TABLE V.

Healthcare utilization survey items on national/international health surveys

The following table presents examples of survey questions used to gather self- or proxy-reported data on asthma healthcare utilization. The data sources and acronyms appear at the end of the table.

Hospitalizations	“During the past 12 months, [have you/has your child] stayed overnight in a hospital because of asthma? Do not include an overnight stay in the emergency room.” Question used in: BRFSS Asthma Call-back Survey, 2005-present NHIS sample adult and sample child core questionnaire, 1997-present NSCH 2003 questionnaire SLAITS National Asthma Survey 2003 “During the past 12 months, how many different times did [you/your child] stay in any hospital overnight or longer because of [your/his/her] asthma?” Question used in: BRFSS Asthma Call-back Survey, 2005-present SLAITS National Asthma Survey 2003 “In the past 12 months, how many times has your child been admitted to hospital because of wheezing or asthma?” Question used in: ISAAC Phase II module — “How many nights did (PERSON) stay in (PROVIDER)?” — “Did this hospital stay begin with a visit to an emergency room?” — “Was this hospital stay related to any specific health condition or were any conditions discovered during this hospital stay?” — “What conditions were discovered or led (PERSON) to enter the hospital?” — “Tell me which category best describes the reason (PERSON) entered (PROVIDER) on (ADMIT DATE): operation, treatment, diagnostic tests, delivery, pregnancy-related complications, other.” — “At the time (PERSON) (were/was) discharged, were any medicines prescribed for (PERSON)? Please do not include medications received while (PERSON) (were/was) a patient in the hospital.” — “Please tell me the names of the prescribed medicines from this stay that were filled.” Questions used in: MEPS Hospital Stay Questionnaire
ED visits	“During the PAST 12 MONTHS, [have you/has your child] had to visit an emergency room or urgent care center because of asthma?” Question used in: NHIS sample adult and sample child core questionnaire, 1997-present NHANES core questionnaire, 1999-present BRFSS Asthma Call-back Survey, 2005-present SLAITS National Asthma Survey 2003 “During the past 12 months, how many times did [you/your child] visit an emergency room or urgent care center because of [your/his/her] asthma?” Question used in: BRFSS adult asthma module 2001-present BRFSS Asthma Call-back Survey, 2005-present SLAITS National Asthma Survey 2003 — “Did (PERSON) see a medical doctor during this particular visit?” — “Tell me which category best describes the care (PERSON) received during the visit to (PROVIDER) emergency room on (VISIT DATE): diagnosis or treatment, emergency room, psychotherapy, follow-up, immunization, pregnancy-related, other.” — “Was this visit related to any specific health condition or were any conditions discovered during this visit? — “What conditions were discovered or led (PERSON) to make this visit?” — “During this visit, were any medicines prescribed for (PERSON)? Please include only prescriptions which were filled.” — “Please tell me the names of the prescriptions from this visit that were filled.” Questions used in: MEPS Emergency Room Questionnaire
Scheduled visits	“During the past 12 months, how many times did [you/your child] see a doctor or other health professional for a routine checkup for [your/his/her] asthma? Question used in: BRFSS adult asthma module 2001-present BRFSS Asthma Call-back Survey, 2005-present SLAITS National Asthma Survey 2003
Unscheduled visits	“Besides those emergency room or urgent care center visits, during the past 12 months, how many times did [you/your child] see a doctor, nurse or other health professional for urgent treatment of worsening asthma symptoms?” [“or an asthma episode or attack?”—BRFSS Call-back Survey extra wording] Question used in: BRFSS adult asthma module 2003-present BRFSS Asthma Call-back Survey, 2005-present SLAITS National Asthma Survey 2003
All outpatient visit types and remote visits	“In the past 12 months, how many visits has your child made to any of the following health professionals for wheezing or asthma: —for a regular ‘check-up’ for asthma?” [health worker, nurse, doctor, hospital emergency department] —for a wheezy episode?” [health worker, nurse, doctor, hospital emergency department] Questions used in: ISAAC Phase II module “During the past 12 months, how many times did your child see a doctor or other healthcare provider because of [his/her] asthma?” Question used in: NSCH 2007 questionnaire If outpatient department: —“Did (PERSON) visit the outpatient department at (PROVIDER) on (VISIT DATE) in person or was this a telephone call?” If medical provider: —“Did (PERSON) visit (PROVIDER) on (VISIT DATE) in person or was this a telephone call?” —“What kind of place is that—a managed care plan center or HMO, a clinic, a doctor’s office, or some other place?” Then all respondents receive these questions: —“Did (PERSON) see a medical doctor during this particular visit?