Medical Outcome Study, 1986-1992

Investigators: Alvin R. Tarlov John E. Ware, Jr. Kenneth B. Wells Anita L. Stewart Cathy D. Sherbourne Ron D. Hays William H. Rogers Sheldon Greenfield Sandra H. Berry

The Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) is a large-scale multi-year survey of patients with prevalent and treatable chronic health conditions, particularly hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and major depression. The MOS, which began in 1986, includes both cross-sectional and longitudinal components. The cross-sectional component describes the impact of chronic diseases on patient well-being as well as the medical care that patients received. The longitudinal component illustrates changes in health conditions over time and explains outcomes in terms of systems of care, provider specialty, styles of practice, and other factors that influence utilization of health care resources. The investigators employed a variety of assessment instruments, such as self-administered questionnaires for patients and clinicians, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, clinical reports, and health examinations. Furthermore, the SF-36 health survey was administered longitudinally, with a sample of 3,588 cases, in order to measure important health and functioning domains. The study samples were drawn from patients receiving health care from 523 solo or group practices in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The objectives of the study were assessment and evaluation of health status--defined in the MOS as the combination of: (1) clinical status, (2) functioning, and (3) well-being. In particular, the MOS investigated four prevalent and treatable chronic health conditions--three medical conditions of hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes as well as one psychological condition of major depression or dysthymia. The MOS examined these health conditions and their outcomes longitudinally in terms of health care, provider specialty, style of practice, and other factors that influenced utilization of health care resources. Among these, the study focused on the comparisons of (1) systems of care--HMOs, large multispecialty groups, and solo and small groups; (2) payment types--parepaid vs. fee-for-service; and (3) clinician specialty--specialist vs. generalist care. This large-scale multi-year study marked several methodological advances. First, the MOS measured the three parameters of health status in parallel, initially and longitudinally. Second, the MOS focused on patients' own personal evaluation of their functional status and well-being--an attempt to meet the recent needs of patient-based assessments of medical outcomes. Consequently, the MOS was the first large-scale study in which patients with different medical and psychiatric conditions completed the same self-administered questionnaires. Finally, the MOS is also distinctive in that it used both standardized patient surveys and clinical evaluations as measures of health status. With its large samples drawn from three urban cities in the U.S., the MOS increased standardization of general health surveys across studies and populations.

Multi-City Study of Factors Affecting Teenagers' Choice of Abortion Clinics, 1980

Investigators: Laurie Schwab Zabin and Samuel D. Clark, Jr.

These abortion clinic data were gathered as part of an investigation of why teenagers coming to family planning, prenatal or abortion clinics for the first time chose a particular clinic and why they (may have) delayed their decision to get professional help. Data were gathered from teens in the spring of 1980 at 40 clinics in eight cities (Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver, New York, Pittsburgh, St. Paul and Seattle). The family planning clinic sample included 12 Planned Parenthood affiliates, seven hospital facilities, six health department clinics and six independent clinics. Data were also gathered at four prenatal clinics, four abortion clinics, and one clinic of unknown type. The data from teens interviewed at family planning clinics, prenatal clinics, and abortion clinics have been archived separately as DAAPPP Data Set No. H2, H3, and H4, respectively. The present Data Set (H4) contains data from 255 teens who visited abortion clinics. The four principal reasons teens gave for choosing a particular abortion clinic were: the people there care about teens; they had no choice; someone chose it for them; and they heard good things about the doctors there.

Multi-City Study of Factors Affecting Teenagers' Choice of Family Planning Clinics, 1980

Investigators: Laurie Schwab Zabin and Samuel D. Clark, Jr.

This study explored the reasons why teenage family planning clinic patients choose the particular clinic in which they enroll, as well as the clinic characteristics that may encourage young patients to come for contraceptive help promptly or may contribute to their delay in seeking services. A total of 1,285 never-pregnant teenagers filled out questionnaires during the spring of 1980. All were clients of 31 contraceptive clinics in eight cities (Altanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver, New York, Pittsburgh, St. Paul and Seattle). The clinics were composed of 12 Planned Parenthood affiliates, seven hospital facilities, six health department clinics and six independent clinics. Although the clinics did not constitute a probability sample, they did represent a variety of urban clinic types. The five principal reasons teens gave for choosing a particular clinic were: it doesn't tell their parents; the people there care about teens; it is the closest; their friends come to it; and it is the only one they know of.

