Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP): Overview, Reengineering, and Self-Sufficiency Research Matthew Marlay, Ph.D., U.S. Census Bureau Ashley Edwards, U.S. Census Bureau Zakia Redd, Moderator Thursday, July 30, 2015 2:00PM ET
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Speakers Matthew Marlay, Ph.D., U.S. Census Bureau (Speaker) Ashley Edwards, U.S. Census Bureau (Speaker) Zakia Redd, Child Trends & SSRC (Moderator)
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Introduction to SIPP Matthew Marlay, Ph.D. Assistant Survey Director for Content and Evaluation Survey of Income and Program Participation, US Census Bureau Self-Sufficiency Research Clearinghouse - Webinar July 30, 2015 Matthew.C.Marlay@census.gov - Census.SIPP@census.gov - http://www.census.gov/sipp
What is SIPP? Webinar Key Topics What kind of content is in SIPP? What are the recent changes? Where and how do I access SIPP data? Considerations when using SIPP data Using SIPP data Ashley Edwards, US Census Bureau
The SIPP Nationally representative, longitudinal, multi-stage stratified sample Continuous data in 3-4 year panels from the 1980s through present Sample: Civilian, non-institutionalized U.S. households Mission: Provide a nationally representative sample to evaluate: - Annual and sub-annual dynamics of income - Movements into and out of government transfer programs - Family and social context of individuals and households - Interactions between these items Several slides and content are thanks to Professor H. Luke Shaefer University of Michigan School of Social Work National Poverty Center
The SIPP Originally designed to compensate for the limitations of the Current Population Survey (CPS) CPS ASEC (March Supplement) uses a very long recall period with traditional question design Not good at measuring irregular/ odd sources of income High levels of under-reporting of program participation Doesn t capture changes in family structure SIPP was designed to have a (much) shorter recall period to collect monthly dynamics
The SIPP SIPP is meant to provide better estimates of income and public program participation Offers the most detailed income and comprehensive program participation variables of the major nationally representative surveys 1984-2008 Panel content collected in separate sections Core (asked every wave) Topical Module (substantive sections collected periodically) 2014 Panel content collected in integrated instrument
Summary: 1984 2014 SIPP Panels Panel (a) Date of First Interview Date of Last Interview Number of Wave 1 Eligible Households Number of Waves Short Waves (b) 1984 Oct. 1983 Jul. 1986 20897 9 2,8 1985 Feb. 1985 Aug. 1987 14306 8 2 1986 Feb. 1986 Apr. 1988 12425 7 3 1987 Feb. 1987 May 1989 12527 7 1988 Feb. 1988 Jan. 1990 12725 6 1989 Feb. 1989 Jan. 1990 12867 3 1990 Feb. 1990 Sep. 1992 19800 8 1991 Feb. 1991 Sep. 1993 15626 8 1992 Feb. 1992 May 1995 21577 10 1993 Feb. 1993 Jan. 1996 21823 9 1996 Apr. 1996 Mar. 2000 40188 12 2001 Feb. 2001 Jan. 2004 50500 9 2004 Feb. 2004 Jan. 2008 51379 12 9,10,11,12 2008 Sep. 2008 Dec. 2013 52031 16 16 2014 Feb. 2014 May. 2017 (planned) 52000 4 (a) No new panels in 1994 and 1995. (b) Short waves contained reduced sample either through dropped rotations or sample reduction. Source: SIPP Quality Profile, 3 rd Ed. (U.S. Census Bureau, 1998a)
What s included in the SIPP? The core monthly files include: Demographics: race & ethnicity, age, sex, household/family structure & relationships, state identifiers, education, armed forces status, marital status, student status Income: Person/family/household earned income, total income, property income, other income unit-specific poverty thresholds, receipt of severance pay Employment: Employed, unemployment, NILF, Data on up to 2 jobs/month, industry, occupation, class of worker (public/private), firm size, union membership, tenure, hourly/salaried, employerbased health insurance
What s included in the SIPP? The core monthly files include: Program participation: Unemployment Insurance, AFDC/TANF, social security, SSI, SSD, workers comp, child support, food stamps, public housing, energy assistance, public (and private) health insurance, free/reduced lunch, veterans payments, pell grants receipt, other federal grant program receipt Most program participation variables include both receipt (0,1) and the amount of benefit THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST! http://www.census.gov/content/dam/census/programssurveys/sipp/tech-documentation/datadictionaries/2008/sipp%202008%20panel%20waves%2001-10%20- %20Core%20Data%20Dictionary.pdf