/Was this telephone call about (PERSON)’s health with a medical doctor?” IF MEDICAL DOCTOR: “What was the doctor’s specialty?” IF NOT MEDICAL DOCTOR: “What type of medical person did (PERSON) talk to on (VISITDATE)?” —“Tell me which category best describes the care (PERSON) received during the visit to the outpatient department at (PROVIDER) on (VISIT DATE): general checkup, diagnosis or treatment, emergency, psychotherapy, follow-up, immunization, vision exam, pregnancy related, well child exam, other.” —“Was this [visit/telephone call] related to any specific health condition or were any conditions discovered during this [visit/telephone call]?” —“What conditions were discovered or led (PERSON) to make this [visit/telephone call]?” —“Which of these treatments, if any, did (PERSON) receive during this visit: physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, chemotherapy, radiation, dialysis, iv therapy, drug or alcohol treatment, allergy shot, psychotherapy, immunizations, no treatments?” —“Which of these services, if any, did (PERSON) have during this visit: laboratory test, ultrasound, x-rays, mammogram, MRI, CAT scan, EKG, EEG, vaccination, anesthesia, other diagnostic test, throat swab, no serviced received?” —“During this [visit/telephone call], were any medicines prescribed for (PERSON)? Please include only prescriptions which were filled.” —“Please tell me the names of the prescriptions from this [visit/telephone call] that were filled.” Questions used in: MEPS Medical Provider Visits Questionnaire MEPS Outpatient Department Questionnaire
Medication use, by class (short- or long-term control)	“Have you ever used a PRESCRIPTION inhaler?” [Y/N] IF YES: “DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS, [have you/has your child] used the kind of PRESCRIPTION inhaler THAT YOU BREATHE IN THROUGH YOUR MOUTH, that gives QUICK relief from asthma symptoms?” Question used in: NHIS sample and sample child asthma supplement questionnaire, 2003, 2008 “During the past 30 days, how often did you use a prescription asthma inhaler DURING AN ASTHMA ATTACK to stop it?” Question used in: BRFSS adult asthma module 2005-present “[Have you/has your child] EVER taken the preventive kind of ASTHMA medicine used every day to protect your lungs and keep you from having attacks? Include both oral medicine and inhalers. This is different from inhalers used for quick relief.” IF YES: “Are you NOW taking this medication (that protects your lungs) daily or almost daily?” Questions used in: NHIS sample and sample child asthma supplement questionnaire, 2003, 2008 “During the past 30 days, how many days did you take a prescription asthma medication to PREVENT an asthma attack from occurring?” Question used in: BRFSS adult asthma module 2005-present “In the past 3 months, [have you/your child] taken prescription asthma medicine using an inhaler?” IF YES: In the past 3 months, what medications did [you/your child] take by inhaler? [MARK ALL THAT APPLY. PROBE: Any other medications?] Brand name Advair Aerobid Albuterol Alupent Atrovent Azmacort Beclomethasone dipropionate Beclovent Bitolterol Brethaire Budesonide Combivent Cromolyn Flovent Flovent Rotadisk Flunisolide Fluticasone Foradil Formoterol Intal Ipratropium bromide Levalbuterol tartrate Maxair Metaproteronol Nedocromil Pirbuterol Proventil Pulmicort Turbuhaler QVAR Salbutamol Salmeterol Serevent Symbicort Terbutaline Tilade Tornalate Triamcinolone acetonide Vanceril Ventolin Xopenex HFA Other, Please Specify Question used in: BRFSS Asthma Call-back Survey, 2005-present SLAITS National Asthma Survey 2003 — “During this [visit/telephone call], were any medicines prescribed for (PERSON)? Please include only prescriptions which were filled.” — “Please tell me the names of the prescriptions from this [visit/telephone call] that were filled.” Questions used in: MEPS Outpatient Department Questionnaire See also MEPS Prescribed Medicines Questionnaire

BRFSS, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey; ISAAC, International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood; MEPS, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey; NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; NHIS, National Health Interview Survey; NSCH, National Survey of Children’s Health; SLAITS, State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey.

For more information:

BRFSS: Administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, disproportionate stratified random sampling telephone survey. See http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/questionnaires/questionnaires.htm.

BRFSS Asthma Call-Back Survey: Continuation of the SLAITS National Asthma Survey, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, random digit dial telephone survey. See http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/survey/brfss.html.

ISAAC: See http://isaac.auckland.ac.nz/phases/phases.html.

MEPS: Administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, face-to-face household interview. See http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/survey_comp/survey.jsp#Questionnaires.

NHANES: Administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, face-to-face household interview. See http://www.cdc.gov/asthma/pdfs/NHANESquestions.pdf.

NHIS: Administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, face-to-face household interview. See http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

NSCH: Administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, random digit dial telephone survey. See http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/slaits/nsch.htm.

SLAITS 2003 National Asthma Survey: State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, random digit dial telephone survey. See http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/slaits/nas.htm.