An Introduction to IPUMS Health Surveys: Harmonized versions of the National Health Interview and Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys

Abstract

This talk builds on last week’s introduction to IPUMS, given by my colleague Kari Williams. Targeting social scientists interested in health research, I will provide an in-depth exploration of the harmonized versions of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data available through IPUMS Health Surveys. The NHIS data, collected by the National Center for Health Statistics, is the longest-running, annual survey of health in the world. It is the primary source of information on topics such as physical and mental health status, chronic condition prevalence, health care utilization, and health care access, making it a critical resource for the study of population health disparities. MEPS, collected by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, is the primary source of information on health care expenditures in the United States. The MEPS Household Component is a longitudinal, household-based survey, collecting information about the same people during five interviews over the course of a two-year period. Topics covered include demographic characteristics and transitions, employment, medical conditions, health care utilization and access, and health care costs. The public use files combine survey data with billing data collected directly from a subsample of health care providers and pharmacies serving MEPS respondents.