Description
For children ages 0 to 17, CHSPECND identifies children with special health care needs. A child is determined to have a special health care need if they responded "Yes" to at least one of the five initial questions (CHPMED, CHMORCARE, CHLIM, CHTHERAPY, CHCOUNSEL) and responded "Yes" to all of the follow-up questions for at least one of the initial questions to which they responded "Yes."
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 2000 questions used to determine CHSPECND were included on the Parent Administered Questionnaire (PAQ), a pencil-and-paper survey. For 2001 forward CHSPECND is part of the Children with Special Health Care Needs Screener, which is collected on the Child Preventive Health Supplement. See LESSHLTHY for more information on the Child Preventive Health Supplement.
Children with Special Health Care Needs Screener
The Children with Special Health Care Needs Screener (CSHCN) is an instrument developed to identify children with an activity limitation or whose need or use of health care is more than usual for most children of the same age. The CSHCN uses a non-condition specific approach to be able to identify children across a range of childhood chronic conditions and special needs. Questions asked as part of the CSHCN are:
- CHPMED: Currently need or use medicine prescribed by doctor
- CHPMCOND: Child prescribed medicine for health condition
- CHPMCOND12M: Health condition for which child was prescribed medicine expected to last at least 12 months
- CHMORCARE: Child needs more medical care than most children of same age
- CHMCCOND: Child needs more medical care than usual due to health condition
- CHMCCOND12M: Health condition for which child needs more medical care than usual expected to last at least 12 months
- CHLIM: Child limited in ability to do things most children can do
- CHLIMCOND: Child limited in ability due to health condition
- CHLIMCOND12M: Health condition that limits child's ability expected to last at least 12 months
- CHTHERAPY: Child needs or gets special therapy
- CHTHCOND: Child needs special therapy due to health condition
- CHTHCOND12M: Health condition for which child needs special therapy expected to last at least 12 months
- CHCOUNSEL: Child needs or gets counseling for emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems
- CHCNSL12M: Problems for which child needs counseling expected to last at least 12 months
Codes and Frequencies
Universe
- 2000-2022: Children ages 0-17.
Availability
- 2000-2022