Multi-City Study of Factors Affecting Teenagers' Choice of Family Planning, Prenatal, and Abortion Clinics: Clinic-Level Data, 1980

Investigators: Laurie Schwab Zabin and Samuel D. Clark, Jr.

These clinic-level data were gathered as part of an investigation of why teenagers coming to family planning, prenatal or abortion clinics for the first time chose a particular clinic and why they (may have) delayed their decision to get professional help. Data were gathered from teens in the spring of 1980 at 40 clinics in eight cities (Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver, New York, Pittsburgh, St. Paul and Seattle). The family planning clinic sample included 12 Planned Parenthood affiliates, seven hospital facilities, six health department clinics and six independent clinics. Data were also gathered at four prenatal clinics four abortion clinics, and one clinic of unknown type. The data from teens interviewed at family planning clinics, prenatal clinics, and abortion clinics have been archived separately as DAAPPP Data Set No. H2, H3, and H4, respectively. The present Data Set (H1) contains data from the clinics themselves. Each clinic was asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding the services it provided (medical services, discussion groups and the like); its patient load (by ethnic group, age and income level); the composition of its staff; and its fee structure.

Multi-City Study of Factors Affecting Teenagers' Choice of Prenatal Clinics, 1980

Investigators: Laurie Schwab Zabin and Samuel D. Clark, Jr.

These prenatal clinic data were gathered as part of an investigation of why teenagers coming to family planning, prenatal or abortion clinics for the first time chose a particular clinic and why they (may have) delayed their decision to get professional help. Data were gathered from teens in the spring of 1980 at 40 clinics in eight cities (Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Denver, New York, Pittsburgh, St. Paul and Seattle). The family planning clinic sample included 12 Planned Parenthood affiliates, seven hospital facilities, six health department clinics and six independent clinics. Data were also gathered at four prenatal clinics, four abortion clinics, and one clinic of unknown type. The data from teens interviewed at family planning clinics, prenatal clinics, and abortion clinics have been archived separately as DAAPPP Data Set No. H2, H3, and H4, respectively. The present Data Set (H3) contains data from 120 teens who visited prenatal clinics. The four principal reasons teens gave for choosing a particular prenatal clinic were: it is the closest; the people there care about teens; they heard good things about the doctors there; and it was the only one available.

NOD/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities, 1998

Investigators: National Organization on Disability

The 1998 NOD/Harris Survey of Americans with Disabilities is a national study of attitudes and experiences of disabled persons--conducted by Louis Harris and Associates, Inc.--as a follow-up to the 1994 National Organization on Disability, (NOD) and 1986 International Center for the Disabled (ICD) surveys of disabled Americans. Both earlier studies are archived in RADIUS as Datsets # 06 and 04, respectively. Together, the three studies address disabled persons' self-perceptions, how their lives have changed in the past decade, what their experiences have been with employment, education, social life, what they thought must be done to increase their participation in the mainstream of American society, impact of their disability on the quality of their lives, their work, social life, daily activities, education, and personal life, as well as changes in social attitudes and experiences, social activities, and employment opportunities, the effects of religion, and the impact of technology and computer aids. Other items address focus on barriers that prevent disabled people from working, having a full social life, getting around, or using services; i.e., barriers that excluded them in some way from the mainstream of American life, or prevented them from achieving their goals. It is hoped that policy makers, leaders of the disability movement, and those who work with people with disabilities will find this study useful both as a benchmark of where people with disabilities stand today, and as a guide in their continuing efforts to improve the quality of life of Americans with disabilities and to enhance their contribution to society. The 1998 NOD study includes 436 variables for 1000 cases.