What s included in the SIPP? Topical Modules: Extra questions added to the core once per year/panel in particular waves. These include point-intime/annualized variables on things such as: Fertility history Migration history Material hardship measures (such as food security) Assets and liabilities Medical expenses/utilization of health care Work schedule THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST! http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sipp/techdocumentation/topical-modules.html
The SIPP Redesign The Census Bureau has recently redesigned the SIPP Reduce costs Reduce respondent burden Improve data processing system Modernize instrument Expand/improve use of administrative records The 2014 SIPP uses an annual recall, but with an event history calendar
Changes for SIPP 2014 SIPP 2014 SIPP CLASSIC Instrument Blaise/C# DOS-based Interview Type Personal visit/telephone Personal visit/telephone Interview Frequency Annual 3x/year Reference Period Previous year Previous 4 months Workload Release Single release of full sample for the 4-month interview period Panel Length 4 years (planned) 2.5-5 years Monthly releases, each containing one-quarter of the sample Sample Size 52,000 households (W1) 11-45,000 households (W1) Universe Civilian, non-institutional Civilian, non-institutional Content Comprehensive Comprehensive File Structure Person-month data for full calendar year Person-month data for staggered four-month reference periods
Reengineering: Key Design Changes Scope is generally similar to SIPP Broader than core Includes key topical module content in each wave Better integration of concepts Event History Calendar (EHC) generates integrated reporting across domains Topics previously implemented as add-on modules now integrated Facilitate hooks to enable supplements for additional content
Event History Calendar
Reengineering: Benefits Increased efficiency in processing and producing data products Added flexibility in administration Dynamic interview month (anytime January-June of interview year) Dynamic reference period, up to 18 months, but extending back to beginning of the reference calendar year Incorporated dependent data into EHC instrument
Reengineering: Conclusions New SIPP and classic SIPP produce estimates that are not substantially different New SIPP corresponds with administrative data at least as well as classic SIPP As always with panel surveys, transitions fall disproportionately on seams (now Dec-Jan) Still lots of time to use the 2008 panel, which was administered through 2013
2014 SIPP: Content Overview Coverage Questions Roster and Demographics Sex Birthdate/Age Hispanic origin Race Citizenship Language Marital status (including same-sex) Parent/child relationships Educational attainment Armed forces status Type 2 people Program/income screeners Event History Calendar Residency Marital history Educational enrollment Jobs/Time not working Program receipt Health insurance Post-EHC Questions Health insurance Dependent care Non-job income Program income Asset ownership Household expenses Health care utilization Medical expenditures Disability Fertility history Biological parents nativity and mortality Child care Child well-being Adult well-being Closing Screens Respondent Identification Policy Contact information Moving intentions
2014 SIPP: Current Status Fieldwork for Wave 1 Data collection completed in early June 2014 Sample drawn from 2010 sampling frame 29,825 interviewed households 70.19% response rate Reference period is CY2013 Fieldwork for Wave 2 Completed at the end of May 2015 Return to all previously interviewed households Followed movers Utilizes dependent from Wave 1 to bound recall 74.2% response rate Reference period is CY2014 First data release from 2014 Wave 1 Research File in December 2015
Social Security Administration Supplement Telephone survey of interviewed Wave 1 SIPP respondents Data collection in September and October 2014 Includes content no longer included in SIPP interview: Detailed marital history Retirement pension receipt, Adult, child, and work disability questions
Accessing SIPP Data
