Description

For all current and institutionalized persons aged 5 and older, LMTWORK indicates if the person has limited ability to work, do housework, or attend school because of an impairment or a physical or mental health problem. Field Interviewers asked if anyone in the household had such a limitation. If the answer was yes, the individuals with a limitation were identified and asked follow-up questions about which activities they were limited in. 'Limited ability' means the person is unable to perform tasks independently for as long or in the same way as they did prior to the impairment or health problem, but they are still able to do it to some extent.

Examples of impairment given in the Field Interviewer's instructions include missing limbs, fingers, or other body parts; partial paralysis from an early case of polio, accident, or war wound; stiff joints, deformed fingers or other physical evidence of arthritis; and vision or hearing loss.

Collection frequency and timing for LMTWORK change over time. This question was fielded annually from 2017-2019 and 2022 forward. In other years, it was fielded more than once per year and those responses are recorded in the round-level variable LMTWORKRD.

LMTWORK is one of a series of variables about limitations and disability available in IPUMS MEPS. A complete list of these variables can be found in the description for ANYLMT.

Comparability

This variable is comparable over time.

Universe

Availability

• 2017-2019, 2022-2023

Weights

• 2017-2019, 2022-2023 : PERWEIGHT

Flags