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Nationwide All States All Regions Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Virgin Islands HRSA Region I HRSA Region II HRSA Region III HRSA Region IV HRSA Region V HRSA Region VI HRSA Region VII HRSA Region VIII HRSA Region IX HRSA Region X
Survey Items: Survey instrument item number for children 0-5 years: I1; for children 6-11 years: I1; for children 12-17 years: I1 Variable in public use data file: K8Q11
Denominator: Children age 0-17 years
Numerator: Children whose family doesn't eat a meal together; Children whose family eats a meal together 1-3 days out of the week; Children whose family eats a meal together 4-6 days out of the week; Children whose family eat a meal together every day
Revisions and Changes: The content of the measure is similar to 2011/12 NSCH. However, due to changes in the survey’s mode of data collection and sampling frame, as well as adjustments to item wording where necessary, MCHB alerts data users that it is not possible to compare estimates from the redesigned survey to those from previous iterations of the NSCH or NS-CSHCN or to conduct related trend analyses. The redesigned NSCH will support trend analyses beginning with data from 2016. In the 2011/12 NSCH, answer choices were open-ended and survey respondents could indicate up to 7 days. Response option reported in categorical options in the 2016 NSCH.
Additional Notes: IMPORTANT NOTE: Results for this question are weighted to reflect the population of children ages 0-17, not the population of parents or families. The accurate way to report these results are: "Percent of children whose family eats meals together every day", not as "Percent of families…".
Treatment of Unknown Values: Missing values due to non-response or a “don’t know” response are not included in the denominator when calculating prevalence estimates and weighted population counts displayed in the data query results table. In the majority of cases, the proportion of missing values is less than 2%. Exceptions are noted in the form of a Data Alert at the bottom of a results table. The exclusion of these values does not change the prevalence estimates (%) and only marginally affects the weighted population counts (Pop. Est.). If missing cases are handled in any other way, details can be found in the "Additional notes" section above.
History and Development: The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) funds and directs the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), and develops survey content in collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau and a Technical Expert Panel. The Technical Expert Panel consists of experts in survey methodology and children’s health, federal and state stakeholders, clinicians and researchers. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the survey, oversees the sampling, and produces a final data set of survey results. Respondents’ cognitive understanding of the survey questions was assessed during the pretest phase and revisions were made. Previously validated questions and scales are used when available. Prior to 2016, the NSCH and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs were each conducted three times as interviewer-assisted telephone surveys using random digit dial sampling. In 2016, the two surveys were combined into a single self-administered questionnaire. Due to decline in the number of households with landline telephones, the NSCH now utilizes an addressed based sampling method to select participating households, thus all invitations are sent by mail. Participants may choose to complete the survey either online using a secure website or a mailed paper version of the survey. All final data components are verified by the Census Bureau, MCHB and DRC/CAHMI staff prior to public release. More information can be found in the “Review the Surveys” section of this website.
C.I. = 95% Confidence Interval. Percentages and population estimates (Pop.Est.) are weighted to represent child population in US.
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Data Source: National Survey of Children’s Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. https://mchb.hrsa.gov/data/national-surveys
Citation: Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) data query. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Retrieved [mm/dd/yy] from [www.childhealthdata.org].