Description

For children ages 0 to 17 who the respondent or a doctor thought needed to see a specialist in the last 12 months (ADSPEC), PROBGTSP reports how much of a problem, if any, it was to see a specialist that the child needed to see. Respondents were instructed to not include dental visits and specialists were defined as, "doctors like surgeons, heart doctors, allergy doctors, skin doctors, and others who specialize in one area of health care."

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.

PROBGTSP is part of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), which is collected on the Child Preventive Health Supplement. See VISITYRNO for more information on the General Health Subscale and LESSHLTHY for more information on the Child Preventive Health Supplement.

Comparability

The question wording changed in 2002 compared to earlier years. From 2000-2001 the question asked, "In the last 12 months, how much of a problem, if any, was it to get a referral to a specialist that (PERSON) needed to see?" For 2002 forward the question wording changed to, "In the last 12 months, how much of a problem, if any, was it to see a specialist (PERSON) needed to see?"

Additionally, the change in mode of administration for children ages 0 to 17 from a self-administered questionnaire in 2000 to an interviewer administered questionnaire in 2001 forward may produce slightly different estimates in 2000 compared to later years.

Universe

Availability

• 2000-2007

Weights

• 2001-2007 : PERWEIGHT
• 2000 : SAQWEIGHT

Flags