USING SPSS
    
  There are two ways to read the 2015 NHAMCS Emergency Department (ED) public use data file using SPSS:

  Option 1 - Use the zipped file ed2015-spss.zip in the SPSS folder on 
  the FTP server to open a complete pre-made SPSS dataset of the 2015 NHAMCS ED public use file.

  The steps for this option are as follows:

  1) Create a new folder on your local workstation, for example, C:\MYFILES\ED2015

  2) Download to the new folder the file ed2015-spss.zip from the FTP server: 
     ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/dataset_documentation/nhamcs/spss

  3) ed2015-spss.zip is a compressed file which you must unzip prior to use. 
     In order to do this, double click on the file name in your directory screen; 
     an option to unzip the file should appear. A new folder, ed2015-spss, will probably 
     be created, depending on the software your system uses. The unzipped file ed2015-spss.sav 
     will be within that folder. This is the SPSS dataset. You can then move the file to 
     your preferred location.

     Alternately, you can right-click on the name of the compressed file from your directory screen. 
     On the pop-up menu, there should be an option to extract the file to a location of your choosing.

  4) To use the SPSS dataset, simply open SPSS on your computer and click on "Open Other Files" at the
     initial screen prompt.  Point to the location you have saved your .sav file and it should
     populate the Data Editor screen.  From there, you can select the steps for your analysis.

   Option 2 - The SPSS syntax file ed2015.sps will read in the NHAMCS ED public use 
   data file, create an SPSS dataset and assign variable and value labels. All that the
   user needs to do is to change the path name at the beginning of the program to point to
   the location of the dataset that has already been downloaded, and at the end of the program, to assign 
   a location for the resulting SPSS dataset.  This is described in the comments at the 
   beginning of the program.

   The following provides an example of how to begin:  
    
    1) Create a new folder on your local workstation, for example, C:\MYFILES\ED2015

    2) Download to the new folder the 2015 NHAMCS ED ASCII dataset (ed2015.zip) from the FTP server: 
       ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/datasets/nhamcs
 
    3) ed2015.zip is a compressed file which must be unzipped prior to use.
       In order to do this, double click on the file name in your directory screen; 
       an option to unzip the file should appear. A new folder, ed2015, will probably 
       be created, depending on the software your system uses. The unzipped file ed2015 
       with no extension will be within that folder. This is the NHAMCS ED ASCII dataset. 
       You can then move the file to your preferred location. 

    4) Download to the new folder the ed2015.sps file from the FTP server:
       ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/Health_Statistics/NCHS/dataset_documentation/nhamcs/spss

    5) From your directory, click on the ed2015.sps file; it should open automatically in the
       SPSS syntax editor.  If not, you can start SPSS and either point to the file on your workstation
       or copy and paste the entire ed2015.sps file into the syntax editor window.  Follow the directions
       in the comments at the top of the program to point your program to the location of your dataset.
       Run the file in SPSS; your SPSS dataset should be created and ready for analysis.

       SPSS documentation files are being provided as a convenience to data users 
       and may be considered as "beta" versions for the time being. Although we conduct 
       our own testing, we are not primarily SPSS users, and are grateful for the assistance 
       of SPSS users who might wish to offer feedback.  

   CAUTION - Because NHAMCS is a sample survey, the application of 
   weights to the sample data is REQUIRED to produce national estimates
   of office visits, as well as to accurately assess the sampling error of
   statistics based on the survey data.  Please refer to the appropriate
   sections of the documentation file for information on how to apply the 
   weights and to obtain relative standard errors of national estimates.
                                                                                                
   For questions, suggestions, or comments concerning NHAMCS data, please
   contact the Ambulatory and Hospital Care Statistics Branch at 
   (301) 458-4600 or email us at ambcare@cdc.gov. 

   For additional information on NCHS data products, please call CDC-INFO at 
   800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636), TTY (888-232-6348), Monday-Friday 8am-8pm EST, 
   or use the CDC-INFO online request form at https://www.cdc.gov/info.
   NCHS website: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/