Nashville General Hospital Comprehensive Child Care Project 1974-1976: Selected Variables

Investigators: Howard Sandler

This study examined the child-rearing attitudes, perceptions of infant temperament, and mother-infant interactional behavior of primiparous adolescent mothers in comparison to mothers having their first infant post-adolescence. The newborn behavior of the infants was also examined. Data were obtained from the medical records of the mothers; from measures of maternal attitudes, maternal perceptions of infant temperament, and infant behavioral characteristics; and from an observational system. Data from the observational system were not included in the file archived for public use because they were available for only one- sixth of the sample and because they had already been subjected to detailed analysis by the principal investigators. Note for users of DAAPPP Data Sets #01-B1DAAPPP data sets 01 through B1 are comprised of a User's Guide, SPSS syntax files (*.SPS or *.SPX) and raw data files only. Most of these datasets contain SPSS syntax files that use Job Control Language (JCL) from 1980s versions of SPSS-X. Because the syntax is old, the syntax files require editing to conform to the current syntax standards used by SPSS/Windows or SPSS/Unix. If you require technical assistance in using or editing these syntax files, please contact Sociometrics' Data Support Group at 800.846.3475 or socio@socio.com.

National Commission on Children: 1990 Survey of Parents and Children

Investigators: Kristin A. Moore

Demographic, social and economic shifts in U.S. society over the past two decades have been accompanied by profound changes in family structure and the economic security of families raising children. These changes include a growth in single parent families, a decline in after-tax real income, and an increase in the number of children living in poverty. This survey aims to gather direct, up-to-date, and nationally representative data on the current state of family life, the quality of the relationship between parents and their children and their interactions with the major institutions affecting the family -- schools, the workplace, neighborhoods, and religious and civic organizations. Information on family demographic and socioeconomic background was also obtained. Issues addressed in this survey included: What factors support a positive and stable parent-child relationship? What is the role of educational, religious, social and cultural experiences in the lives of children? To what degree do parents involve themselves in their children's educational and religious experiences? To what degree do children talk with their parents about their life experiences such as dating, sex, drug and alcohol use, and their moral or religious concerns? To what degree do parents and children worry about and plan for the child's future education and employment?

National Fertility Study: Married Women Interviewed in 1970 and 1975

Investigators: Charles Westoff and Norman Ryder

This study is a special subset of the National Fertility Studies conducted in 1970 and 1975 (documented as DAAPPP Data Set Nos. 50-51 and 52, respectively). Included in this sample are the full set of variables for the 2,361 married women interviewed in 1970 and reinterviewed in 1975. The present data set enables an examination of changes in contraceptive efficacy, fecundability, work history, family planning intentions, sterilization, and abortion, as well as related opinions and attitudes. Additional background information is also provided on respondent and spouse (age, family background, education, religion and religiosity, ethnicity, occupation and income). Note for users of DAAPPP Data Sets #01-B1DAAPPP data sets 01 through B1 are comprised of a User's Guide, SPSS syntax files (*.SPS or *.SPX) and raw data files only. Most of these datasets contain SPSS syntax files that use Job Control Language (JCL) from 1980s versions of SPSS-X. Because the syntax is old, the syntax files require editing to conform to the current syntax standards used by SPSS/Windows or SPSS/Unix. If you require technical assistance in using or editing these syntax files, please contact Sociometrics' Data Support Group at 800.846.3475 or socio@socio.com.

National Health Interview Survey on Child Health, 1988

Investigators: National Center for Health Statistics

The 1988 National Health Interview Survey on Child Health (NHIS-CH) was conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and cosponsored by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The U.S. Census Bureau directed field work for the survey. Every year the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) asks a standard set of health and demographic questions about each member of sample families; in addition, one or more questionnaires on special health topics may be administered to one or more selected family members. For 1988, the NHIS focussed on the child and the supplemental section consisted of the Child Health Supplement. In addition to the Child Health Supplement the questionnaire contained items on demographic and health information for other individuals within the sample child's household. Topics covered in the 1988 NHIS-CH interview included child care, marital history of the child's parents, geographic mobility, circumstances of the pregnancy and birth, injuries, impairments, acute conditions, chronic conditions, passive smoking, sleep habits, school problems, developmental problems, and use of health care services. The resulting data set for this survey includes 1347 variables and 17,110 cases.