SURVEY TITLE: National Health Interview Survey

ACRONYM: NHIS

SPONSOR: National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Department of Health and Human Services.

SURVEY PURPOSE: The National Health Interview Survey is a nationwide survey of about
36,000 households in the U.S. and is a principal source of information on the health of the civilian non-institutionalized population.

LOCATION SAMPLED: Designed to be a representative sample of the United States Population.

YEARS SEXUAL ORIENTATION DATA COLLECTED: 1988+

SAMPLE SIZE: 36,000 households/year.

METHOD OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION DATA COLLECTION: Face-to-face interviews are
conducted in sampled households using flashcards.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION QUESTIONS:
Sexual orientation is not directly assessed, however, it can be indrectly assessed using the
following two methods (see Questionnaire 2004):

1) The following question has been asked with a few minor modifications since 1988:
ADS150: “Tell me if ANY of these statements is true for YOU. Do NOT tell me WHICH
statement or statements are true for you. Just if ANY of them are. a) you have hemophilia and have received clotting factor concentrations, b) you are a man who has had sex with other men, even just one time, c) you have taken street drugs by needle, even just one time, d) you have traded sex for money or drugs, even just one time, e) you have tested positive for HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), f) you have had sex, even just one time, with someone who would answer "yes" to any of these statements: 1) Yes, at least one statement is true, 2) No, none of these statements is true, 7) Refused, 9) Don't know.

2) As with the U.S. Census, it is possible to identify same-sex couples.  

RESULTS: unknown/unavailable.

DATA ACCESS: www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm