Description
LAMEMDIFOFT reports how often the person had difficulty remembering. In 1984, this information was collected from sample persons age 55 or older, as part of a supplement on aging. In 2010, the question was limited to sample adults included in the Quality of Life supplement (QOL10FLAG) who had at least some difficulty remembering (LAMEMCONDIF, LAMEMORCON).
Comparability
Along with universe differences, there were differences between 1984 and 2010 in the question wording for LAMEMDIFOFT.
In 1984, interviewers began with the statement "People find that they sometimes have more trouble remembering things as they get older," and specified a reference period of "in the past year." In 2010, interviewers simply asked, "How often do you have difficulty remembering?"
There were also differences between 1984 and 2010 in the response categories. These differences are reconciled by using composite coding in IHIS.
In 1984, the possible responses were "never," "rarely," "sometimes," and "frequently." In 2010, response categories were "sometimes," "often," and "all of the time." (Persons who might have answered "never" in 2010 were excluded by the filter questions for LAMEMCONDIF and LAMEMORCON.)
In LAMEMDIFOFT, the responses "all of the time" and "frequently" share a common first digit of "1" and are distinguished in the second digit (codes "11" and "12"). A first digit of "2" is given to the responses "sometimes" and "rarely," while the second digit (codes "21" and "22") again distinguishes between these categories. The "never" response, found only in 1984, is given a first digit of "3."
Universe
- 1984: Sample persons age 55+ who did not use a proxy respondent.
- 2010: One fourth of sample persons age 18+, included in quality of life supplement (and not included in family disability supplement), who have difficulty remembering, or have difficulty remembering and concentrating (or for whom it was unknown if they have difficulty remembering).
Codes and Frequencies
Availability
- 1984, 2010
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Weights
- 1984 : SAMPWEIGHT
- 2010 : SUPP1WT
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