/*****************************************************************************/ /* SPSS User Files are being provided for the convenience of analysts who */ /* may wish to use SPSS to analyze the MEPS data. However, users are */ /* cautioned that SPSS does not currently have the capability to produce */ /* appropriate standard errors for estimates from a survey with a complex */ /* sample design like the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The */ /* annual national probability sample of households selected for the MEPS */ /* is a subsample of those participating in the National Health Interview */ /* Survey (NHIS) for the previous calendar year. The NHIS, an ongoing */ /* general health survey of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, */ /* is conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for */ /* Disease Control and Prevention. The NHIS sample design, and thus that */ /* of the MEPS, uses complex sampling techniques including */ /* stratification, clustering, and differential sampling rates for the */ /* oversampling of selected subgroups of the population. Because of this */ /* sampling structure, software that accounts for this complex sample */ /* design must be used. Without the use of appropriate software that */ /* accounts for the complex sample design of the MEPS in conjunction with */ /* the survey's sampling weights (reflecting the survey's sample */ /* selection probabilities and nonresponse and other adjustments), the */ /* estimated standard errors of survey point estimates will generally be */ /* underestimated, and, thus, the inferential conclusions in an analysis */ /* (descriptive or analytical) may be misleading. It is recommended that */ /* sample survey software be used to analyze the MEPS data. Software for */ /* analysis of complex survey data include, for example, SUDAAN (Research */ /* Triangle Institute), STATA (Stata Corporation), VPLX (U.S. Bureau of */ /* the Census), and WESVAR (Westat, Inc.). A more comprehensive summary */ /* of software for the analysis of data from surveys with complex sample */ /* designs can be accessed through the website for the American */ /* Statistical Association's Survey Research Methods Section. Users may */ /* also reference the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) */ /* web document "Computing Standard Errors for Medical Expenditure Panel */ /* Survey (MEPS) Estimates." */ /*****************************************************************************/ SET UNICODE=NO. FILE HANDLE INFILE NAME="H197IF2.DAT" /LRECL=59. DATA LIST FILE=INFILE / DUPERSID 1-8 (A) RXLKIDX 9-32 (A) EVNTIDX 33-44 (A) LINKIDX 45-56 (A) EVENTYPE 57-57 PANEL 58-59 . VARIABLE LABEL DUPERSID 'PERSON ID (DUID + PID)' RXLKIDX 'RECORD ID: EVNTIDX + LINKIDX' EVNTIDX 'EVENT ID' LINKIDX 'ID FOR LINKAGE TO COND/OTH EVENT FILES' EVENTYPE 'TYPE OF EVENT RX IS LINKED TO' PANEL 'PANEL NUMBER' . VALUE LABELS EVENTYPE 1 '1 MVIS' 2 '2 OPAT' 3 '3 EROM' 4 '4 STAZ' 5 '5 DVIS' 6 '6 OMED' 7 '7 HVIS' 8 '8 PMED' / PANEL 21 '21 PANEL 21' 22 '22 PANEL 22' . EXECUTE.