63 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH)

63.1 Organization

US Census Bureau

63.3 Description

  • De-identified, patient-level, aggregate data
  • Survey examines the physical and emotional health of children ages 0-17
  • 3 separate files (screener, topical and implicate)
  • Data resource center allows to browse and see aggregate data (http://childhealthdata.org/browse/survey)

63.4 Vintage/Release Frequency

Annual since 2016

63.5 Observational Unit

Household and child-level

63.6 Collection Methodology

  • Sample of children under the age of 18 was developed from Edited Master Address File Extract and a file of administrative flags that was created by of the Bureau’s Center for Administrative Records Research and Applications
  • Data collected via paper or web instrument questionnaires filled by parent or guardian
  • The household completes one screener questionnaire then 1 child per household is selected to complete the detailed topical questionnaire

63.9 Cost

Free for download

63.10 Proposal or Application required?

No

63.11 DUA required?

No

63.12 Special Notes

  • Through the DCD it seems the survey was also done in 2003, 2007, 2011/12 but these data are not in the census site.
  • In 2016 there was a major redesign. As part of this, the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (NSCSHCN) and NSCH are combined into a single survey.
  • CSHCN are oversampled
  • Starting in 2016 the data is released annually
  • Topical questionnaires are age specific (0-5, 6-11 and 12-17)
  • They provide imputed values (multiple imputation)