Archival Version

The National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) series provides information on health expenditures by or on behalf of families and individuals, the financing of these expenditures, and each person's use of services. The Survey of American Indians and Alaska Natives (SAIAN) was designed in collaboration with the Indian Health Service (IHS), and used the same data collection instruments, interview procedures, and time frame as the NMES Household Survey component. However, the SAIAN differed from the Household Survey in several respects. The SAIAN sample was interviewed only three times and was not given the supplements on long-term care, caregiving, and care-receiving. Also, SAIAN respondents were asked additional questions on topics such as use of IHS facilities and traditional medicine, and were given a modified self-administered questionnaire with separate versions for adults and children. Interviewers for the SAIAN were mainly American Indians or Alaska Natives, and about 20 percent of the interviews were not conducted entirely in English. Of these, approximately 40 percent were conducted entirely in the native language of the respondent. Public Use Tape 23.3P contains information on the type of service obtained during dental visits, dates of service, and medical condition if the visit was due to accident or injury. All dental visits reported by respondents are included, regardless of whether the visit was to an IHS or non-IHS-sponsored provider.