Table of Contents

Component Description

The dermatology questionnaire section (variable name prefix DEQ) provides personal interview data on sun exposure and sun protective behavior.

Eligible Sample

All participants aged 20-59 years were eligible.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

The DEQ was asked, in the home, by trained interviewers using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) system.

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.

Data Processing and Editing

Frequency counts were verified during the preparation of the file.

Analytic Notes

Responses to questions on time spent outside on work or school days (DEQ120) and on days not at work or at school (DEQ125) were collected in either hours or minutes. For data release purposes, all responses were converted to minutes. If participants indicated that they did not spend any time outdoors then their values for these questions were set to zero. The corresponding description in the codebook is "no time spent outdoors". Values of 1-14 minutes were grouped into one category. The code "3333" was set for participants who reported "does not work or go to school" to DEQ120 or "at work or at school 9 to 5 seven days a week" to DEQ125. These variables were then renamed DED120 and DED125 for release, respectively.

Responses to question DEQ038Q, "How many times in the past year have you had a sunburn?" with values of 20 or more were combined into one category and labeled "20".

Analysts should be aware that some questions may have very few responses. Even with two years of data collection, there may not be sufficient sample size for such variables to be analytically useful. In these cases, it may be necessary to combine more than two years of data to conduct analysis.

Although dermatology data 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 NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues.

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 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS

DED031 - Skin reaction to sun after non-exposure

Variable Name:
DED031
SAS Label:
Skin reaction to sun after non-exposure
English Text:
If after several months of not being in the sun, {you/SP} then went out in the sun without sunscreen or protective clothing for a half hour, which one of these would happen to {your/his/her} skin?
English Instructions:
HAND CARD DEQ2
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Get a severe sunburn with blisters 64 64
2 A severe sunburn for a few days with peeling 268 332
3 Mildly burned with some tanning 747 1079
4 Turning darker without a sunburn 819 1898
5 Nothing would happen in half an hour 1474 3372
6 Other 37 3409
77 Refused 0 3409
99 Don't know 9 3418
. Missing 1 3419

DEQ034A - Stay in the shade?

Variable Name:
DEQ034A
SAS Label:
Stay in the shade?
English Text:
When {you go/SP goes} outside on a very sunny day, for more than one hour, how often {do you/does SP} Stay in the shade?
English Instructions:
HAND CARD DEQ2A
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Always 323 323
2 Most of the time 897 1220
3 Sometimes 1459 2679
4 Rarely, or 521 3200
5 Never? 204 3404
6 Don't go out in the sun 13 3417 DEQ038G
77 Refused 0 3417
99 Don't know 1 3418
. Missing 1 3419

DEQ034C - Wear a long sleeved shirt

Variable Name:
DEQ034C
SAS Label:
Wear a long sleeved shirt
English Text:
Wear a long sleeved shirt? Would you say . . .
English Instructions:
HAND CARD DEQ2A
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Always 211 211
2 Most of the time 303 514
3 Sometimes 916 1430
4 Rarely, or 815 2245
5 Never? 1159 3404
7 Refused 0 3404
9 Don't know 1 3405
. Missing 14 3419

DEQ034D - Use sunscreen?

Variable Name:
DEQ034D
SAS Label:
Use sunscreen?
English Text:
Use sunscreen? Would you say . . .
English Instructions:
HAND CARD DEQ2A
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Always 314 314
2 Most of the time 399 713
3 Sometimes 706 1419
4 Rarely, or 623 2042
5 Never? 1363 3405 DEQ038G
7 Refused 0 3405 DEQ038G
9 Don't know 0 3405 DEQ038G
. Missing 14 3419

DEQ038G - In past yr did you have sunburn?

Variable Name:
DEQ038G
SAS Label:
In past yr did you have sunburn?
English Text:
How many times in the past year {have you/has SP} had a sunburn?
English Instructions:
GATE QUESTION CAPI INSTRUCTION: BUILD HARD EDITS 1-365.
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Enter number 1124 1124
2 Never 2284 3408
7 Refused 0 3408
9 Don't know 10 3418
. Missing 1 3419

DEQ038Q - # of times in past yr you had a sunburn

Variable Name:
DEQ038Q
SAS Label:
# of times in past yr you had a sunburn
English Text:
How many times in the past year {have you/has SP} had a sunburn?
English Instructions:
ENTER NUMBER OF TIMES
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Hard Edits:
1 to 19
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 to 15 Range of Values 1113 1113
20 20 or more times 11 1124
77777 Refused 0 1124
99999 Don't know 0 1124
. Missing 2295 3419

DED120 - Minutes outdoors 9am - 5pm work day

Variable Name:
DED120
SAS Label:
Minutes outdoors 9am - 5pm work day
English Text:
The next questions ask about the time you spent outdoors during the past 30 days. By outdoors, I mean outside and not under any shade. How much time did you usually spend outdoors between 9 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon on the days that you worked or went to school?
English Instructions:
ENTER NUMBER OF MINUTES
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 480
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
15 to 480 Range of Values 2243 2243
0 No time spent outdoors 698 2941
14 1-14 minutes 105 3046
3333 Does not work or go to school 355 3401
7777 Refused 0 3401
9999 Don't Know 13 3414
. Missing 5 3419

DED125 - Minutes outdoors 9am - 5pm not work day

Variable Name:
DED125
SAS Label:
Minutes outdoors 9am - 5pm not work day
English Text:
During the past 30 days, how much time did you usually spend outdoors between 9 in the morning and 5 in the afternoon on the days when you were not working or going to school?
English Instructions:
ENTER NUMBER OF MINUTES
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 59 YEARS
Hard Edits:
0 to 480
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
15 to 480 Range of Values 2945 2945
0 No time spent outdoors 405 3350
14 1-14 minutes 42 3392
3333 At work or at school 9 to 5 seven days a week 7 3399
7777 Refused 1 3400
9999 Don't Know 14 3414
. Missing 5 3419