National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Nhanes)

The MEC Interview component of the NHANES consists of the use of questionnaires to address a variety of health-related topics. The MEC questionnaires are designed to obtain information concerning particular health behaviors and conditions, risk factors, and mental health. The questionnaires are administered to examinees 8 years of age or older. The MEC interview is designed to be administered only with the sample person in the room. There are four sections of the NHANES MEC Interview. The first section consists of three cognitive functioning exercises for SPs 60 years and older. The second section of the interview consists of questions in several topic areas administered through a computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) system. The individual questionnaire health-related sections in CAPI are selectively administered to subjects based upon their age and sex. This section also consists of a series of questions about exposures to chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The VOC questions are selectively administered based upon age and whether the SP is selected for the VOC subsample. The third section of the interview is completed through the use of an audio computer-assisted-self-interviewing (ACASI) system. This system is generally used for sensitive topic areas. The subject listens to a recorded voice through a headset, as well as reading the questions on the screen. The subject then indicates his or her response to a question by touching the computer screen. The fourth section of the interview is used to obtain and/or verify key pieces of demographic information or critical data items (CDI). Questions in each of these sections are included for specific reasons, which relate to other NHANES components. For example, alcohol consumption and tobacco use are included since previous research has demonstrated that these risk factors may affect other health functions. The main purpose of the reproductive health section is to obtain information on pregnancy and reproductive history, birth control practices, and other reproductive health-related topics. The drug use questionnaire provides a brief assessment of the subject's use of marijuana, cocaine, and injectable street drugs.