Patient demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in the SEER-Medicare database - Applications and limitations Conference Paper


Authors: Bach, P. B.; Guadagnoli, E.; Schrag, D.; Schussler, N.; Warren, J. L.
Title: Patient demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in the SEER-Medicare database - Applications and limitations
Conference Title: SEER Medicare Data Training Workshop
Abstract: Users of the linked SEER-Medicare database commonly perform analyses that focus on the complex interactions among patient characteristics, cancer treatments, and outcomes. The authors review the source. and scope of the patient-specific data elements, with a focus on three domains-demographic characteristics, socioeconomic characteristics, and survival status. They offer some concrete recommendations regarding the use of these data elements. In particular, they describe analyses that provide an estimate of the accuracy of the sex and age variables, and raise some cautionary notes about race and ethnicity variables. The authors describe the available measures of socioeconomic status, and recommend, with some caveats, the use of median income measures as a proxy for socioeconomic status. Finally, they describe the available data on date of death, and explain why confidence in these measures is justified.
Keywords: survival; mortality; accuracy; demography; transplantation; medicare; seer program; outcomes; trends; dialysis; social class; cancer; racial stocks; census-data
Journal Title Medical Care
Volume: 40
Issue: 8 Suppl.
Conference Dates: 2000 Nov 16-17
Conference Location: Bethesda, MD
ISBN: 0025-7079
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 2002-08-01
Start Page: IV-19
End Page: IV-25
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:000177300200003
PROVIDER: wos
PUBMED: 12187164
Notes: Article; Proceedings Paper -- SEER-Medicare Workshop -- NOV, 2000 -- BETHESDA, MARYLAND -- S -- Source: Wos
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Deborah Schrag
    229 Schrag
  2. Peter Bach
    255 Bach