Objectives: This report presents an overview, a detailed description of the sample design features, and estimation structures for the 1995-2004 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). It is intended to serve the same role for the current (1995-2004) National Health Interview Survey design as the NCHS publication, Series 2, No. 110, Design and Estimation for the National Health Interview Survey, 1985-94, did for the previous design.
Methods: The 1995-2004 NHIS sample design uses cost-effective complex-sampling techniques including stratification, clustering, and differential sampling rates to achieve several objectives. These objectives include improved reliability of racial, ethnic, and geographical domains. This report provides a description of those methods.
Results: This report presents the operating characteristics of the 1995-2004 NHIS. The general sampling structure is presented along with a discussion of the weighting and variance estimation techniques. This report is intended for the general users of NHIS data systems. A companion report, Series 2, No. 126, National Health Interview Survey: Research for the 1995-2004 Redesign, provides a finer level of detail on the redesign process.