Description
For office-based medical provider visits, outpatient visits, and emergency room visits (EVENTYPE), LABTEST reports whether the visit included lab tests. Please see the Universe tab for changes to the universe over time.
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.
LABTEST is on the event record (see RECTYPE for more details on the different record types in IPUMS MEPS). Variables offered on the event record through IPUMS MEPS are derived from the dental visits, other medical expenses, hospital inpatient stays, emergency room visits, outpatient visits, office-based medical provider visits, and home health event files provided by AHRQ. Please see our overview of the event, medical conditions, and prescribed medicines variables, including how those variables are offered through IPUMS MEPS, and general considerations to keep in mind when conducting analyses using these variables.
Codes and Frequencies
Universe
- 1996-1998: Office-based medical provider visits where the respondent visited the provider in person (SEETLKPV) and outpatient and emergency room visits (EVENTYPE).
- 1999-2016: Office-based medical provider visits and outpatient visits where the respondent visited the provider in person (SEETLKPV) and emergency room visits (EVENTYPE).
- 2017: Office-based medical provider visits and outpatient visits (EVENTYPE) where the respondent visited the provider in person (SEETLKPV) for events reported in Rounds 1 or 2 (EVENTRN) for persons in Panel 22 or events reported in Rounds 3 or 4 for persons in Panel 21 AND all office-based medical provider visits and outpatient visits for events reported in Round 3 for persons in Panel 22 or events reported in Round 5 for persons in Panel 21 AND all emergency room visits.
- 2018-2022: Office-based medical provider visits, outpatient visits, and emergency room visits (EVENTYPE).
Availability
- 1996-2022
Weights
- 1996-2022 : PERWEIGHT
