Sample Design and Estimation Structures for the National Health Interview Survey, 2016-2025

Abstract

This report presents operating characteristics of the NHIS 2016-2025 sample design. The general sampling structure is presented, along with a discussion of weighting and variance estimation techniques primarily for 2016-2018. This report is organized into four major sections. The first section presents a general overview of NHIS and its sample design. The second section describes the redesign process, updates for 2016-2025, and includes general frame and sample design considerations. The third section provides a more detailed description of the sample design and how the sample was selected. The last two sections present a description of the estimators used in NHIS for analyzing and summarizing survey results. Documentation for subsequent changes to the sampling and weighting procedures is available on the NCHS website as separate reports and through each year's survey description document. This report is intended for general users of NHIS data.