 there were 34 cases reported; in each year from 2004-2006 there were 311-353 cases reported. This increase is most likely caused by interviewer error due to operational differences between the CASES [survey] instrument used prior to 2004 and the Blaise instrument used beginning in 2004. A clarification of the survey instrument will be implemented in the third quarter of 2007. See survey questionnaire for original question format. Question format modified in 2008.

Based on the frequency distribution for the CEREBPALEV variable in the NHIS public use files, this error is no longer present in the data for 2008 and later years. Researchers should exercise caution in comparing results using this variable for 2004-2007 (the problematic period) with results from other years.

Universe

  • 1988: Sample persons under age 18.
  • 1997-2007: Sample children under age 18.
  • 2008: Sample children under age 18 and sample adults age 18+.
  • 2009-2010: Sample children under age 18.

Codes and Frequencies



Availability

  • 1988, 1997-2010
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Weights

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