Methods & Documentation

Technical papers describing the NHATS sample design and round-specific survey weights are provided below.

Accounting for Sample Design in Analysis FAQs

This technical paper answers frequently asked questions about how to account for the complex sample design of NHATS and NSOC in analyses. Topics covered include conducting cross-sectional analyses with NHATS and NSOC, conducting longitudinal analyses in NHATS, and an overview of weights. Example Stata and SAS code is provided.

“Accounting for Sample Design in NHATS and NSOC Analyses: Frequently Asked Questions. NHATS Technical Paper #23”

Dementia Classification

A dementia classification variable was created from the NHATS public use data. The technical paper describes the methodology used to create this variable and provides Round 1 descriptive data. The addenda to the technical paper provide SAS and Stata programming statements that can be used to construct an NHATS dementia classification variable for all rounds.

“Classification of Persons by Dementia Status in NHATS. Technical Paper #5”

“SAS Programming Statements for Construction of Dementia Classification in NHATS. Addendum to Technical Paper #5”

“Stata Programming Statements for Construction of Dementia Classification in NHATS. Addendum to Technical Paper #5”

“Addendum to Classification of Persons by Dementia Status in NHATS for Follow-up Rounds”

Duration of Self-Care and Mobility Accommodations

This technical paper is intended as a guide for using the duration of mobility and self-care measures in NHATS. The contents of the duration of Mobility Accommodations (DM) and Duration of Self-Care Accommodations (DS) sections are reviewed and several potential applications are described for these unique national data.

“Mobility and Self-Care Accommodation Duration Measures in NHATS. NHATS Technical Paper #12”

Hours of Care

Hours of care and information about individuals that the sampled person (SP) has identified in earlier sections as Helpers with activities are obtained in the Helpers (HL) section in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). This technical paper provides guidance to users on how to create comparable hours of care variables across rounds of the NHATS. For more information, please see 

Income Imputation Procedures

Multiple imputed values of total annual income are provided in Rounds 1, 3, 5, and 7. The values reflect either individual income or income for couples for those currently married or living with a partner. For more details on the imputation strategy, please see the following technical papers.

Making National Population Estimates with NHATS and NSOC

This technical paper provides details on how to standardize NHATS estimates to the Medicare frame and Census totals. Information is also provided on how to use the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) to make estimates of the number of family and unpaid caregivers to older adults consistent with the Medicare frame or Census totals.

Measuring Late-Life Physical Capacity

This technical paper describes Item Response Theory (IRT) methods to evaluate self-reported and performance-based physical capacity measures administered in NHATS.

Performance Based Summary Measures

Performance based summary measures have been created for inclusion on the NHATS public use data file. Summary measures include the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), as well as scores for grip strength and peak air flow. The technical paper describes the methodology used to create these measures and provides Round 1 descriptive statistics. The addendum to the technical paper provides SAS programming statements that were used to construct the summary measures.

Transportation Measures

The National Health and Aging Study (NHATS) incorporates a wide range of measures that can be used to characterize the extent to which optimal mobility is achieved by older adults. This paper is intended as a guide to transportation-related information in NHATS and approaches to analyzing these data.