Community Hospital Program (CHP) Access Impact Evaluation Surveys, 1978-1979, 1981

This data collection evaluates group medical practices and the ways in which they affect both access to and use of medical services. Group practices, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Hospital Program (CHP), were selected for use in this assessment. The data were collected by the Center for Health Administration Studies at the University of Chicago, with the assistance of Chilton Research Services. Two surveys were conducted for the study: a baseline survey in 1978-1979 and a follow-up in 1981. Community residents and CHP patients in 12 communities were interviewed. Demographic and medical care data were collected for selected individuals and families in the survey areas. Data on regular sources of medical care for individuals include the type of organization used, type of practice, accessibility, frequency of visits, types of health care professionals seen, cost, and satisfaction. Also in the collection are data on perceived health, episodes of illness (including symptoms, duration, disability days, and doctors consulted), use of preventive health care services, and insurance coverage. Demographic data for individuals and families include age, sex, race, educational attainment, employment, and income. Of the 198 files in this collection, 88 are "raw" data files and 110 are frequencies. The data files consist of four types. The first type are Sample Person files. These contain the responses of group practice patients and community members. The second type are Doctor Episode files, which record doctors and episodes of illness. Family files make up the third type of file, and consist of family members' responses to the survey. Analysis files, linking patient and doctor data, are the fourth type of file. The SPSS frequency files correspond to the data files: two per file for the Sample Person files, and one per file for the remaining three types of files.