Table of Contents

Component Description

The Oral Health questionnaire (variable name prefix OHQ) provides respondent-level interview data on oral health topics. 

Eligible Sample

All participants aged 1 year and over were eligible.

Interview Setting and Mode of Administration

These questions were asked, in the home or by telephone, by trained interviewers using the Computer-Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) system. A proxy provided information for survey participants who were under 16 years of age and for individuals who could not answer the questions themselves. The respondent selected the language of interview (English or Spanish) or requested that an interpreter be used.

The questionnaire and information about the interview procedures are available 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.

After collection, interview data were reviewed by the NHANES field office staff for accuracy and completeness of selected items. The interviewers were required to audio-record interviews and the recorded interviews were reviewed by NCHS staff and interviewer supervisors.

Data Processing and Editing

The data were reviewed for completeness, consistency, and illogical values.

Analytic Notes

Since the questionnaire was asked during the household interview, the interview sample weights should be used in the analysis. However, if the data is joined with data from the Mobile Exam Center (MEC), the MEC sample weights should be used. Please refer to the Analytic Guidelines and the NHANES Tutorials for 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 1 YEARS - 150 YEARS

OHQ845 - Rate the health of your teeth and gums

Variable Name:
OHQ845
SAS Label:
Rate the health of your teeth and gums
English Text:
The next questions are about {your/SP's} teeth and gums. Overall, how would {you/SP} rate the health of {your/his/her/SP's} teeth and gums? Would you say . . .
Target:
Both males and females 1 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Excellent, 2634 2634
2 Very good, 2950 5584
3 Good, 3539 9123
4 Fair, or 1656 10779
5 Poor? 944 11723
7 Refused 3 11726
9 Don't know 13 11739
. Missing 5 11744

OHQ620 - How often last yr. had aching in mouth?

Variable Name:
OHQ620
SAS Label:
How often last yr. had aching in mouth?
English Text:
How often during the last year (have you/ has SP) had painful aching anywhere in (your/his/her/SP's) mouth? Would you say....
Target:
Both males and females 1 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Very often 300 300
2 Fairly often 390 690
3 Occasionally 1811 2501
4 Hardly ever, or 3531 6032
5 Never? 5697 11729
7 Refused 4 11733
9 Don't know 6 11739
. Missing 5 11744

OHQ630 - How often felt bad because of mouth?

Variable Name:
OHQ630
SAS Label:
How often felt bad because of mouth?
English Text:
How often during the last year (have you/ has SP) felt that life in general was less satisfying because of problems with (your/his/her/SP's) teeth, mouth or dentures? Would you say . . .
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Very often, 214 214
2 Fairly often, 250 464
3 Occasionally, 685 1149
4 Hardly ever, or 1389 2538
5 Never? 5254 7792
7 Refused 3 7795
9 Don't know 10 7805
. Missing 3939 11744

OHQ640 - Last yr had diff w/ job because of mouth

Variable Name:
OHQ640
SAS Label:
Last yr had diff w/ job because of mouth
English Text:
How often during the last year {have you/has SP} had difficulty doing {your/his/her/SP's} usual jobs or attending school because of problems with {your/his/her/SP's} teeth, mouth or dentures? Would you say. . .
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Very often, 64 64
2 Fairly often, 92 156
3 Occasionally, 227 383
4 Hardly ever, or 671 1054
5 Never? 6738 7792
7 Refused 5 7797
9 Don't know 8 7805
. Missing 3939 11744

OHQ660 - Last yr avoid some food because of mouth

Variable Name:
OHQ660
SAS Label:
Last yr avoid some food because of mouth
English Text:
How often during the last year (have you/has SP) avoided particular foods because of problems with (your/his/her/SP's) teeth, mouth or dentures? Would you say . . .
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Very often 361 361
2 Fairly often 300 661
3 Occasionally 862 1523
4 Hardly ever, or 1319 2842
5 Never? 4953 7795
7 Refused 3 7798
9 Don't know 6 7804
. Missing 3940 11744

OHQ670 - Last yr couldn't eat because of mouth

Variable Name:
OHQ670
SAS Label:
Last yr couldn't eat because of mouth
English Text:
How often during last year {have you/has SP} found it uncomfortable to eat food because of problems with {your/his/her/SP's} teeth, mouth, or dentures? Would you say . . .
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Very often 318 318
2 Fairly often 297 615
3 Occasionally 925 1540
4 Hardly ever, or 1482 3022
5 Never? 4776 7798
7 Refused 3 7801
9 Don't know 4 7805
. Missing 3939 11744

OHQ680 - Last yr embarrassed because of mouth

Variable Name:
OHQ680
SAS Label:
Last yr embarrassed because of mouth
English Text:
How often during the last year {have you/has SP} been self-conscious or embarrassed because of {your/his/her/SP's} teeth, mouth or dentures? Would you say . ..
Target:
Both males and females 20 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 Very often 414 414
2 Fairly often 279 693
3 Occasionally 646 1339
4 Hardly ever, or 1025 2364
5 Never? 5436 7800
7 Refused 3 7803
9 Don't know 1 7804
. Missing 3940 11744