Description

For all event-medication-round link records, MEPSEVNTIDK uniquely identifies events across MEPS panels. MEPSEVNTIDK is created for 1996-2017 by combining PANELK, EVNTIDK, and a 2-digit event type number ("03" for prescribed medicines, "02" for other medical expenses, and "01" for all other event types). IPUMS MEPS staff create MEPSEVNTIDK to provide a single, universal linking key for MEPS conditions.

Beginning in 2018, AHRQ modified the identifiers DUIDK and DUPERSIDK (which combines DUIDK with PIDK) on the original MEPS data files to append information about PANELK to the first two columns. AHRQ also added a 2-digit event type number beginning in 2018. MEPSEVNTIDK is the same as EVNTIDK for 2018-forward.

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. The MEPSEVNTIDK is on the event-medication-round link record and is the same as MEPSEVNTID on the event record.

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.

MEPSEVNTIDK is a 16-character string variable.

Comparability

This variable is completely comparable over time.

Universe

Availability

• 1996-2020

Weights

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

Flags