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Disability Measurement in the Health and Retirement Study

Author

Listed:
  • Agree Emily M.

    (Professor of Sociology and Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland 21205, Baltimore, MD, USA)

  • Wolf Douglas A.

    (Gerald B. Cramer Professor of Aging Studies, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, New York, NY, USA)

Abstract

The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) has provided extensive and detailed national data on disability since it began in 1992, and has been used extensively in studies of disability trends and trajectories. We summarize conceptual frameworks used to characterize disability and review the HRS measures of functioning, work disability, and employer accommodations. HRS survey questions have experienced changes in wording, skip logic, or other design features over the life of the study, and we comment on the analytic challenges posed by those changes. Among our conclusions are (1) work disability and benefit eligibility are important concepts that should be considered for redesign to better reflect current concepts and policy issues; (2) methodological studies of changes in wording or skip logic should be undertaken; and (3) minor additions to survey content in areas such as temporal reference periods or changes in social-participation activities would improve measurement.

Suggested Citation

  • Agree Emily M. & Wolf Douglas A., 2018. "Disability Measurement in the Health and Retirement Study," Forum for Health Economics & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 21(1), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:fhecpo:v:21:y:2018:i:1:p:14:n:3
    DOI: 10.1515/fhep-2017-0029
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    References listed on IDEAS

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