The validity of race and ethnicity in enrollment data for Medicare beneficiaries.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the validity of race/ethnicity in Medicare databases for studies of racial/ethnic disparities.

Data sources

The 2010 Medicare Consumer Assessments of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS(®)) survey was linked to Medicare enrollment data and local area characteristics from the 2000 Census.

Study design

Race/ethnicity was cross-tabulated for CAHPS and Medicare data. Within each self-reported category, demographic, geographic, health, and health care variables were compared between those that were and were not similarly identified in Medicare data.

Data collection methods

The Medicare CAHPS survey included 343,658 responses from elderly participants (60 percent response rate). Data were weighted for sampling and nonresponse to be representat

SUBMITTER: Zaslavsky AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3349013 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature