The 2013 Annual Social Economic Supplement Health Insurance 

Questionnaire Test 

The Sample Design

 

David Hornick1

Sample Design Lead for CPS Supplements 

U.S. Census Bureau 

4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington DC 20233 

Proceedings of the 2013 Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology (FCSM) Research Conference 

Presented on November 6, 2013 

Paper updated February 3, 2014 

Abstract 

The Annual Social Economic Supplement (ASEC) to the Current Population Survey (CPS) is collected every year in 

the months of February, March, and April. In the ASEC supplement, we collect data on income, health insurance 

coverage, work experience, program participation, and geographic mobility. In addition, the ASEC data are used to 

publish estimates on poverty, family characteristics, household composition, marital status, educational attainment, 

and country of origin. During the 2013 data collection period, we tested a new questionnaire related to income and 

health insurance coverage. This paper sets the stage for the comparisons of the income and health insurance test 

questionnaire to the currently used income and health insurance questionnaire. We will discuss the ASEC sample 

design, the ASEC Test sample design, and the weighting of the data to make valid comparisons between the current 

and test income and health insurance questionnaire.

Key Words: CPS, CPS ASEC, Sample Design, Weighting, Response Rate, Coverage Ratios 

 

1 Any views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those 

of the U.S. Census Bureau.
ヱ 

Introduction 

The Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (the CPS ASEC) is the official 

source of the US national poverty statistics. In the ASEC supplement, we collect data on income, health insurance 

coverage, work experience, program participation, and geographic mobility. In addition, the ASEC data are used to 

publish estimates on poverty, family characteristics, household composition, marital status, educational attainment, 

and country of origin. During the 2013 data collection period, we tested a new questionnaire related to income and 

health insurance coverage. The purpose of these new questions is to take advantage of the automated environment 

and to update questions on retirement income and to test new methods of collecting different types of health 

insurance coverage. The new method requires more computing power and is more computer-memory intensive 

compared to the current production method. Also, there may be unintended consequences using the new method in 

context of a production instrument. The main goal of this content test is to test a new series of questions on income 

and health insurance in the CPS ASEC and compare the results with production CPS ASEC. 

The purpose of this paper is to document the sample design related to this study. 

CPS ASEC Test Sample Design 

The eligible universe for the CPS ASEC Test is the civilian noninstitutionalized population 15 years of age and 

older – the same universe as the CPS ASEC. We designed this test so we can compare estimates from the test 

questionnaire to that of the current CPS ASEC questionnaire, to determine if the CPS ASEC Test questions provide 

better estimates of income, and to test new methods of collecting different types of health insurance coverage. 

The Demographic Surveys Division (DSD) and Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division (SEHSD) set 

some basic sample requirements for this test that we had to abide by because of budget and response burden reasons. 

These include: 

The CPS ASEC Test sample design needed to be drawn from expired CPS cases that had not been exposed 

to the CPS ASEC in the past – we don’t want to influence the respondents answers to the new question 

based on a previous history of CPS ASEC questions; 

Expired CPS addresses should not be more than two and half years old because of concerns that many of 

the original respondents may have moved; 

Avoid the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) sample to avoid additional response burden to these 

respondents; 

SEHSD wanted a sample size large enough to detect a difference of 0.5 percent between the CPS ASEC 

estimate and the CPS ASEC test estimate for the rarest estimate – the direct health insurance purchase 

(alone); 

All data would be collected using the Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) centers – no 

funds to allow for training of field staff or personal visits; 

DSD assumed that we would get a 75 percent response rate. 

To eliminate any influence that the current CPS ASEC questionnaire has on responses to the test questionnaire, we 

wanted to select sample that has not been exposed the CPS ASEC questionnaire. To understand the sample design 

of the CPS ASEC Test, we first need to understand some basics of the Basic CPS and the CPS ASEC designs – 

mainly the CPS rotation chart and which demographic groups in each rotation receive the CPS ASEC supplement. 

Basic CPS Design — From Technical Paper 66 (U.S. Census Bureau, October 2006)

The CPS sample is a multistage stratified sample of approximately 72,000 assigned housing units from 824

sample areas designed to measure demographic and labor force characteristics of the civilian 

noninstitutionalized population 16 years of age and older. Approximately 12,000 of the assigned housing 

units are sampled under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) expansion that has been 

part of the official CPS sample since July 2001. The CPS samples housing units from lists of addresses 

obtained from the 2000 Decennial Census of Population and Housing. The sample is updated continuously
ヲ 

for new housing built after Census 2000. The first stage of sampling involves dividing the United States 

into primary sampling units (PSUs)—most of which comprise a metropolitan area, a large county, or a 

group of smaller counties. Every PSU falls within the boundary of a state. The PSUs are then grouped into 

strata on the basis of independent information that is obtained from the decennial census or other sources. 

In the second stage of sampling, a sample of housing units within the sample PSUs is drawn. Ultimate 

sampling units (USUs) are small groups of housing units. The bulk of the USUs sampled in the second 

stage consist of sets of addresses that are systematically drawn from sorted lists of blocks prepared as part 

of Census 2000. 

Each month, interviewers collect data from the sample housing units. A housing unit is interviewed for 4 

consecutive months, dropped out of the sample for the next 8 months, and interviewed again in the 

following 4 months. In all, a sample housing unit is interviewed eight times. Households are rotated in and 

out of the sample in a way that improves the accuracy of the month-to-month and year-to-year change 

estimates. The rotation scheme ensures that in any single month, one-eighth of the housing units are 

interviewed for the first time, another eighth is interviewed for the second time, and so on. That is, after 

the first month, 6 of the 8 rotation groups will have been in the survey for the previous month—there will 

always be a 75 percent month-to-month overlap. When the system has been in full operation for 1 year, 4 of 

the 8 rotation groups in any month will have been in the survey for the same month, 1 year ago; there will 

always be a 50 percent year-to-year overlap. 

In the 2000 sample redesign, the most recent redesign of CPS, we selected enough sampled addresses to form 21 

samples. We assigned these 21 samples several different sample codes including the sample designation and

rotation group – the two codes required to understand the CPS rotation chart. The sample designation uniquely 

identifies 1 of the 21 sets of sampled housing units. These 21 samples were designated A77 through A97 for the 

CPS, and B77 through B97 for the SCHIP for the 2000 redesign. Within the sample designations, we partitioned the 

sample into eight representative subsamples, called rotation groups, which we use in the CPS rotation scheme. 

During any given month, up to three sample designations can be in sample. 

Rotation of the Sample — From Technical Paper 66 (U.S. Census Bureau, October 2006)

The CPS sample rotation scheme is a compromise between a permanent sample (from which a high 

response rate would be difficult to maintain) and a completely new sample each month (which would result 

in more variable estimates of change). The CPS sample rotation scheme represents an attempt to strike a 

balance in the minimization of the following: 

1. Variance of estimates of month-to-month change: three-fourths of the sample is the same in 

consecutive months. 

2. Variance of estimates of year-to-year change: one-half of the sample is the same in the same 

month of consecutive years. 

3. Variance of other estimates of change: outgoing sample is replaced by sample likely to have 

similar characteristics. 

4. Response burden: eight interviews are dispersed across 16 months. 

The rotation scheme follows a 4-8-4 pattern. A housing unit or group quarters is interviewed 4 consecutive 

months, not in sample for the next 8 months, interviewed the next 4 months, and then retired from sample.

The rotation scheme is designed so outgoing housing units are replaced by housing units which have 

similar characteristics. 

Thus, the following summarizes (see Table 1) the main characteristics of the CPS rotation scheme: 

1. In any single month, one-eighth of the sample housing units are interviewed for the first time; 

another eighth is interviewed for the second time; and so on. 

2. One new sample designation-rotation group is activated each month. The new rotation group 

replaces the rotation group retiring permanently from sample. 
ン 

3. One rotation group is reactivated each month after its 8-month resting period. The returning 

rotation group replaces the rotation group beginning its 8-month resting period. 

