Description

For all medication-round fills that are not diabetic equipment or supplies (see RXNAME), RXBEGYR reports the year in which the person started taking the medicine. Respondents are only asked this question once, during the round in which they first report the new medicine. Subsequent rounds restate the previously reported value.

If respondents reported a date before their date of birth (or, if their date of birth is not available, a date after the reference period), this variable will be assigned a value of 9998: “Unknown – Not Ascertained.” If the medication is considered diabetic equipment or supplies, this variable will be assigned a value of 0: "Not in Universe."

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.

RXBEGYR is on the medication-round fill record (see RECTYPE for more details on the different record types in IPUMS MEPS). Variables offered on the medication-round fill record through IPUMS MEPS are derived from the prescribed medicines file 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.

RXBEGYR is a four-digit numeric variable.

Comparability

For purposes of confidentiality, RXBEGYR is bottom-coded for 2002-onward samples. For samples 2002-2014 and 2019-onward, the bottom code is 85 years before the sample year (e.g., for 2010, the bottom code is 1925). For samples 2015-2018, the bottom code is 1940. There is no bottom code for samples 1996-2001.

Universe

Availability

• 1996-2021

Weights

• 1996-2021 : PERWEIGHT

Flags