• Component Description
• Eligible Sample
• Interview Setting and Mode of Administration
• Quality Assurance & Quality Control
• Data Processing and Editing
• Analytic Notes
• References
• Codebook
  • SEQN - Respondent sequence number
  • RDQ005A - CHECK ITEM
  • RDQ031 - Coughing most days - over 3 mo period
  • RDD040 - # years had cough problem
  • RDQ050 - Bring up phlegm most days - 3 mo period
  • RDD060 - # years bringing up phlegm problem
  • RDQ070 - Wheezing or whistling in chest - past yr
  • RDQ080 - # wheezing/whistling attacks past year
  • RDQ090 - Wheezing disturb sleep in past year
  • RDQ100 - Chest sound wheezy during exercise
  • RDD120 - Got medical attentn for wheezing attack
  • RDQ134 - Doctor prescribe wheezing medication
  • RDQ135 - Limit usual activities due to wheezing
  • RDQ136 - CHECK ITEM
  • RDQ137 - Miss work or school due to wheezing
  • RDQ140 - Had dry cough at night in past year

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

2003-2004 Data Documentation, Codebook, and Frequencies

Respiratory Health (RDQ_C)

Data File: RDQ_C.xpt

First Published: January 2006

Last Revised: NA

Component Description

The Respiratory Disease Section (prefix RDQ) provides interview data
on respiratory symptoms that may be related to bronchitis or asthma. The symptoms profiled include cough, phlegm production, wheezing. Data is also collected on trigger factors for these symptoms, and on related functional impairments.

Topics:

• History Cough and Phlegm Production (RDQ031---RDD060)

12 Month Period Prevalence of:

• Wheezing (RDQ070); Frequency of Wheezing Episodes (RDQ080)
• Sleep Disturbance Due to Wheezing (RDQ090)
• Wheezing With Exercise (RDQ100)
• Number of Doctor, Hospital or Emergency Room Visits for Wheezing (RDQ120)
• Prescription Medication use for Wheezing (RDQ134)
• Limitation of Usual Activities Due to Wheezing (RDQ135)
• Number of Days of Work/School Missed Due to Wheezing (RDQ137)
• Dry Nocturnal Cough (RDQ140)

Eligible Sample

Questions regarding a history of cough and phlegm production were administered to Survey Participants ages 12 years and above, except for RDQ140 (History of Dry Nocturnal Cough) which was administered to Survey Participants of all ages.

Questions regarding a history of wheezing were administered to Survey Participants of all ages except for RDQ137 which was administered to Survey Participants ages 6 to 69 years. In NHANES 1999-2002, the question series RDQ120 through RDQ 137 were administered only to Survey Participants with a history of more severe asthma (a history of recent sleep disturbance due to wheezing plus a history of recent exercise associated wheezing). However, in NHANES 2003-2004 the question series RDQ120 through RDQ137 was administered to all participants with a history of wheezing.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

Household Interview.

The Interviewer Procedure Manual and the text document for the NHANES 2003-2004 RDQ survey questionnaire are available on the NHANES website.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

For details on the QA/QC process for this component, please refer to the Interviewer Procedure Manual.

Data Processing and Editing

Data editing (for example “top coding” of continuous variables) is documented in the RDQ Section Codebook.

Analytic Notes

These data were collected as part of the NHANES Household Questionnaire Interview and interview weights should be used if only questionnaire data is analyzed. If RDQ data is merged with the MEC examination data, however, then MEC examination sample weights should be used for the analyses.
Current NHANES questionnaire data collection relating to respiratory symptoms is based on prior NHANES surveys as well as validated survey instruments. It is recommended that data analysts be familiar with current practice and issues in the epidemiologic investigation of respiratory disease.^1,2,3,4

Related NHANES 2001-2002 Questionnaire Datasets:

• Medical Conditions (MCQ) contains questionnaire data on a history of a previous medical diagnosis of respiratory disease (asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema), age at onset of disease, and family history of asthma.
• Physical Functioning (PFQ) contains data on functional physical limitations as well information on the type of health problems (including respiratory disease) causing the difficulty.
• Cardiovascular Disease (CDQ) contains data for dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion for adults ages 40+.
• Smoking (SMQ) contains data on past history of smoking.
• Occupation (OCQ) includes data on current and longest occupation, as well as identification of a Survey Participants exposure to second-hand smoke in their current job (OCQ290G/Q). Also, for Survey Participants whose asthma began as an adult, the type of employment is recorded (OCQ470-480).
• Prescription Medications (RXQ) contains data on all prescription medications currently taken.

Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues.

References

• Celli BR, Halbert RJ, Isonaka S, Schau B. Population impact of different definitions of airway obstruction. Eur Respir J. 2003; 22:268-73.
• Halbert RJ, Isonaka S, George D, Iqbal A. Interpreting COPD prevalence estimates: what is the true burden of disease? Chest. 2003; 123:1684-92.
• Pauwels RA, Buist AS, Calverley PM, Jenkins CR, Hurd SS; GOLD Scientific Committee. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. NHLBI/WHO Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Workshop summary. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2001; 163:1256-76.
• Pierce N, Beasley R, Burgess C, Crane J. Asthma Epidemiology: Principles and Methods. 1998. New York: Oxford University Press.

Codebook and Frequencies