4. Rotation groups are introduced in order of sample designation and rotation group: A77(1), A77(2), 

..., A77(8), A78(1), A78(2), ..., A78(8),..., A97(1), A97(2), ..., A97(8). 

The Census Bureau has used this rotation scheme since 1953. 

Another term we need to define is month-in-sample (MIS). This is simply the count of the number of 

months/interviews a given sample designation-rotation group has been in sample. If the sample 

designation-rotation group is introduced for its first interview, then MIS is one. If the sample designationrotation group is receiving its eighth interview, then MIS is eight. Once a sampled household has received 

its eighth interview, or has been in sample for its eighth time, it becomes part of the expired CPS sample.

CPS Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) Design

The CPS ASEC is a supplement to the Basic CPS. The CPS ASEC collects data on income from all sources, receipt 

of noncash benefit, health insurance coverage, work experience, program participation, and geographic mobility. A 

major reason for conducting the ASEC around the month of March is to obtain better income data. It is thought that 

since March is the month before the deadline for filing federal income tax returns, respondents were likely to have 

recently prepared tax returns or be in the midst of preparing such returns and could report their income more 

accurately than at any other time of the year. 

The Census Bureau has collected data in the CPS ASEC since 1947. From 1947 to 1955, the CSP ASEC took place 

in April and from 1956 to 2001 the CPS ASEC took place in March. In 2001, a sample increase was implemented 

requiring more time for data collection. Thus, additional CPS ASEC interviews also take place in February and 

April. However, even with this sample increase, most of the data collection still occurs in March. 

The CPS ASEC sample consists of the March Basic CPS sample, plus additional CPS households identified in prior 

CPS samples and the following April CPS sample based on the demographic makeup of the housing unit. Table 2 

shows the months when the eligible sample is identified. Starting in 2004, the eligible CPS ASEC sample

households are: 

1. The entire March CPS sample. 

2. Hispanic households -- identified in November (from all month-in-sample (MIS) groups) and in 

April (MIS 1,5). 

3. Non-Hispanic non-White households -- identified in August (MIS 8), September (MIS 8), October 

(MIS 8), November (MIS 1 and 5) and April (MIS 1 and 5). 

4. Non-Hispanic White households with children 18 years or younger -- identified in August (MIS 

8), September (MIS 8), October (MIS 8), November (MIS 1 and 5) and April (MIS 1 and 5). 
ヴ 

Table 1. CPS/SCHIP Rotation Chart July 2012 – June 2014 

Sample Designation 

Month A89/B89 A90/B90 A91/B91 A92/B92 A93/B93 

2012 July 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct

Nov 

Dec

2013 Jan 

Feb 

Mar

Apr 

May 

Jun 

Jul 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct

Nov 

Dec

2014 Jan 

Feb 

Mar

Apr 

May 

Jun 

1 2 

2 

3 

3 

3 

4 

4 

4 

4 

. 

5 

5 

5 

5 

. 

. 

6 

6 

6 

6 

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7 

7 

7 

7 

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. 

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8 

8 

8 

8 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 

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1 

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2 

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3 

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4 

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5 

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6 

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6 

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7 

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4 

4 

4 

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5 

5 

5 

6 

6 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 
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Table 2. MIS Groups Included in the ASEC 

Month in Sample 

CPS Month/Hispanic Status 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

August 

Hispanic1 NI2

Non-Hispanic3 NI2In Sample 

September 

Hispanic1 NI2

Non-Hispanic3 NI2In Sample 

October 

Hispanic1 NI2

Non-Hispanic3 NI2In Sample 

November 

Hispanic1In Sample 

Non-Hispanic3In Sample NI2In Sample NI2 NI2 NI2

March 

Hispanic1

In Sample 

Non-Hispanic3

April 

Hispanic1

In Sample NI2In Sample NI2

Non-Hispanic3

1

 Hispanics may be of any race. 

2

 NI — Not Interviewed for the ASEC. 

3

 The non-Hispanic group includes both non-Hispanic non-Whites and non-Hispanic Whites with children 18 years old or

younger.