Accessing the Public Use SIPP SIPP Website files http://www.census.gov/sipp Official FTP site for full wave files: http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/ftp/sipp_ftp.html National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) a great source for pre-formatted files with data labels: http://www.nber.org/data/survey-of-income-andprogram-participation-sipp-data.html
Online Data Tools for Accessing Public Use SIPP files If you want create a quick cross-tab or draw down a few variables, you can use the Census Bureau s DataFerrett http://http://dataferrett.census.gov/launchdfa.html Be careful about selecting only the months you want to analyze (i.e. SREFMON, RHCALMN, RHCALYR ) Stored as person-month data on DataFerrett Coming soon Orlin Research data tool to work with SIPP data: includes the capability of hierarchical analysis, recodes, spell analysis, and integrated documentation
A note about the Public Use SIPP files The Census Bureau FTP site provides ASCII data with SAS input statements NBER provides ASCII data with SAS, Stata, and SPSS input statements Savastata, a user-driven Stata command saves SAS datasets as Stata datasets faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/home/blanc004/data_program ming/sas_to_stata/savastata.html A parallel command goes in the opposite direction
Technical Documentation SIPP User Guide: Comprehensive source of information. Has numerous updates http://www.census.gov/programssurveys/sipp/methodology/users-guide.html Data Dictionaries: the SIPP FTP site is good for these http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/ftp/sipp_ftp.html http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/sipp/data/2008- panel/wave-1.html Content of most variables stays the same across 1996-2008 panels
SIPP Classic Data Collection Design Reference Month 12/95 W1 Ref1 Rot Grp 1 Rot Grp 2 Rot Grp 3 Rot Grp 4 1/96 W1 Ref2 W1 Ref1 2/96 W1 Ref3 W1 Ref2 W1 Ref1 3/96 W1 Ref4 W1 Ref3 W1 Ref2 W1 Ref1 4/96 W2 Ref1 W1 Ref4 W1 Ref3 W1 Ref2 5/96 W2 Ref2 W2 Ref1 W1 Ref4 W1 Ref3 6/96 W2 Ref3 W2 Ref2 W2 Ref1 W1 Ref4 7/96 W2 Ref4 W2 Ref3 W2 Ref2 W2 Ref1 8/96 W3 Ref1 W2 Ref4 W2 Ref3 W2 Ref2 9/96 W3 Ref2 W3 Ref1 W2 Ref4 W2 Ref3 10/96 W3 Ref3 W3 Ref2 W3 Ref1 W2 Ref4
SIPP Design Change Jan Feb Mar Apr Ref Ref. pd. I-1 Current SIPP - Calendar year 1 I-1 Reference period I-2 (Rotation Group 1) (Rotation Group 2) Reference pd. I-1 (Rotation Group 3) Reference period I-1 (Rotation Group 4) Ma y I-1 Reference period I-2 Jan Feb Mar Apr I-1 Reference period I-2 Calendar year 2 Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr I-2 Reference period I-3 I-1 Reference period I-2 Re-engineering - Calendar year 1 Ma y I-2 Reference period I-3 I-2 Reference period I-3 I-3 Reference period I-4 I-2 Reference period I-3 I-3 Reference period I-4 Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr I-4 I-3 Reference period I-4 I-4 I-3 Reference period I-4 I-4 Calendar year 2 Ma y I-4 Ma y Reference period EHC Interview
Considerations when using SIPP Data
Identifying Unique Respondents Because there are up to four observations per person, per wave, you need a person identifier to identify unique individuals In the 1996 2008 panels Use the sample unit identifier (ssuid) + the person number (epppnum) When stacking multiple panels, add the panel identifier In the 1990 1993 panels Use the sample unit identifier + entry address id + person number Stata Syntax to generate a Unique Person Identifier: egen sippid = concat(spanel ssuid epppnum) Watch the form of epppnum across waves: is it 101 or is it 0101? When you merge across waves, this has to match
Memory Issues SIPP files have many variables for many observations Can lead to serious memory limitations You need to check the capacity of your machine, and it s worth it to invest in extra ram Usually allocate 2 GB storage for building a sizable SIPP dataset When you load in a dataset, keep only the observations and variables you need
Suggested Practice Keep your complete SIPP wave files in their original state For any analysis, create a single.do/.sas file for dataset construction, which pulls the variables from the panels and waves that you need Save that new dataset, without all the SIPP variables you don t need, and work from that With this program created, it is easy to always go back and construct a revised dataset with added variables
