The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is the principal source of national information about the health of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. The NHIS began collecting data in 1957 and has been conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) since 1960, when the NCHS was formed by combining the National Vital Statistics Division and the National Health Survey. Content covered by the NHIS has been updated every 10 to 15 years since its inception and was substantially revised for the surveys beginning in 1997.

The NHIS was authorized by the National Health Survey Act of 1956, which provided for a continuing survey to collect accurate and up-to-date information on the health of the U.S. population. The topics covered by the 2005 NHIS include demographics, ...