For a discussion of the design and methods and a complete list of acronyms used in the questionnaire of the NHC, see Potter DEB. Design and Methods of the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Nursing Home Component. Rockville (MD): Agency for Health Care Policy and Research; 1998. MEPS Methodology Report No.3. AHCPR Pub. No. 98-0041.

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Questionnaires used in Rounds 1–3 

Each round of the MEPS-NHC collected information on facilities and persons sampled within the facilities. Each round of data collection also includes different sections of the overall MEPS NHC data collection instrument. Some sections are included only during one round of data collection, some are included once but are updated during subsequent rounds. An overview of the data collection activities for the MEPS NHC can be found in collect.pdf.

Navigating through the NHC questionnaire using nav-v#-v1.pdf

The MEPS-NHC is a large-scale and comprehensive data collection effort. To accommodate the extensive array of questions covered, yet minimize the number of questions asked of each respondent, CAPI technology structures the design of the data collection instrument as an intricate system of skip patterns. Since data are collected using CAPI, rather than hard-copy questionnaire, the data collection instrument actually consists of a series of computer programming notes embedded along with each data item. Any single question must be considered within the context of the skip patterns incorporated into the questionnaire. Residents are sampled during each round only in the sampled facilities. Those sampled in Round 1 are referred to as Current Residents; those sampled in Round 2 are referred to as Round 2 First Admits; those sampled in Round 3 are referred to as Round 3 First Admits. In addition, these sampled persons may transfer to another sampled facility; others may transfer to new facilities. These combinations yield seven different resident/facility types. NAV-V3-V1.PDF can be used in conjunction with the survey instrument to identify which facilities and sampled residents are eligible for all or selected portions of the questionnaire for each round and to determine reference periods for those facilities and residents who were administered the questionnaire.

A brief description of the questionnaire sections is provided below. On the attached files, detailed information regarding the objectives and the general structure of that section precede each section of the questionnaire. It is recommended that the documentation preceding each section be read carefully.

Facility questionnaires: Round 1

The Round 1 facility-level questionnaire was administered to all sampled, cooperating, eligible facilities. It is divided into five sections that were collected using CAPI and a sixth section which utilized a self- administered questionnaire (SAQ). The names of the sections, the code identifying each section, the files that identify the section, and the page numbers are listed below, followed by a brief description of each section. The section code can be used to identify the questionnaire section when navigating through the instrument. For example, the first question of the Facility Structure and Characteristics Section is FA1, the second question of the Facility Rate Schedule is FR2, the fifth question of the Self-Administered Questionnaire is SAQ5, and so forth.

The page numbers shown below reflect the electronic page number. When this instrument is printed the page number on the hard copy will not always match the electronic page number.

FA - Similar to the FA section used to collect data for sampled facilities in Round 1.
FR - Similar to the FR section used to collect data for sampled facilities in Round 1.
FG - Similar to the FG section used to collect data for sampled facilities in Round 1.
MD- Similar to the MD section used to collect data for sampled facilities in Round 1.

Facility questionnaires: Round 3

The Round 3 facility instrument consist of the sampled facility questionnaire (updates information collected on facilities sampled in Round 1) and the continuing new facility /new facility questionnaire (collects information on eligible facilities to which some residents sampled in Rounds 1 or 2 were transferred).

Sampled facility questionnaire: Round 3