Table of Contents

Component Description

The Early Childhood section of the Sample Person Questionnaire (variable name prefix ECQ) provides personal interview data for children, including the age of the biological mother when the child survey participant was born, smoking habits of the mother while she was pregnant with the participant, birth weight, the proxy’s assessment of the participant’s weight, and attendance at Head Start. Many of the questions were included in NHANES III.

Eligible Sample

The target sample for the questions in this section is persons from birth to 15 years of age. However, target samples for some questions in this section vary. Please review the codebook carefully. Frequency counts were verified during the preparation of the file.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

The questions were asked in the household interview, using an interviewer-administered Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) system.

For details on the administration of the Early Childhood (ECQ_E) section, please refer to the NHANES 2007-08 Interviewer Procedure Manuals and the Early Childhood Sample Person Questionnaire on the NHANES website.

Quality Assurance & Quality Control

The CAPI system is programmed with built-in consistency checks to reduce data entry errors. CAPI also uses online help screens to assist interviewers in defining key terms used in the questionnaire.

For details on the quality control/quality assurance process for this component, please refer to the NHANES 2007-08 Interviewer Procedure Manuals on the NHANES website.

Data Processing and Editing

For ECD070A (weight at birth, pounds) and ECD070B (weight at birth, ounces), all responses of 13 pounds or over were collapsed into a single category, with ECD070A coded as '13' and ECD070B coded as '0'. This was done to protect the confidentiality of survey participants.

For ECD010 (age of biological mother when the survey participant was born), any reported values under 14 years were coded as 14 years and younger. This was done to protect the confidentiality of participants.

Frequency counts were verified during the preparation of the file.

Analytic Notes

Although data in this file were collected as part of the household questionnaire, if they are merged with the MEC exam data, exam sample weights should be used for the analyses.

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

Codebook and Frequencies

SEQN - Respondent sequence number

Variable Name:
SEQN
SAS Label:
Respondent sequence number
English Text:
Respondent sequence number.
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS

ECD010 - Mother's age when born

Variable Name:
ECD010
SAS Label:
Mother's age when born
English Text:
First I have some questions about {SP NAME's} birth. How old was {SP NAME's} biological mother when {s/he} was born?
English Instructions:
ENTER AGE IN YEARS
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 59
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
15 to 44 Range of Values 3561 3561
14 14 years or younger 13 3574
45 45 years or older 2 3576
7777 Refused 0 3576
9999 Don't know 26 3602
. Missing 1 3603

ECQ020 - Mother smoked when pregnant

Variable Name:
ECQ020
SAS Label:
Mother smoked when pregnant
English Text:
Did {SP NAME's} biological mother smoke at any time while she was pregnant with {him/her}?
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 513 513
2 No 3054 3567 ECQ060
7 Refused 0 3567 ECQ060
9 Don't know 35 3602 ECQ060
. Missing 1 3603

ECQ030 - Mother quit smoking while pregnant

Variable Name:
ECQ030
SAS Label:
Mother quit smoking while pregnant
English Text:
At any time during the pregnancy, did {SP NAME's} biological mother quit or refrain from smoking for the rest of the pregnancy?
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 202 202
2 No 301 503 ECQ060
7 Refused 0 503 ECQ060
9 Don't know 10 513 ECQ060
. Missing 3090 3603

ECQ040 - Mother quit smoking while pregnant (mo)

Variable Name:
ECQ040
SAS Label:
Mother quit smoking while pregnant (mo)
English Text:
About what month of the pregnancy did {SP NAME's} biological mother stop smoking?
English Instructions:
USE ROUNDING RULE IF NECESSARY.
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 First month 52 52
2 Second month 31 83
3 Third month 36 119
4 Fourth month 31 150
5 Fifth month 16 166
6 Sixth month 19 185
7 Seventh month 2 187
8 Eighth month 3 190
9 Ninth month 8 198
77 Refused 0 198
99 Don't know 4 202
. Missing 3401 3603

ECQ060 - Receive newborn care at health facility

Variable Name:
ECQ060
SAS Label:
Receive newborn care at health facility
English Text:
Did {SP NAME} receive any newborn care in an intensive care unit, premature nursery, or any other type of special care facility?
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 434 434
2 No 3155 3589
7 Refused 0 3589
9 Don't know 13 3602
. Missing 1 3603

