Description
ARMFEV reports whether the person has served on active duty in U.S. Armed Forces, Reserves, or National Guard in the past, but does not currently. Active duty does not include training for the Reserves or National Guard. The variable NOWAFRD reports whether the person is currently on full-time active duty status in the Armed Forces.
In 2023, this variable reports veteran status of all persons age 17 and older.
In 2018 and 2019, only persons eligible for the Veteran Self-Administered Questionnaire (VSAQ) (VETELIG) are reported in this variable. Certain respondents eligible for the VSAQ are coded as NIU in ARMFEV for undisclosed reasons, however, AHRQ restricts VSAQ data if the veteran is currently serving active duty, if they later declared that they were not a veteran, or other reasons further listed below.
In 2018 and 2019, ARMFEV is the first variable in the Veteran Self-Administered Questionnaire (VSAQ): only respondents who reported that they served on active duty, but not currently, are classified as veterans and were asked further questions in the VSAQ. The VSAQ was fielded in 2018 and 2019 and collected information on veterans' health conditions and health care services. For confidentiality reasons, AHRQ has restricted the VSAQ variables that indicate when the veteran was in active duty, whether or not they received a disability rating, was a POW, and discharge information from the public data available through IPUMS. Users interested in restricted MEPS data should consult with AHRQ to apply for use of restricted MEPS data.
Estimates using VSAQ variables should use the survey weight VETWEIGHT. See our documentation on the VSAQ for more information.
Veteran's Self Administered Questionnaire Variable List
Veterans Health Conditions
The first set of variables report conditions that U.S. armed forces veterans could report having been told they have by a doctor or other health provider.
- Received Purple Heart award (ARMFPHEART)
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). (COPDEV)
- Dermatological conditions (DERMEV)
- GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) (GERDEV)
- Hearing loss (HRLOSSEV)
- Back pain (BACKPAINEV)
- Joint pain (JNTPAINEV)
- Osteoarthritis (OSTEOARTHEV)
- Gout (GOUTEV)
- Neck pain (NECKPAINEV)
- Fibromyalgia (FIBROEV)
- TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction) (TMDEV)
- PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) (PTSDEV)
- Alcohol abuse (ALCABUSEV)
- Depression (DEPRESSEV)
- Mood disorder (MOODDISEV)
The following variables cover various health-related services that U.S. armed forces veterans (ARMFEV) could report having received since discharge from military service, and whether those services were received at the VA.
- Prosthesis (VETPROSTH)
- Rehabilitation services (VETREHAB)
- Group counseling (VETCOUNGRP)
- Individual mental health care (VETCOUNIND)
- Prescription medication (VETRX)
- Assistive mobility device (e.g., wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes) (VETMOB)
The following variables ask respondents to rate the importance of selected factors in choosing their primary care provider.
- Cost of care (VETPCPCHOCOST)
- Recommendation from another doctor (VETPCPCHOREC)
- Reputation of the doctor providing care (VETPCPCHOREP)
- Short wait time for appointments (VETPCPCHOTIME)
- Location of doctor's practice (VETPCPCHOLOC)
- Doctor is in veteran's health network (VETPCPCHONET)
- Doctor understands the special needs of veterans (VETPCPCHONEED)
The following variables report on respondents' use and experience of health care services outside the VA.
- Visited non-VA provider in past year (VETVOUTVAYR)
- Non-VA provider knew of health issues (VETVOUTVAKNEW)
- Non-VA provider kept complete records (VETVOUTVARECCOMP)
- Asked non-VA provider for health records (VETVOUTVAASKREC)
- Obtained health records from non-VA provider (VETVOUTVAGETREC)
- Non-VA provider aware or VA services (VETVOUTVAWR)
- Problems from lack of awareness of VA services (VETVOUTVAPROBAWR)
The following variables report on respondents' use and experience of health care services at a VA facility.
- Received care from VA provider in past year (VET12MVACARE)
- Visited a PCP or PACT at the VA (VET12MPCPVIS)
- PCP/PACT knew of past health (VET12MPCPKNWPAST)
- Saw VA provider other than PCP/PACT (VET12MVAOTH)
- PCP/PACT knew test results from other provider (VET12MPCPKNWOTH)
- PCP/PACT kept health records up-to-date (VET12MPCPINFO)
- Requested health records from PCP/PACT (VET12MPCPASKREC)
- Received health records from PCP/PACT (VET12MPCPGETREC)
- Needed a referral from PCP/PACT (VET12MNEEDREF)
- Referral from PCP/PACT for non-VA provider (VET12MGETREF)
- PCP/PACT aware of non-VA services received (VET12MPCPAWRNV)
- Problems from PCP/PACT unawareness of services (VET12MPROBAWRNV)
- Received care from VA specialist (VET12MSPCAR)
- VA specialist knew about past health (VET12MSPMEDHIST)
- VA specialist aware of non-VA services received (VET12MSPAWRNV)
- Problems from VA specialist unawareness of services (VET12MSPUNAWRNV)
Variables on the month and year of VSAQ completion and relationship of respondent to the veteran.
- Month of VSAQ completion (VETCMPLMON)
- Year of VSAQ completion (VETCMPLYR)
- Relationship of respondent (proxy) to veteran (VETPROXYREL)
Codes and Frequencies
Universe
- 2018-2019: Eligible VSAQ respondents (VETELIG).
- 2023: All persons age 17 and older.
Availability
- 2018-2019, 2023
