Description

For all event-medication-round link records, EVNTIDK is an AHRQ-generated identifier that uniquely identifies event records. EVNTIDK is created by combining DUPERSIDK with a numeric event identifier. From 1996-2017, EVNTIDK uniquely identifies event records within a panel. To uniquely identify records across all MEPS panels, please see MEPSEVNTIDK. Beginning in 2018, EVNTIDK uniquely identifies records across panels due to changes in the construction of DUPERSIDK to add PANELK to the first two digits of the DUPERSIDK identifier and the addition of a 2-digit event type number.

Event-Medication-Round Record Linking
The event, medication-round, and medication-round fill records can be joined together by using the event-medication-round link records. EVNTIDK is on the event-medication-round link record and is the same as EVNTID on the event record. Due to changes in how EVNTID is constructed over time, IPUMS MEPS recommends using MEPSEVNTID and MEPSEVNTIDK to join the event, medication-round, and medication-round fill records.

See our user note for more details on how to join the different record types and an overview of the event, medical conditions, and prescribed medicines variables, how those variables are offered through IPUMS MEPS, and general considerations to keep in mind when conducting analyses using these variables.

Users should note that beginning in 2021, AHRQ discontinued the public use version of the RXLK file, which contained all K RECTYPE variables. AHRQ determined that the data in the RXLK file are not useful for studies of prescriber behavior because so few drugs link to prescribers. IPUMS MEPS continues to offer the RXLK variables for the 1996-2020 samples. Users interested in the RXLK variables for the 2021-forward samples can refer to AHRQ's webpage on procedures to access restricted variables in a data center.

From 1996-2017, EVNTIDK is a 12-character string variable. Beginning in 2018, EVNTIDK is a 16-character string variable.

Comparability

From 1996-2017, EVNTIDK is 12 digits wide and uniquely identifies event records within a MEPS panel. Beginning in 2018, EVNTIDK is 16 digits wide due to the increased width of DUPERSIDK and the addition of a 2-digit event type number and uniquely identifies records across MEPS panels.

Universe

Availability

• 1996-2020

Weights

• No weights are available for this variable. Please refer to EVNTIDK for more information.

Flags