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 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.

NATIONAL SURVEY OF WOMEN, 1991

Investigators: Koray Tanfer

The 1991 National Survey of Women (NSW) was conducted as a follow-up to the 1983 Survey of Unmarried Women (NSU), which examined sexual, contraceptive, and fertility behaviors, and the factors associated with these behaviors in a nationally representative probability sample of 1,314 never-married women between the ages of 20 to 29. The NSW sample consists of two subsamples of women. Women in the first sub-sample (n=929) were first interview ed as part of the NSU in 1983 when they were 20-29 years old and had never been married. These women were subsequently traced an reinterviewed in 1991. The second subsample of women (n=740) was obtained from a new area probability sample of 20-27 year old women, regardless of marital status women in this latter sample were interviewed for the first time in 1991. The combined sample consists of 1,669 women who were 20-37 years old in 1991. In-person interviews were conducted using a standard questionnaire and assessed information regarding respondents' personal back-ground; pregnancy history; sexual initiation and current exposure; current husband or partner; previous marital relationships; non-marital sexual partners; nonsexual romantic partners; health and risk-taking behavior; attitudes, perceptions and knowledge regarding health and contraception; and condom use. A self-administered questionnaire, which assessed self-esteem, locus of control, and attitudes toward marriage, was also completed by respondents. The NSW includes a total of 1,669 cases and 2,236 variables.

NOD Survey of Americans with Disabilities, 1994

Investigators: The National Organization on Disability

This national study of attitudes and experiences of disabled persons is a follow-up to the 1986 ICD Survey of Disabled Americans: Bringing Disabled Americans into the Mainstream. As with the 1986 survey, the 1994 follow-up study asked disabled people about their self-perceptions, how their lives have changed in the past decade, what their experiences have been with employment, education, social life, and what they thought must be done to increase their participation in the mainstream of American society. The 1994 NOD Survey of Americans with Disabilities addressed what it means to be disabled in America by asking a wide range of disabled individuals about the impact of their disability on the quality of their lives, their work, social life, daily activities, education, and personal life. The 1994 study assessed changes in social attitudes and experiences, social activities, and employment opportunities, along with the effects of religion, and the impact of technology and computers that aid disabled people. The survey also focused on barriers that prevented 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. The study includes 1,021 cases.

NOD Survey of Public Attitudes Toward People with Disabilities, 1991

Investigators: The National Organization on Disability

The National Organization on Disability commissioned this survey in the belief that knowledge about the public attitudes toward disabled persons is vital to the creation and implementation of policies concerning the participating of disabled people in public life. This landmark study documented for the first time what the public at large thinks about disabled people. The study includes 115 variables for 1,257 cases. The 1991 NOD Survey Public Attitudes Toward People with Disabilities assessed what it the American public believed about disabled people and interactions with them. The study aimed to provide policy makers, leaders of the disability movement, media, business people, and government officials with a better understanding of what the public knows about people with disabilities, how it feels about them and the way they are treated, and what should be done to help open up more opportunities for fuller participation in all aspects of life. The main foci of the study included: The public's contact with the disabled: Where does the public meet the disabled? Are relationships with them strained? Has the public seen movies or television programs on disabled people? The public's feelings toward disabled persons: What emotions are felt in dealing with disabled? Does the public feel differently about people with different disabilities? Do individuals ever feel awkward about how to approach a disabled person? Public knowledge of people with disabilities: What do people believe characterizes the lives of disabled people? Are they able to get jobs, have a social life, get by financially? The extent of perceived discrimination against disabled people: In what areas, if any, do disabled people face discrimination? Is affirmative action an appropriate remedy? Increasing the mainstream participation by disabled people: What are the pluses and minuses? What are people's attitudes toward government benefits for disabled people? The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): Awareness of ADA; Knowledge of ADA; Support for ADA; Cost of ADA. Jim Brady's Calling on America Campaign: What is the degree of support for the campaign? Is there public willingness to participate in this campaign?

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 AIDS Behavioral Survey (NABS II), 1992

Investigators: Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS); University of California, San Francisco

The National AIDS Behavioral Surveys (NABS) were designed to identify AIDS-relevant risk behaviors and their correlates in a population based sample of adults aged 18-75 residing in the contiguous United States. The overall study design allows for the description of sexual practices, drug use, HIV antibody test seeking, and levels of AIDS-related knowledge, beliefs and social skills over the adult life-span both for the U.S. as a whole and for the major high AIDS prevalence areas. Emphasis was placed on oversampling black and Hispanic populations with the major AIDS epicenters. The specific aims of the survey included: Estimating the prevalence of AIDS-relevant sexual practices in the United States as a whole and in different segments of the population (blacks, Hispanics, and whites; men and women; married and unmarried; age groups). Estimating the prevalence of HIV antibody test-seeking and levels AIDS-related knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and social skills among various segments of the population (blacks, Hispanics, and whites; men and women; married and unmarried, age groups. Testing the three stages of the proposed AIDS Risk Reduction Model: (a) Labeling: To determine the effects of HIV transmission knowledge, AIDS anxiety, HIV susceptibility beliefs, and AIDS ethnocentrism on "labeling" high risk behavior (i.e. the belief that "unsafe" sex practices put one at risk for HIV infection). (b) Commitment: To examine the effects of response efficacy (i.e. beliefs that safe sex behaviors are enjoyable and decrease the risk of HIV infection) and self-efficacy (i.e. beliefs in one's ability to perform safe sex behaviors) on behavior intentions to buy condoms, to increase condom use, and to reduce multiple-partnered sex. (c) Enactment: To assess the effects of sexual communication, risk behavior labeling (stage 1 outcome) and commitment to change (stage 2 outcome) on buying condoms, condom use and multiple partnered sex. The National AIDS Behavioral Survey II (NABS II) is a telephone survey conducted as a follow-up to the National AIDS Behavioral Surveys I conducted in 1990-91. NABS II has the following specific aims: 1) Estimate changes from 1990/91 to 1992 in AIDS relevant sexual practices (number of sexual partners, unprotected vaginal/anal intercourse, condom use), HIV antibody test-seeking, injection drug use, and AIDS-relevant beliefs and social skills across gender and racial/ethnic groups in a national sample. 2) Estimate the extent to which various subgroups in the population mix sexually and thus are capable of spreading HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases out of established risk groups; such subgroups are defined by age, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, level of education, and geographic proximity. 3) Test the predictive power of the AIDS Risk Reduction Model (ARRM) in a longitudinal design. The dataset consists of 5,391 cases and 315 variables.