Data from three two-year cycles (2007–2008, 2009–2010, and 2011–2012) were used in the analysis. The study population was restricted to participants age 20 years and older who had hypertension, based either on their answers to survey questions or on their blood pressure measurements. Individuals who answered affirmatively to the question “Have you ever been told by a doctor or other healthcare professional that you had hypertension, also called high blood pressure?” were classified as having hypertension in the study (n = 5789). Also classified as having hypertension were individuals who had a systolic blood pressure of at least 140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure of at least 90 mm Hg, or both (n = 1090). Blood pressure information in NHANES contained up to four measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, but only the first three measurements were used in this study, according to the following criteria: if only one measurement was available, then that was used; if two or three measurements were available, then the average was used. Our inclusion criteria captured individuals who self-reported being previously diagnosed with hypertension in the personal interview even though they had normal levels of blood pressure while not on medication at the time of the survey. We included these individuals because our focus was on the impact of the diagnosis of hypertension. Among the individuals who self-reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension, about 80% reported using medication to control hypertension during the home interview.