ECD070A - Weight at birth, pounds

Variable Name:
ECD070A
SAS Label:
Weight at birth, pounds
English Text:
How much did {SP NAME} weigh at birth?
English Instructions:
IF ANSWER GIVEN IN POUNDS ONLY, PROBE FOR OUNCES. IF ANSWER GIVEN IN EXACT POUNDS, ENTER NUMBER OF POUNDS AND 0 OUNCES. ENTER NUMBER OF POUNDS.
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 to 12 Range of Values 3538 3538
13 13 pounds or more 4 3542
7777 Refused 0 3542
9999 Don't know 60 3602
. Missing 1 3603

ECD070B - Weight at birth, ounces

Variable Name:
ECD070B
SAS Label:
Weight at birth, ounces
English Text:
How much did {SP NAME} weigh at birth?
English Instructions:
ENTER NUMBER OF OUNCES
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 15
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 15 Range of Values 3493 3493
7777 Refused 0 3493
9999 Don't know 49 3542
. Missing 61 3603

ECQ075 - CHECK ITEM

Variable Name:
ECQ075
English Instructions:
BOX 1. CHECK ITEM: IF REFUSED (CODE 7777) OR DON'T KNOW (CODE 9999) TO ECD070A, CONTINUE; OTHERWISE, GO TO ECQ095 (BOX 2).
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS

ECQ080 - Weight more/less than 5.5 lbs

Variable Name:
ECQ080
SAS Label:
Weight more/less than 5.5 lbs
English Text:
Did {SP NAME} weigh . . .
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 More than 5-1/2 lbs. (2500 g), or 33 33
2 Less than 5-1/2 lbs. (2500 g)? 10 43 ECQ095
7 Refused 0 43 ECQ095
9 Don't know 17 60 ECQ095
. Missing 3543 3603

ECQ090 - Weight more/less than 9.0 lbs

Variable Name:
ECQ090
SAS Label:
Weight more/less than 9.0 lbs
English Text:
Did {SP NAME} weigh . . .
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 More than 9 lbs. (4100 g), or 1 1
2 Less than 9 lbs. (4100 g)? 30 31
7 Refused 0 31
9 Don't know 2 33
. Missing 3570 3603

ECQ095 - CHECK ITEM

Variable Name:
ECQ095
English Instructions:
BOX 2. CHECK ITEM ECQ095: IF SP AGE = 2-15 YEARS CONTINUE; OTHERWISE, GO TO BOX 3 (ECQ115).
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS

WHQ030E - How do you consider {SP} weight

Variable Name:
WHQ030E
SAS Label:
How do you consider {SP} weight
English Text:
Do you consider {SP} now to be . . .
Target:
Both males and females 2 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Overweight, 395 395
2 Underweight, or 188 583
3 About the right weight? 2229 2812
7 Refused 0 2812
9 Don't know 1 2813
. Missing 790 3603

MCQ080E - Doctor told you that {SP} was overweight

Variable Name:
MCQ080E
SAS Label:
Doctor told you that {SP} was overweight
English Text:
Has a doctor or health professional ever told you that {SP} was overweight?
Target:
Both males and females 2 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 323 323
2 No 2489 2812 ECQ115
7 Refused 0 2812 ECQ115
9 Don't know 1 2813 ECQ115
. Missing 790 3603

ECQ150 - Doing anything to help control weight?

Variable Name:
ECQ150
SAS Label:
Doing anything to help control weight?
English Text:
Are you now doing anything to help {SP} control {his/her} weight?
Target:
Both males and females 2 YEARS - 15 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 239 239
2 No 84 323
7 Refused 0 323
9 Don't know 0 323
. Missing 3280 3603

ECQ115 - CHECK ITEM

Variable Name:
ECQ115
English Instructions:
BOX 3. CHECK ITEM ECQ115: IF SP AGE = 0-5, CONTINUE. OTHERWISE, GO TO END OF SECTION.
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 15 YEARS

FSQ121 - Now attend headstart

Variable Name:
FSQ121
SAS Label:
Now attend headstart
English Text:
Is {SP} now attending {Head Start/Early Head Start}?
English Instructions:
CAPI INSTRUCTIONS: IF SP AGE = 0-3, DISPLAY "EARLY HEAD START". IF SP AGE = 4-5, DISPLAY "HEAD START".
Target:
Both males and females 0 YEARS - 5 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Yes 165 165
2 No 1546 1711
7 Refused 0 1711
9 Don't know 1 1712
. Missing 1891 3603