Prior to 2001, only the November CPS households containing at least one person of Hispanic origin were added to 

the CPS ASEC. The added households in 2001, along with a general sample increase in selected states, are 

collectively known as the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) sample expansion. The added 

households improve the reliability of the CPS ASEC estimates for the Hispanic households, non-Hispanic nonWhite households, and non-Hispanic White households with children 18 years or younger. 

Because of the characteristics of CPS sample rotation groups, the additional cases from the August, September, 

October, November and April CPS are completely different from those in the March CPS. The additional sample 

cases increase the effective sample size of the CPS ASEC compared to the March CPS sample alone. The CPS 

ASEC sample includes 18 MIS groups for Hispanic households, 15 MIS groups for non-Hispanic non-White 

households, 15 MIS groups for non-Hispanic White households with children 18 years or younger, and 8 MIS 

groups for all other households. (See Table 3.) 

The ASEC sample universe is slightly different from the CPS. The Basic CPS completely excludes military 

personnel while the CPS ASEC includes military personal who live in households with at least one other civilian 

adult. These differences require the ASEC to have a different weighting procedure from the Basic CPS. 
ヶ 

Table 3. CPS Rotation Chart with Rotations Identified by Demographic Group for the CPS ASEC Sample 

Sample Designation 

Month A89/B89 A90/B90 A91/B91 A92/B92 A93/B93 

2012 July 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Aug 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 

Sept 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 Additional Case Identified 

Oct 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 in these months and April 

Nov 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 

Dec 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 Interviewed Months: 

2013 Jan 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 NonHispanic 

Feb 2 3 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 Hispanic 

Mar 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 . . . . 1 2 3 . 5 6 7 8 Both 

Apr 4 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 Regular March Cases/Both 

May 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 

Jun 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 

Jul 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 

Aug 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 

Sept 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 

Oct 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 

Nov 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Dec 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 

2014 Jan 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 

Feb 6 7 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 

Mar 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 . . . . 5 6 7 . 1 2 3 4 

Apr 8 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 

May 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 

Jun 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 

 
Α 

 

Table 4. CPS Rotations Exposed to CPS ASEC Interview 

Sample Designation 

Month A89/B89 A90/B90 A91/B91 A92/B92 A93/B93 

2012 July 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Aug 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 

Sept 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 

Oct 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 

Nov 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 

Dec 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 Sample Exposed to CPS ASEC: 

2013 Jan 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 NonHispanic 

Feb 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 Hispanic 

Mar 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 Both 

Apr 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 Regular March Cases/Both 

May 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 

Jun 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 

Jul 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 

Aug 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 

Sept 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 

Oct 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 

Nov 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Dec 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 

2014 Jan 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 

Feb 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 

Mar 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 

Apr 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 

May 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 

Jun 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 
Β 

Table 5. Identified Rotation Groups to Obtain Expired CPS ASEC Test Cases Not Exposed to CPS ASEC 

Sample Designation 

Month A86/B86 A87/B87 A88/B88 A89/B89 A90/B90 

2010 Jul 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Aug 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 

Sept 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 Identified ASEC Test Sample Cases 

Oct 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 NonHispanic 

Nov 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 Hispanic 

Dec 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 

2011 Jan 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 

Feb 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 

Mar 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Apr 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 

May 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 

Jun 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 

Jul 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 

Aug 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 

Sept 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 

Oct 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 

Nov 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Dec 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 1 

2012 Jan 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 1 2 

Feb 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 1 2 3 

Mar 5 6 7 8 . . . . . . . . 1 2 3 4 

Apr 6 7 8 1 . . . . . . . . 2 3 4 5 

May 7 8 1 2 . . . . . . . . 3 4 5 6 

Jun 8 1 2 3 . . . . . . . . 4 5 6 7 

Jul 1 2 3 4 . . . . . . . . 5 6 7 8 

Aug 2 3 4 5 . . . . . . . . 6 7 8 

Sept 3 4 5 6 . . . . . . . . 7 8 

Oct 4 5 6 7 . . . . . . . . 8 
Γ 

CPS ASEC Test Sample

Now that we have reviewed the Basic CPS rotation chart and which rotation groups receive the CPS ASEC 

questionnaire, we can identify the expired sample rotation (MIS 8) groups that have not been exposed to the CPS 

