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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Jun 30.
Published in final edited form as: J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2008 Nov;19(4):1192–1211. doi: 10.1353/hpu.0.0080
Outcome variable Corresponding Survey Question(s)
Unmet Medical Need • In the last 12 months, was there any time when YOUR
 CHILD needed medical care, but did NOT get it? [yes/no]
Unmet Prescription
Need
• In the last 12 months, was there ever a time YOUR CHILD
 needed prescription medicines but you could NOT afford to
 fill the prescription? (DO NOT count free samples as a filled
prescription.) [yes/no]
Unmet Dental Need
(Big Problem Getting
Dental Care)
• In the last 12 months, how much of a problem, if any, was
 it to get dental care for your child? [dichotomized: big
 problem, not a problem/small problem]
Delayed Urgent Care
(Rarely or never Got
Immediate Care)
• In the last 12 months, when YOUR CHILD needed care
 right away for an illness, injury, or condition, how often did
 your child get care as soon as you wanted it? INCLUDED
 OPTION TO OPT OUT IF CHILD DID NOT NEED CARE
• [dichotomized: rarely/never; always/usually]
No Doctor Visits • In the last 12 months, how many times did you take YOUR
 CHILD to a doctor’s office or clinic for care? (DO NOT
include emergency room or hospital visits. Your best estimate
is fine.) [continuous variable, dichotomized as no doctor
 visits/yes doctor visits in past year]