Journal of Economic and Social Measurement - Volume 20, issue 3

Authors: Cohen, Steven B.

Article Type: Other

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1994-20301

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 159-161, 1994

Authors: Cohen, Steven B. | Braden, Jill J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: This paper examines the issues associated with enhancing the sample design of the next cycle of the National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) Household Component, in order to allow for state level estimates of health care parameters. The NMES household survey …was designed to produce estimates of the civilian non-institutionalized population for calendar year 1987. While small area estimation techniques can be used to produce model-based estimates with the current NMES-2 design, there are serious concern with respect to their accuracy and reliability. This evaluation reviews the coverage and precision requirements of other national surveys that produce state level estimates. Alternative options to enhance the capacity for producing state level estimates in NMES-3 are also examined. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1994-20302

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 163-191, 1994

Authors: Braden, Jill J. | Cohen, Steven B.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: There is a growing need to obtain State-level estimates of the uninsured population to assist in the formulation of appropriate health care policies directed to this population subgroup. However, reliable estimates of these parameters at the State level are rarely …directly obtainable from national sample surveys. This evaluation focuses on alternative small area estimation strategies that are applicable to data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES-2). These techniques use model based estimators that combine national survey data on variables of interest, with auxiliary data and population characteristics of subnational areas to yield estimates for these subnational areas. A comparison of the accuracy of these small area estimators is presented. Prior to making State-level estimates of the uninsured, the alternative strategies are used to estimate Medicaid recipients, and comparisons are then made with actual program statistics. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1994-20303

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 193-213, 1994

Authors: Carlson, Barbara Lepidus | Cohen, Steven B. | Johnson, Ayah E.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Family-level data collected in longitudinal, as opposed to cross-sectional, surveys present special analytical problems due to the dynamic nature of family units over time. Family structure can change as a result of birth/adoption, death, marriage, divorce, migration, and transient situations …such as attending college away from home. Different strategies for defining changing families for analytical purposes have been proposed, including cross-sectional, longitudinal, and dynamic approaches. In this paper, the authors will describe the extent and type of change in family structure and composition in the Household Survey component of the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) over the course of the four data collection rounds in the survey year and the way these changes are incorporated into analytical plans. Several strategies for defining families which can change across time will be employed and evaluated. A few annualized outcome measures of interest at the family level will be explored using these various definitions. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1994-20304

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 215-235, 1994

Authors: Mathiowetz, Nancy A. | Lair, Tamra J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The ability to perform basic activities of everyday life is increasingly being proposed by policy makers as a key criterion in eligibility determination for long-term care services. As a result, the assessment and estimation of this population becomes critical for …planning purposes. This paper illustrates the issues and potential limitations of measuring functional status using an Activities of Daily Living measurement approach and addresses the implications of these issues for making national estimates of functional disability. Data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey indicate that significant proportions (31–66%) of the elderly report improvement in functioning over a one year period. The patterns of change reported in this paper, not unlike those found in other national surveys, call into question the reliability of reported ADL measures and point to the need to examine correlates of patterns of change, particularly improvement, over time. Findings indicate that while decline can be predicted reasonably well by demographic and health characteristics of the person, improvement tends to be more a function of methodological factors. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1994-20305

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 237-262, 1994

Authors: Potter, D.E.B. | Cunningham, Peter J.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Data from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey, Institutional Population Component were used to characterize partial and complete respondents with respect to outcome measures based on event history data. In this analysis, data for a sample of persons who used …a nursing or personal care home (NH) anytime during 1987 were used to examine the 1987 residence profiles of persons with complete residence data and contrast them to persons with missing residence history data. The results indicated that after controlling for sample type (resident on Jan. 1 verses 1987 admission), persons who spent any time in a nursing or personal care home during 1987 and for whom incomplete residence data were collected were significantly different from their counterparts with complete data. Most importantly, persons with incomplete data were more likely to move from place to place, and to have more stays in NHs during 1987. Differences were also noted on the dimensions of health status, insurance coverage and facility location. The results further provided some evidence that a minimum distance function imputation technique could be used to impute residence data for multiple events to persons missing some event history data, and that in some circumstances the imputation reduced the nonresponse bias of survey estimates. Evidence is also provided that the imputation improved the precision of some NH use and expenditure estimates. The paper also provides a brief description of the methodology used to construct and impute the event history profiles of missing residence data. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/JEM-1994-20306

Citation: Journal of Economic and Social Measurement, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 263-283, 1994