Description

For all persons not born in one of the 50 U.S. states or D.C. (USBORN), YRSINUSG reports how long the person has been living in the United States, measured in grouped year estimates.

IPUMS MEPS reports the universe for each variable based on a thorough review of the original MEPS documentation. Investigating the data may reveal cases that do not meet the stated universe. Users are encouraged to validate universes for their analyses.

In 2002 and 2003, YRSINUSG was asked of all persons eligible for the Access to Care section (ACCESSELIG) who were not born in the U.S. (USBORN). The Access to Care section gathers information on usual source of care for all family members, characteristics of usual source of care health providers, and barriers family members have faced in obtaining needed healthcare. From 2002-2013, the Access to Care section also collected information about language and nativity status. Beginning in 2013, YRSINUSG was moved to the Demographic section. Persons in Panel 17 were not asked YRSINUSG in 2013. Instead, their 2012 response to the Access to Care question YRSINUSC was recoded to a grouped year estimated and copied to the 2013 file, and persons in Panel 18 were asked YRSINUSG in the Demographic section.

Please see LANGSPEAK for information about the language and nativity variables in the Access to Care section and ACCESSELIG for more information on the Access to Care section as a whole.

Comparability

In 2013, persons in Panel 18 were asked YRSINUSG in the Demographic section and the 2012 responses of persons in Panel 17 to YRSINUSC were recoded to a grouped year estimated and copied to the 2013 file to support the transition to a new set of nativity questions asked in the Demographic section.

Otherwise, this variable is comparable over time.

Universe

Availability

• 2002-2003, 2013-2021

Weights

• 2002-2003, 2013-2021 : PERWEIGHT

Flags