User Guides
NSOC
The NSOC User Guide provides descriptions of the study design, content, and data collection and information on related topics. For more information, please see "National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) I-III User Guide". In NSOC III, a 24-hour time diary was administered by telephone to caregivers who provided assistance to an older adult in the last month. The "National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) III Time Diary User Guide: Final Release" provides information on the study design, content, and other important data topics.
Technical Papers
Listed below are technical papers most relevant for NSOC analyses. For additional technical papers, please see the NHATS technical papers.
Sample Design and Weighting
Additional information on NSOC sample design and weighting is also available in the NSOC user guides.
NSOC I-III Weighting Guide
This technical paper describes the methodology used to develop survey weights, including procedures for nonresponse adjustments, for NSOC I, II, and III. In NSOC III, separate cross sectional weights are available for caregivers to living and deceased SPs, and two sets of longitudinal weights are provided.
NSOCI-III Weighting Guide. NHATS Technical Paper #24
Recalculation of Weights for NHATS Rounds 5 and 6 and NSOC II
This memorandum provides background on a miscalculation of weights that occurred in the 2015 replenishment sample and its effects on the computation of the NHATS Rounds 5 and 6 and NSOC II weights. The NHATS Round 5 and Round 6 SP files and NSOC II files were reissued with revised weights in 2017.
Recalculation of Weights for NHATS Rounds 5 and 6 and NSOC II. NHATS Memorandum #1
Other
Accounting for Sample Design 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.
Dementia Classification
A dementia classification variable has been created from the NHATS Round 1 public use data file. 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.
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.
Making National Estimates with the National Health and Aging Trends Study. NHATS Technical Paper #17
Work Productivity Loss
This technical paper provides information on how to create a work productivity loss indicator for working caregivers. SAS code to calculate work productivity loss is provided.
Variable-Instrument Crosswalks
NSOC Crosswalk between Instruments and Codebook
The NSOC crosswalk between the instrument and codebook lists the questions in the order administered and by file location (NSOC, SP Tracker File, OP Tracker File, Not on File) and includes the variable names and labels for each item.
Instruments
Round 7
Interview
Data Collection Instruments for the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) Round 7 are listed by section with variable names and labels. The sections of questionnaires are posted in the order administered in the NSOC instrument.
Data Collection Instrument Sections
Round 5
Interview
Data Collection Instruments for the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) Round 5 are listed by section with variable names and labels. The sections of questionnaires are posted in the order administered in the NSOC instrument.
Interview
Round 1
Interview
Data Collection Instruments for the National Study of Caregiving (NSOC) Round 1 are listed by section with variable names and labels. The sections of questionnaires are posted in the order administered in the NSOC instrument.
