The interviewer asked, "During the past 12 months, have you had any problems getting medical care for yourself for any of the following reasons: 1) Because care was not available when you needed it?; 2) Because of how much it cost?; 3) Because you didn't know where to go for care?: 4) Because you didn't have a way to get there?; 5) Because the hours weren't convenient?" If the respondent gave an affirmative response to any of these questions, the interviewer asked, "Did this problem prevent you from getting medical care for yourself?"

Those who said "no" to every question referring to a specific obstacle to getting medical care have a code of "10" (No problems) in PROBPREVCARE. Those who acknowledged having one or more of these problems and who reported that at least one of these problems prevented them from getting medical care have a code of "20" (1+ problems and prevented 1+ times). Those who acknowledged having one or more of these problems but consistently reported that the problem did not prevent them from getting medical care have a code of "30" (1+ problems but not prevented 1+ times) in PROBPREVCARE. Those who acknowledge having one or more of these problems but who either did not answer the questions about being prevented from getting medical care, or who did not know if the problem prevented them from getting medical care, have a code of "40" in PROBPREVCARE. Those who failed to answer or did not know the answer to any of the questions about specific obstacles to getting medical care have a code of "50" (Unknown if problems) in PROBPREVCARE.

The specific obstacles addressed include: availability (PROBAVAIL); cost (PROBCOST); lack of information on where to obtain care (PROBWHERE); transportation (PROBTRAN); and scheduling difficulties (PROBHRS). These variables report answers to the five questions relating to specific obstacles to getting medical care, reproduced above. The answers to these questions are also summarized in PROBGETCARE, which indicates whether the person had one or more problems getting medical care during the past 12 months.