1. The Rocky Mountain Research Data Center
Advancing the Frontiers of Social Science: Opportunities and Challenges
Jani Little, Executive Director
Katie Genadek, Expected Administrator
The Rocky Mountain Research Data Center
A Local and Invaluable Data Resource
Jani Little, Executive Director
Phil Pendergast, Administrator
The Rocky Mountain Federal Statistical Research Data Center
(RMRDC)
Jani Little
Executive Director

3. 9 in 2009 and 24 in 2016

4. What is a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC)?
--A secure computing lab where restricted data, collected by federal statistical agencies, can be accessed FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY
--FSRDCs are managed by an on-site Census employee—the administrator— who guides researchers on proposal development, enforces security guidelines, and serves as liaison with the research community.

5. RMRDC Consortium Members

6. Advantages to Researchers from Member Institutions:
--Free access to RMRDC services and secure laboratory
--NCHS Data Fees Paid
--Free access to other FSRDCs

7. Requirements for Any FSRDC Project:
--Research projects must undergo a formal approval process with the agency that owns the data, e.g., Census, NCHS, AHRQ
--Researchers must go through a background investigation that qualifies them for “Special Sworn Status (SSS)” which makes them an unpaid Census Bureau employee.
--Results must be formally reviewed for disclosure violation before they leave the secure facility.
Currently 260 active projects, 50% are Census

8. What Are Restricted Data?
Information about individuals, households, businesses that is not available publicly because it is sensitive or could be used to disclose their identities
What makes disclosure risky?
Geographic identifiers
Rare attributes
Many individual attributes--Longitudinal studies
Linked Data, e.g., Medical Records with Personal Data or Physician attributes
What are examples of sensitive data?
Any data describing a child, aged 18 and under
Health Conditions, Lab Results

9. What Kinds of Restricted Data are Available in the FSRDCs?
--Microdata about all US businesses--precise geolocations
--Microdata about large samples of US business—geolocations, payroll, tax records, foreign investments
--Microdata about individuals and households, precise geolocations
--Variables not available in public versions of data sets
--All microdata records for Decennial Censuses, ACS, CPS
--Full range of response items (e.g., industry codes, occupational codes, detailed race answers, income is not top-coded, etc.)
--Health Records for individuals linked with
CMS enrollment/claims
Death Certificates/Registry
Social Security Benefits

10. Your Answers to the Data Questions:
Census Data and the American Community Survey (ACS)
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Household Component
Birth and Death Registry
Electronic Medical Records, especially if linked to Physician information
National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), Physicians Sample
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Medical Provider Survey
All Payer Claims Data (APCD)
CMS Claims (UMinn ResDac
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) SAMSA
NSDUH gives link to accessing restricted data through portal is also available in FSRDCs
NAMCS annual study of ambulatory care provided at physicians’ offices. They provide information on 30 patient visits on 1-week reporting period. Working with CMS Electronic Records Incentive Programs.
AHRQ trying to develop a comprehensive approach to using APCD

11. Your Answers to the Data Questions (cont):
CDC Surveillance Systems:
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS)
National Adult Tobacco Survey (NATS)
American Indian Adult Tobacco Survey
National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR)
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
United States Renal Data System (USRDS)
records have been linked to some NCHS studies

12. Restricted Business, Demographic Data and Health Data from the Census Bureau

13. Longitudinal Business Database (LBD) https://www. census
Census of all business establishments with paid employees, updated annually
Precise geographic locations (long, lat)
Could be used to document clinics, Dr offices, and other health services establishments, especially in rural areas.
All ACS records available in RDCs.. Most of us have used aggregate tables, county, tract level. For PUMS data can’t get county identifier if it is too small (under 250,000).

14. American Community Survey (ACS)
The best source of current sociodemographic data available
Large yearly samples (1.5% of US pop.) enable customized small-area estimation
Household sample enables measurement of family structure and characteristics of each member
Including child information
Very detailed race and ethnicity codes, including tribal designation
For those using EMR, these data could be used to ask “How representative of their communities are your patients?”
All ACS records available in RDCs.. Most of us have used aggregate tables, county, tract level. For PUMS data can’t get county identifier if it is too small (under 250,000).

