Community Tracking Study Household Survey, 1996-1997, and Followback Survey, 1997-1998: [United States]

This data collection comprises two components of the
Community Tracking Study (CTS), the Household Survey and the
Followback Survey. The CTS, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, is a national study designed to track changes in the
health care system and their effects on care delivery
and individuals. Central to the design of the CTS is its community
focus. Sixty sites (51 metropolitan areas and 9 nonmetropolitan
areas) were randomly selected to form the core of the CTS and to be
representative of the nation as a whole. The Household Survey was
administered to households in the 60 CTS sites and to a supplemental
national sample of households. At the beginning of each interview, a
household informant was identified and queried about the composition
of the household. With this information, individuals in the household
were grouped into family insurance units (FIU). An FIU reflects family
groupings typically used by insurance carriers. It includes an adult
household member, his or her spouse, if any, and any dependent
children 0-17 years of age (or 18-22 years of age if a full-time
student). Family informants, selected from each FIU in the household,
provided information on health insurance coverage, health care use,
usual source of care, and the general health of all persons in the
FIU. These informants also provided information on family income and
out-of-pocket expenses for health care, as well as employment, race,
and Hispanic origin for all adult FIU members. Each adult in the
household, including the FIU informants, responded through a
self-response module to questions regarding unmet health care needs,
patient trust, satisfaction with physician choice, limitations in
daily activities, smoking behaviors, and last doctor visit. In FIUs
with more than one child under 18, only one child was randomly
selected for inclusion in the survey. The family informant responded
on behalf of the child regarding unmet needs and satisfaction with
physician choice. The adult family member who took this child to his
or her last doctor visit responded to questions about the visit. The
Followback Survey was designed to obtain detailed information on
private health insurance coverage reported in the Household Survey. It
was administered to health plans and other organizations that offered
or administered the comprehensive private health insurance policies
covering Household Survey respondents in the 60 CTS sites.
Information on private health insurance policies collected by the
Followback Survey includes product type, gatekeeping, consumer cost
sharing, provider payment methods, and coverage of mental health
and/or substance abuse services.