Codes and Frequencies
Description
For persons without health insurance coverage for less than 3 years, HISTOP6A indicates if a reason for not having coverage is the respondent was cut back to part-time or temporary employee. Respondents were handed a card listing possible reasons for no insurance and were asked to specify up to five reasons or could specify some other reason. Individuals with single service were considered to be uninsured, and included in the universe for this variable.
For related variables, please use the IPUMS NHIS search function and drop-down menus.
This variable is not comparable with variables from before 1997. See the comparability tab for more details.
Comparability
Changes in the universe and the response categories reduce comparability for 1997 with 1998 forward. For 1997, the universe includes only those without insurance for less than 3 years and the response categories are slightly different from all other years. Users should not compare HISTOP6A with variables on reasons for no insurance from before 1997. Users who want to compare variables before and after 1997 should see the recoded variable HINOEMPR, which has been recoded by the IHIS staff to improve comparability over time.
In 1997, the survey included other variables as employment related reasons for no insurance in addition to HISTOP6A, including: employer stopped offering coverage and benefits from the employer ran out. For 1998 forward, employment related reasons for no insurance included self-employment and employer doesn't offer coverage/not eligible and are available.
For 1997 to unemployment related reasons were: whether the individual or their parent/spouse lost their job or changed employers as the reason for no insurance. For 1998 forward only whether the individual lost their job or changed employers is available and indicates the person in the family with coverage lost or changed their job.
From 1997 forward, the NCHS edited the responses for insurance coverage based on plan name to improve the accuracy in insurance coverage status. In addition, prior to 1997, respondents who indicated no insurance due to cost may have been covered through other public programs (see the variable description for HINOREMP, available for 1976, 1980, 1982-1984, 1986, 1989, 1993-1996).
Users are also strongly encouraged to review the user notes Insurance Data Collection
Universe
- 1997: All persons without health insurance coverage for less than 3 years
Availability
- 1997
Weights
- 1997 : PERWEIGHT