What is the SIPP Good For? Can use SIPP as a stacked sample of repeated cross sections Can generate monthly estimates Can generate annualized estimates Results appear most accurate for the current month of reporting month (reference month 4) in each wave Commonly referred to as seam bias Estimates must be adjusted for sample design Most powerful use is for longitudinal analysis
What Isn t It Good For? Studying the top of the income distribution (maybe ) Long longitudinal analyses (over a life course, say) If you need annual estimates for every year (much better in the new design) If you don t want to deal with the complexities in household/family composition that the SIPP uncovers Producing state-level estimates for smaller states
Use the SIPP When You want to deal with more of the complexity of messy questions You want the best possible estimate of the income of the poor You want to benefit from overall higher reporting rates for public program participation You want to conduct longitudinal analyses over relatively short periods (month-to-month; annualized, up to 4 years)
SIPP: Future Plans Create crosswalks from old to new SIPP Additional workshops for data users Three multi-day workshops have been conducted at University of Michigan and Duke University First at Census workshop was May 15, 2015 More to come Code repositories Data utilities Users groups Contact us: Website: http://www.census.gov/sipp Email: census.sipp@census.gov SIPP ListServe: http://lists.census.gov/mailman/listinfo/sipp-users
Using SIPP Data: Applications and Findings
Recent Census Bureau Releases Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Participation in Government Programs, 2009 2012: Who Gets Assistance? (P70-141) Measuring Alternative Educational Credentials: 2012 (P70-138) Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Poverty 2009-2011 (P70-137) A Child s Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011 (P70-139) Desire to Move and Residential Mobility: 2010-2011 (P70-140) Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011 (P70-136) Who s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2011 (P70-135) Employment-Based Health Insurance: 2010 (P70-134) Health Status, Health Insurance, and Medical Services Utilization: 2010 (P70-133) Home-Based Workers in the United States: 2010 (P70-132) Americans with Disabilities: 2010 (P70-131) What It's Worth: Field of Training and Economic Status in 2009 (P70-129) Maternity Leave and Employment Patterns of First-Time Mothers: 1961-2008 (P70-128)
Recent External Releases Cawley J., Moriya A. S. and Simon K. The Impact of the Macroeconomy on Health Insurance Coverage: Evidence from the Great Recession. Journal of Health Economics. 24 (2015): 206 223. Hamersma, Sarah, and Matthew Kim. Participation and Crowd Out: Assessing the Effects of Parental Medicaid Expansions. Journal of Health Economics, 32.1, (2013) 160-171. Moffitt, Robert A. "Multiple Program Participation and the SNAP Program." University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series. (2014). Paper 10. Rice, L. and Bansak, C. The Effect of Welfare Asset Rules on Auto Ownership, Employment, and Welfare Participation: A Longitudinal Analysis. Contemporary Economic Policy, 32 (2014): 306 333. Rothstein, Jesse and Valletta, Robert G. Scraping by: Income and Program Participation after the Loss of Extended Unemployment Benefits. IZA Discussion Paper. No. 8022. Posted 2014. Saad-Lessler, Joelle, Teresa Ghilarducci, and Kate Bahn. Are U.S. Workers Ready for Retirement? Trends in Plan Sponsorship, Participation, and Preparedness. Schwartz Center For Economic Policy Analysis. 2015. Shaefer, H.L. and Edin, K. Rising Extreme Poverty in the United States and the Response of Federal Means-Tested Transfers. Social Service Review. 87.2 (2013) 250 268.
Purpose 1) Summarize recent findings related to self-sufficiency 2) Provide inspiration for how you might use the SIPP in your own research Focus Poverty Program Participation Child Well-Being Asset Measurement
Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Poverty, 2009 2011 Uses SIPP longitudinally Waves 1 to 11 of 5408 Panel (2009 to 2011) Capture person level transitions into and out of poverty Comparisons across SIPP Panels Comparisons to Waves 1 to 11 of 5404 Panel Pre-recession period (2005 to 2007) Edwards, Ashley N., Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Poverty, 2009 2011, Current Population Reports, P70-137, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2014.
