Health interview survey, 1977

The basic purpose of the Health Interview Survey is to obtain information about the amount and distribution of illness, its effects in terms of disability and chronic impairments, and the kinds of health services people receive. The 1977 HIS is segmented into seven distinct files. Household variables in this collection include type of living quarters, size of family, and geographic region. Person variables include sex, age, race, marital status, veteran status, education, income, occupation, and limits on activity. The Condition file contains variables on the incidence of illness or injury within the past year. The Hospitalization file contains variables on the incidence of hospitalizations and presence of chronic conditions. The Doctor visit file includes variables regarding frequency of doctor visits, type of doctor seen, and reasons for each visit. The Health Habits/Stroke supplement contains variables on dietary and health practices, problems getting medical care, presence of stroke symptoms, incidence of stroke, and necessity of help. The Disability supplement contains variables on the need for help, services, and environment modifications.