15. ACS Health Questions for each person 15+
Is this person currently covered by any of the following types of health insurance or coverage plans?
Insurance through an employer
Insurance purchased directly
Medicare
Medicaid
TRICARE or military health care VA
Indian Health Service
Other
Is this person deaf or does he/she have serious difficulty hearing?
Is this person blind or have difficulty seeing when wearing glasses?
Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?
Does this person have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs?
Does this person have difficulty dressing or bathing?
Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does this person have difficulty doing errands alone?

16. Linking ACS Records to Master Address File (MAF)
MAF provides physical location of every residence in US
MAF provides the sampling frame for Decennial Census and annual ACS
ACS individual and HH information can be precisely geolocated
Examples of Applications:
To derive indexes of Health Insurance Coverage for Rural Areas
To derive indexes of Distance or Travel Time to Nearest Health Services

17. What is the Point of Customized area estimates?
Tailor geographies to spaces that you are interested in:
What are the characteristics of households within 2000 feet of your care providers? Within a mile?
What types of people live in close proximity to oil and gas production sites? Are patients who experience similar medical problems living in similar types of neighborhoods?
No need to rely on broad aggregate-level demographic characteristics:
What share of the local population is age 65+, black, black and female?
Instead… Are most people from this community recent migrants? What are their principle occupations, HH structures, and ethnicities of migrants? Do they have health insurance?

18. Current Populations Survey (CPS)
Most comprehensive microdata data available on national employment
Also covers health insurance coverage, unemployed and discouraged workers
Detailed family member work, demographic and (select) behavioral characteristics captured by supplements
School enrollment, tobacco use and cessation, internet use
Food security supplement measuring food expenditures, access to food, and food quality and safety
CPS microdata could supplement ACS microdata on health insurance coverage

19. Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
Provides comprehensive information about the income and participation of individuals and households involved in government assistance programs.
Continuous series of national panels, with sample size ranging from approximately 14,000 to 52,000 interviewed households. The duration of each panel ranges from 2 ½ years to 4 years.
Health Care Utilization and Medical Expenditures
Health Insurance

20. Restricted Data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)

21. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) https://www
Annual Nationally Representative Sample, Adults and Children (N=10,000 persons)
Interviews, Physical Exams, Lab Testing
Oversampled Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, Persons in Poverty, and Over age 80
Major Medical Conditions, including Cancer
Youth Data
STDs
Alcohol and Drug Use
Depression
Blood Lead, Mercury, Arsenic
Immunizations
Occupation/Industry Codes and Demographics
Linked to National Death Index ( )
Linked to CMS Enrollment and Claims

22. National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) https://www. cdc
Annual State Representative Samples, Adults and Children (In ,000 households, 87,500 persons) Over samples Blacks and Hispanics
Every 5 years, Cancer Control Supplement (CCS)
Country of Birth and Related Immigration Variables
Detailed Occupation/Industry Codes
Detailed Race and Hispanic Origin
Linked to National Death Index ( )
Linked to CMS enrollment/claims
Linked to Cancer Registry in Florida

23. 5 different interviews over 2 years
Restricted Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
Annual Household Sample Drawn from NHIS Sample (In 2016, 13,587 families, 33,259 persons)
Cancer Survivorship Supplement draws from NHIS sample with cancer diagnosis
5 different interviews over 2 years
Extensive information about medical care and expenses
Conditions
Demographics
Linked to Medical Provider Surveys
Linked to NHIS data

24. Restricted National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) https://www. cdc
State and County geographic identifiers
Birth, death, fetal death, linked birth/infant death microdata
Exact dates of vital events
Demographic information, age, sex, race
Detailed Causes of death

25. NCHS Surveys Linked to CMS Data
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (NHEFS)
The Second Longitudinal Study of Aging (LSOA II)
National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS)
National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS)

26. Thank You!! jani.little@colorado.edu philip.m.pendergast@census.gov