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National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS)
Sponsor
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Mode of Administration
Data for the survey has been obtained through personal interviews with administrators and staff and occasionally with self-administered questionnaires in a sample of about 1,500 facilities. The most recent NNHS was conducted in 1999.
Survey Sample Design
The sampling was basically a stratified two-stage probability design. The first stage was the selection of facilities, and the second stage was the selection of residents and discharges.
The primary sampling strata of facilities were defined by bed size and certification status. The strata of certified facilities consist of facilities certified by either Medicare or Medicaid as a skilled nursing or intermediate care facility. The second-stage sampling of current residents and discharges was carried out by the interviewers at the time of their visits to the facilities in accordance with specific instructions given for each sample facility.
Primary Survey Content
The National Nursing Home Survey provides information on nursing homes from two perspectives—that of the provider of services and that of the recipient. Data about the facilities include characteristics such as size, ownership, Medicare/Medicaid certification, occupancy rate, number of days of care provided, and expenses. For recipients, data are obtained on demographic characteristics, health status, and services received.
Population Targeted
Population residing in long-term care facilities or nursing home.
Demographic Data
Gender, age, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, marital status, and health status.
Years Collected
1973-1974, 1977, 1985, 1995, 1997, 1999.
Geographic Estimates
The data represent nursing homes, their residents, and their staff in the United States. Geographic identifiers are also available by the U.S. Census Bureau region, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) indicator.
5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 
