1991 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Family Resources Public Use Data File This file contains data edited and imputed by methods not previously used by the NHIS (see note 2 below). The cleaning, editing, and allocation or imputation of data procedures were designed and performed by staff at the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evalua- tion, although NHIS staff input was provided in the design of the specifica- tions. These procedures are still being refined. These data should, therefore, be used taking these limitations into consideration. Data that have been modified are identified by flag fields (see note 2 below and cross-reference list). NOTE: please read carefully all notes and footnotes specific to fields being used in analysis. 1. The 1991 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Family Resources data file (FR) contains data items from the Income supplement which includes information on health insurance and other types of health care coverage and public program participation, as well as a variety of income sources for the calendar month prior to the interview date. 2. The 1991 FR differs from other NHIS data files because it includes imputed or "allocated" data, using a hot deck method, when either the entire record for an interviewed individual or specific data items or amounts were missing. The specifications for the data allocation were written by personnel of the U.S. Bureau of the Census and programmed by personnel in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Program and Evaluation. Essentially, a variety of information about an individual such as gender, race, education, detailed employment status, activity limitation, a variety of family characteristics (including those of the parents, for children), were used to sort individuals into "like" categories. The characteristics and categories used varied by specific field. The entire record was allocated from one other "like" individual if either no record existed or less than three fields were completed. Otherwise, the allocation was done on an item by related item basis. Any allocated data can be identified by field-specific flags. A listing cross-referencing data locations and associated flags is found at the end of this cover documentation. 3. There are a few minor changes between the 1990 and 1991 Family Resource data files and one relatively major addition. In 1991 questions about the detailed income specific to family members who are in the armed forces and living in the home were asked and the data is included in summarized form. Three fields (locs. 447-454, 455-462, and 463-470) on the family reference person's record summarize the earnings, transfer, and property income of any military family members. This income is included in the total family income in loc. 439-446. - 1 - Relatively minor changes include two new fields within private health insurance on whether the plan is in the person's name (loc. 340) and, if the insurance was obtained from work, if the employer or union paid for it (loc. 342). For those who where employed in the last month, the actual number of hours worked per week is obtained (loc. 344-345). For those receiving Social Security or Railroad retirement (SS/RR) who were under age 65, there is an additional screener question on whether the SS/RR was received because of disability (loc. 371). For those receiving welfare payments in the past month, an additional question was asked about the number of months in the past year that welfare payments were received (392-393). 4. The 1991 FR file is structured in the following way. a. The NHIS person record from the core questionnaire (locations 1-200) b. Weight fields (locations 201-335) c. The family resources data, including personal and family monthly income totals (locations 336-515) 5. Weights and variances: Since the NHIS uses a multistage sample design to represent the civilian non-institutionalized population of the United States, weights must be used to make accurate estimates based on data from the National Health Interview Survey. The primary weight to be used with this data is the Final Annual Basic Weight (location 219-227). Because the income data was collected only for the calendar month prior to the date of interview, adjustments will have to be made by the analyst to obtain annual data; note that data on the number of months worked in the previous year is included. Both personal and family income totals for the month have been calculated and are in locations 423-430 and 439-446, respectively. 6. Cross-reference listing for fields and associated flags. When all fields are allocated from a single other person, only the "total" allocation flags (locs. 471 and 472 depending on age) are generally marked because "donors" are essentially completed records. Note that some flags apply to more than one field and some fields have more than one applicable flag. - 2 - IMPUTATION CROSS-REFERENCE Data Location Item Flag Location - All resource items allocated 471 (14 year of age and over) - All resource items allocated 472 (Under 14 years of age) 336 Medicare Coverage 489 337 Medicaid Coverage 490 338 Champus Coverage 491 339 Private Health Insurance (HI) 492 340 Coverage in own name 495,496 341 HI provided-employer/union 493 and extent of coverage 342 Extent of employer provided 494 payment 343 Job or Business (Status) 497 344-345 Usual hours worked 500 346 Employed or self-employed 498 (class of worker) 347-353 Salary amount (month) Employed only 501 Employed and self employed 503 354-355 Number of months worked 499 356-363 Self-employment income Self employed only 502 Employed and self employed 503 364-365 Number of months self-employed 499 366 Social Security/Railroad 473 Retirement (SS/RR) 367-370 SS/RR Income amount 473,474,476,477 - 3 - Data Location Item Flag Location 371,372 Disability status 473,474,475,478 373 Supplemental Security Income 479 (SSI) 374-377 SSI amount 479,480 378 Other disability Income Source 504 379-382 Other disability amount 504,505 383 Pension 506 384-389 Pension amount 506,507 390 Welfare/Public Assistance 481 391 Type of Welfare received 482 392-393 Frequency of Welfare over year 486,487,488 394-397 Welfare amount 483,484,485 398 Food stamp-family 508 399-402 Food stamp value 508,509 403 Interest 510 404-408 Interest amount 510,511 409 Dividend 512 410-415 Dividend amount 512,513 416 Other Income source 514 417-421 Other income amount 514,515 - 4 -