Edwards, Ashley N., Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Poverty, 2009 2011, Current Population Reports, P70-137, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2014. 46
The majority of poverty spells lasted less than one year The likelihood of exiting or entering poverty increased over time Edwards, Ashley N., Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Poverty, 2009 2011, Current Population Reports, P70-137, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2014. 47
The Rise of Extreme Poverty in the United States Comparisons across SIPP Panels Comparisons pre and post welfare reform Comparisons to 1996, 2001, 2004, and 2008 Panel Shaefer, H.L. and Edin, K. Rising Extreme Poverty in the United States and the Response of Federal Means-Tested Transfers. Social Service Review. 87.2 (2013) 250 268.
Extreme poverty has increased steadily since 1996 SNAP benefits, tax credits, and housing subsidies play a larger role in keeping families out of extreme poverty than in 1996 The impact of AFDC/TANF diminished sharply in 1996 Shaefer, H.L. and Edin, K. Rising Extreme Poverty in the United States and the Response of Federal Means-Tested Transfers. Social Service Review. 87.2 (2013) 250 268.
Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Participation in Government Programs, 2009 2012: Who Gets Assistance? Uses SIPP longitudinally Waves 2 to 14 of 5408 Panel (2009 to 2012) Captures average and accumulated monthly participation and receipt amounts from mean-tested assistance programs Irving, Shelley K. and Tracy A. Loveless, Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Participation in Government Programs, 2009 2012: Who Gets Assistance? Current Population Reports, P70-141, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2015.
Irving, Shelley K. and Tracy A. Loveless, Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Participation in Government Programs, 2009 2012: Who Gets Assistance? Current Population Reports, P70-141, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2015.
SSI recipients receive the largest median monthly cash transfers Although families with a female householder, no husband present are more likely to participate in programs, their median monthly benefit is lower than other family types Irving, Shelley K. and Tracy A. Loveless, Dynamics of Economic Well-Being: Participation in Government Programs, 2009 2012: Who Gets Assistance? Current Population Reports, P70-141, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2015.
A Child s Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011 Uses data from SIPP Topical Module Wave 10: Child Well-being Detailed information on family engagement, extracurricular activities, academic performance, and child care Uses SIPP longitudinally Waves 1 to 10 of 5408 Panel (2008 to 2011) Capture transitions in parental relationship, work, and housing status Laughlin, Lynda. A Child s Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011, Current Population Reports, P70-139, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2014.
Children in families whose income-topoverty ratio was greater than 200% engaged in more extracurricular activities than those living below 200% of their poverty threshold Laughlin, Lynda. A Child s Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011, Current Population Reports, P70-139, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2014. 54
Laughlin, Lynda. A Child s Day: Living Arrangements, Nativity, and Family Transitions: 2011, Current Population Reports, P70-139, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2014.
Are U.S. Workers Ready for Retirement? Trends in Plan Sponsorship, Participation, and Preparedness Uses data from multiple SIPP Topical Modules Wave 10: Assets and Liabilities Wave 11: Retirement and Pension Plan Coverage Comprehensive list of financial assets Reports the type of retirement plan (defined benefit or contribution) Saad-Lessler, Joelle, Teresa Ghilarducci, and Kate Bahn. Are U.S. Workers Ready for Retirement? Trends in Plan Sponsorship, Participation, and Preparedness. Schwartz Center For Economic Policy Analysis. 2015.
Saad-Lessler, Joelle, Teresa Ghilarducci, and Kate Bahn. Are U.S. Workers Ready for Retirement? Trends in Plan Sponsorship, Participation, and Preparedness. Schwartz Center For Economic Policy Analysis. 2015.
Conclusions The SIPP is a valuable resource for understanding change over time Both by looking longitudinally across individuals and families as well as looking across panels Detailed data from topical modules provide additional insight into subject areas There is a lot of research that can still be done!
Contact Ashley Edwards U.S. Census Bureau Ashley.Edwards@census.gov
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