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Rehabilitation Dataset Directory: Dataset Profile

Dataset: National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS)

Basic Information
Dataset Full Name National Long-Term Care Survey
Dataset Acronym NLTCS
Summary

The NLTCS is a detailed longitudinal survey that permits observation of changes in the health and functional status of adults ages 65 years and older. The survey also tracks health care expenditures, Medicare services use, and the availability of formal and informal caregiver services. Older adults without impairment living in communities and those residing in institutions are represented in the sample. The survey divides the sample into three cohorts as individuals without disabilities, individuals with disabilities living in the community, and individuals with disabilities living at institutions.

Data can be linked with Medicare files such as the Carrier Claims Record, Clinical Labs, Denominator File, Durable Medical Equipment, Home Health Agency, Hospice, Inpatient, Outpatient, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Vital Statistics File. The NLTCS concluded in 2004.
Key Terms Aging, Activities of Daily Living, Assistive Devices, Caregivers (paid and unpaid), Cognitive Functioning, Disability, Disability Trends, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Medicare and Medicaid, Institutions
Study Design Longitudinal
Data Type(s) Survey
Sponsoring Agency/Entity

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Health Conditions/Disability Measures
Health Condition(s)

Arthritis, Body mass index (BMI)/obesity, Cancer, Cardiovascular conditions, Cerebral palsy, Depression, Diabetes, Epilepsy or seizure disorder, Eye diseases, Heart attack, Migraine or frequent headaches, Missing limbs/hand/finger/feet, Multiple sclerosis, Orthopedic conditions, Parkinson's disease, Partial or total paralysis, Pulmonary disorders, Stroke
Disability Measures Ambulatory disability, Cognitive disability, Communication impairment, Functional limitations (ADLs and/or IADLs), Hearing disability, Independent living disability, Intellectual disability, Mental health disability, Self-care disability, Special equipment use/assistive technology, Veteran service-related disability, Visual disability
Measures/Outcomes of Interest
Topics Aging, Activities of Daily Living, Assistive devices, Caregivers (paid and unpaid), Cognitive functioning, Disability, Disability trends, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, Medicare and Medicaid, Institutions
Sample
Sample Population Older adults (ages 65 and older) drawn from Medicare enrollment files
Sample Size/Notes The original sample had 35,789 individuals. Subsequent additions of 5,000 individuals every five years replaced individuals lost to follow-up attrition. In 1982, n = 20,485; in 2004, n = 20,474.
Unit of Observation Individual
Continent(s) North America
Countries

United States
Geographic Coverage National
Geographic Specificity Regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, West
Special Population(s)

Aging/Older people
Data Collection
Data Collection Mode Survey
Years Collected 1982, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004
Data Collection Frequency Waves (every five years until 2004)
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths Longitudinal data with a high relevance to rehabilitation research. Data can be linked with Medicare Standard Analytical Files (SAF), including the Carrier Claims Record, Clinical Labs, Denominator File, Durable Medical Equipment, Home Health Agency, Hospice, Inpatient, Outpatient, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Vital Statistics File. These linkages provide medical expenditure information. Adequate documentation is available.
Limitations Most recent data available from 2004.
Data Details
Primary Website

Archived on ADDEP at ICPSR:

https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ADDEP/studies/9681 
Data Access

Data archived on ADDEP at ICPSR: 

https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ADDEP/studies/9681
Data Access Requirements Data Use agreement, No cost
Summary Tables/Reports
Data Components

Ancillary Data available:

  • Next-of-Kin
  • Caregiver
  • Institutional Follow-Up
  • Venipuncture
  • Buccal
Selected Papers
Other Papers NA
Technical

ADDEP documentation page : 

https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ADDEP/studies/9681/datadocumentation
Related Repositories
Repositories

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The Rehabilitation Research Cross-dataset Variable Catalog has been developed through the Center for Large Data Research & Data Sharing in Rehabilitation (CLDR). The Center for Large Data Research and Data Sharing in Rehabilitation involves a consortium of investigators from the University of Texas Medical Branch, Cornell University's Yang Tan Institute (YTI), and the University of Michigan. The CLDR is funded by NIH - National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, through the National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research, the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. (P2CHD065702).

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Acknowledgements: This tool was developed through the efforts of William Erickson and Arun Karpur, and web designers Jason Criss and Jeff Trondsen at Cornell University. Many thanks to graduate students Kyoung Jo Oh and Yeong Joon Yoon who developed much of the content used in this tool.

For questions or comments please contact disabilitystatistics@cornell.edu



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