The NSCH examines the physical and emotional health of children ages 0-17 years of age. Special emphasis is placed on factors related to the well-being of children. These factors include access to - and quality of - health care, family interactions, parental health, neighborhood characteristics, as well as school and after-school experiences.
The NSCH is also designed to assess the prevalence and impact of special health care needs among children in the US and explores the extent to which children with special health care needs (CSHCN) have medical homes, adequate health insurance, access to needed services, and adequate care coordination. Other topics may include functional difficulties, transition services, shared decision-making, and satisfaction with care. Information is collected from parents or guardians who know about the child's health.
Starting in 2016, the NSCH has several key changes from prior years of the survey. Among these changes, the NSCH consolidated content from two previous surveys (the NSCH and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs) and is administered via web-based and mail instruments. From 2016 onward, the NSCH is fielded annually by the US Census Bureau.
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