National Beneficiary Survey (NBS) Round Four
NOTICE
Errata: SF-8 Variables on Files Accessed Before January 2017
We incorrectly calculated the SF-8 mental component summary (MCS) and physical component summary (PCS) scores provided in the original National Beneficiary Survey (NBS) data files. The original values excluded an intercept constant needed to scale the scores to general population norms. The intercept constant values are -10.11675 for the MCS and -9.36839 for the PCS.
Because we did not apply the intercept constants, the scores provided in the original data files were too high relative to what they should be on the population-based scale. Thus, if comparing NBS respondents to the general population, NBS respondents would appear healthier than they should. However, within the NBS respondent sample, the scores still appropriately represented greater or lesser mental and physical health according to the design of the SF-8.
We have corrected the MCS and PCS variables included in the current data files so they are now valid for comparisons to other populations.
General NBS Round Four Documentation
Public Use Files
Public Use File Round Four Documentation
Public Use Round Four Data Files
National Beneficiary Survey (NBS) Round Four
In 2010, we fielded the round-four NBS to two sub-samples: (1) the fourth national survey of all beneficiaries (the Representative Beneficiary Sample) and (2) a cross-sectional Ticket Participant Sample. Originally, round four was to concentrate on following the Ticket Participant Sample interviewed in earlier rounds and on interviewing new Ticket participants in Phase 3 States. However, the changes to the TTW regulations in 2008 made it less meaningful to track beneficiaries who participated under the old regulations. As a result, we did not re-interview Ticket participants from previous rounds in round four.
For round four, we completed interviews with 2,298 individuals in the national sample of beneficiaries and 2,780 from the Ticket Participant Sample, for a total of 5,078 interviews completed across all sub-samples. The weighted response rate for the Representative Beneficiary Sample was 72.8 percent. The weighted response rate for the Ticket Participant Sample was 71.4 percent.
General NBS Round Four Documentation
The following paper, completed as part of the Ticket to Work (TTW) evaluation, provides a description of the sampling design and the data collection activities for Round 4 of the NBS. This paper includes a description of the survey design as well as tables with descriptive statistics based on NBS data for beneficiaries with disabilities.
“2010 National Beneficiary Survey: Methodology and Descriptive Statistics” Final Report.
We are providing the following NBS documentation in PDF format (these documents relate to the full restricted use version of the NBS data, but most of the information in these files is applicable to the public use files as well):
NBS R4 Editing, Coding, Weighting, and Imputation.pdf
NBS R4 Data Editing Report.pdf
NBS R4 User's Guide.pdf
NBS R4 User's Guide Appendices.pdf
NBS R4 Questionnaire.pdf
NBS R4 NonResponse Bias.pdf
NBS R4 Bias in Earnings Report.docx
Public Use Files
The public use files are only available for the Representative Beneficiary Samples for each round. The Ticket Participant Samples are not available for public use. For more information on the public use files, visit the public use files page.
Public Use Files Round Four Documentation
We are providing the following NBS documentation in PDF format:
NBS R4 PUF Codebook.pdf
Public Use Round Four Data Files (released June 2012; updated December 2016)
We are providing the following NBS data file in SAS 9.1 format:
nbsr4puf.zip
We are providing the following NBS Data file in CSV format:
NBSR4PUF.CSV
We are providing the following NBS data file in Stata format:
nbsr4pufstata.zip