The Effort to Develop Disability
Questions for the
Current Population Survey
Terence M. McMenamin
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
October 5, 2006
 Development of questions
 February 2006 test and results
 Next steps
CPS Disability Data
The goal of placing disability questions in
the CPS is to measure the employmentpopulation ratio of the disabled.
Once the questions are in the CPS, the same
data will be available for this group that
the CPS provides for other demographic
groups.
Definition of Disability
The first prong of the ADA definition of
disability:
The term ''disability'' means, with respect to
an individual, a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or
more of the major life activities of such an
individual.
This definition was selected because it could
be operationalized in a household survey
like the CPS.
Selecting the Questions
Test questions were drawn from the
following surveys:
─ National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHISD)
─ Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP)
─ World Health Organization Disability Assessment
Survey (WHO-DAS)
─ National Organization on Disability/Harris Poll
─ Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Quality of
Life Module (BRFSS)
─ Census 2000
Initial Cognitive Interviews
Three rounds of cognitive testing were
conducted, first at BLS headquarters, then
at the Westat Research Corporation.
Several changes were made to the questions
as a result of this process.
At the end of the cognitive testing, the
questions were placed in the National
Comorbidity Survey (NCS).
The Test Vehicle
The National Comorbidity Survey (NCS)
─ Nationally representative survey
─ Extensive questions on mental health
─ Many questions on physical well being
BLS would be able to use the respondents’
answers to a fuller set of questions to
evaluate the effectiveness of a smaller set.
Final Cognitive Interviews
Three areas of concern:
How well do the questions work in the
context of the CPS instrument?
How do the questions work as a set?
Should the questions be administered at
the household or individual level?
The Question Set
Does anyone in this household who is 15
years old or over have:
– A hearing problem that prevents them from
hearing what is said in normal conversation even
with a hearing aid?
– A vision problem that prevents them from reading
a newspaper even when wearing glasses or
contacts?
The Question Set -- continued
─ Any condition that substantially limits one or more basic
physical activities, such as walking, climbing stairs,
reaching, lifting, or carrying?
─ Any other physical disability?
─ Any emotional or mental disability?
The Question Set -- continued
Because of a physical, mental or emotional
condition lasting three months or longer,
does anyone in the household who is 15
years old or over have:
─ Difficulty learning, remembering or concentrating?
─ Difficulty participating fully in school, housework,
or other daily activities?
February 2006 Test
Sponsored by the Office of Disability Employment
Policy, and the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research
Goals of the test
─ Assess impact on CPS response rates in subsequent
months.
─ Evaluate the disability rate derived from the questions.
Included 6 of 8 CPS rotations.
Half of sample received disability questions, half did
not.
Summary of results
 Response rates were little affected.
 Disability rates in CPS were lower than in
NCS.
Data Analysis
The sample distribution did not vary
significantly by age or demographic group
Differences were not found in completion
rates by age or demographic group
Chart 9. “Yes” Response Rate by question
CPS
Percent
NCS
20.0
17.6
15.2
14.2
15.0
10.8
10.0
9.6
10.0
8.0
5.6
5.0
3.1
3.9
3.4
2.1
2.8
5.3
3.7
2.5
0.0
Total
Question 1
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Question 6
Question 7
Chart 7. Disability rates from CPS and NCS by
race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
CPS
Disability rate
NCS
25.0
20.0
18.6
20.0
15.8
14.8
15.0
9.9
10.1
10.5
14.4
13.7
11.4
10.0
8.3
6.9
5.0
0.0
Men
Women
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
White, non- Black, nonHispanic
Hispanic
Other, nonHispanic
Hispanic
Chart 6. Disability rates from CPS and NCS
by age
CPS
Disability rate
NCS
35.0
29.8
30.0
25.7
25.0
22.9
20.0
17.6
15.0
15.0
11.7
10.0
9.5
10.0
6.2
3.9
5.0
0.0
18 years and
over
18 to 34 years
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
35 to 49 years
50 to 64 years
65 years and
over
Chart 8. Disability rates from CPS by month in
sample (MIS)
Disability rate
14.0
12.0
10.4
10.5
10.0
10.3
10.2
9.3
9.3
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
MIS 1
MIS 2
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
MIS 3
MIS 5
MIS 6
MIS 7
Chart 10a. “Yes” Response Rate by question with
CPS Self and Proxy
Percent
20.0
NCS
17.6
CPS Full
CPS Self
CPS Proxy
14.2
15.0
11.8
11.9
10.0
10.0
9.6
8.1
7.1
5.0
3.4
3.1
3.6
2.5
2.8
2.1
2.7
1.5
0.0
Total
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Chart 10b. “Yes” Response Rate by question with
CPS Self and Proxy
Percent
NCS
20.0
CPS Full
CPS Self
CPS Proxy
15.2
15.0
10.8
10.0
8.0
5.6
5.0
3.9
5.3
4.6
4.1
3.0
2.5
2.7
2.3
3.7
3.3
6.2
4.2
0.0
Question 4
Question 5
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Question 6
Question 7
Chart 11. Employment-population ratios by
disability status and age
Disabled
Employment-population ratio
Non-disabled
100.0
84.2
80.0
73.3
69.0
73.4
60.0
38.1
40.0
35.4
29.1
21.4
16.3
20.0
5.5
0.0
18 years and
over
18 to 34 years 35 to 49 years 50 to 64 years
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
65 years and
over
Chart 14. Comparison of disability rates NCS, CPS
original algorithm, and CPS alternative algorithm (yes
to any question)
Disability rate
50.0
CPS original algorithm
NCS original algorithm
CPS alternative algorithm (any question=yes)
38.7
40.0
29.8
30.0
25.7
22.9
17.6
20.0
19.5
15.9
15.0
10.0
10.1
9.5
10.0
3.9
6.6
11.7
6.2
0.0
18 years and
over
18 to 34 years
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics
35 to 49 years
50 to 64 years
65 years
Next Steps
Continue evaluation of test results
─ ASEC
─ Interviewer debriefing data
─ Observations during collection
Examine results of ACS content test
Goals for future work:
─ Learn more about the population identified
─ Learn more about the population missed
─ Determine possible improvements
Further Information
A complete discussion of the effort to
develop disability questions for the CPS is
available online:
http://www.bls.gov/ore/pdf/st050190.pdf
A more extensive discussion and set of data
tables from the February 2006 disability
test is also available:
http://www.bls.gov/ore/pdf/ec060080.pdf