Description:
MEPS collects information about a select group of medical conditions that have been specified by the Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality as "priority conditions." These conditions, selected for their prevalence, expense, or relevance to policy, are:
heart disease,
stroke,
high cholesterol,
emphysema,
chronic bronchitis,
diabetes,
cancer,
arthritis,
asthma, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD), and high blood pressure/hypertension. High blood pressure or Hypertension information is collected by asking adult respondents whether they have ever been diagnosed as having high blood pressure. High blood pressure can also be identified by the condition code associated with medical events reported during the reference period. In addition to the tables and publications below, person-level data files containing high blood pressure variables can be downloaded for analysis.