ASEC questionnaire. Table 4 shows that all months have been exposed to the CPS ASEC. However, the 

demographic group in each month, having been exposed to CPS ASEC, differs. The NonHispanic demographic 

groups from August, September, October, February, March, April, May, June, and July have been exposed to the 

CPS ASEC questionnaire and the Hispanic demographic groups from November, December, January, February, 

March, April, May, June and July have been exposed to the CPS ASEC questionnaire. Thus, the available expired 

CPS sample that has not been exposed to CPS ASEC are rotation groups from November, December, and January 

for the NonHispanic demographic groups, and August, September, and October for the Hispanic groups. 

One additional requirement placed on the CPS ASEC Test design was the concern of respondent burden of the 

expired CPS households receiving the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). ATUS selects approximately 2,200 

households each month from the expired CPS, and each household is interviewed just once in addition to the 8 

interviews for CPS. The ATUS sample comes from CPS sample households that have completed their eighth and 

final CPS interview (i.e., CPS MIS 8) two months from the last CPS interview. 

The CPS households from which the ATUS sample is selected are stratified by race/ethnicity and presence of 

children. Non-White households are sampled at a higher rate to insure that valid comparisons can be made across 

major race/ethnicity groups. The ATUS sampled household were identified and eliminated from the input sample 

files for the CPS ASEC Test. 

Due to the restricted budget allowed for this test and approximately 95 percent of MIS 8 completed CPS cases 

having phone numbers, plans were developed to collect all data using the Computer Assisted Telephone 

Interviewing (CATI) centers. This helped reduce the training and operational cost by eliminating the training of 

field representatives. 

CPS ASEC Test Sample Size 

SEHSD requested that the sample size be large enough to detect differences of 0.5 percent between the CPS ASEC 

estimates and the CPS ASEC Test estimates for the rarest population – the direct health insurance purchase (alone). 

The population percentage for direct health insurance purchases is 3.7% with a standard error2

of 0.06%, according 

to the 2012 CPS ASEC. 

To determine the sample size, we used the following formula, see page 47 of (Lohr, 2010): 

2

2

0

e

z S

n , (1)

where is the sample size, is the standard error or *p (1 p) , and is the margin of error (or absolute 

precision). 

We had two unknowns in our formula ( and ), but we knew we wanted our detected difference to be 0.5 percent. 

Using for the 2012 estimates and for the detectible difference, we needed to find the margin of 

error, , that would make our 0.5 percent difference significantly different. Solving for significance, we found the 

margin of error to be %. Thus, using, %, %, , and in 

formula (1), we arrive at a sample size of approximately 15,000 addresses. 

With the assumption that we would achieve a 75 percent response rate, we increased our targeted sample to 20,000 

(i.e. 15,000/.75 = 20,000). To achieve the sample size of 20,000 from expired CPS rotation groups, we identified 

2

 The standard error of the 2012 estimate for the direct health insurance purchase (alone) was calculated using the generalized 

variance function parameters. 
ヱヰ

that we needed 13 expired CPS rotation groups – 8 Hispanic rotation groups and 5 NonHispanic groups (see table 5) 

going back to August 2010. From these rotation groups, we identified the addresses with phone numbers and 

removed the ATUS cases, as prescribed by the requirements to satisfy the CATI only and response burden 

requirements. As a result, we identified 22,508 CPS ASEC Test addresses to be in sample from these 13 rotation 

groups. 

Response Rates 

In collaboration with SEHSD, DSD provided code to determine interview type for the CPS ASEC content test. 

These interview types are based on response to the CPS ASEC Test and are used in the weighting procedure. Table 

6 provides the list and definitions of outcome codes along with number of cases in each outcome. 

Table 6. Detailed Final Outcome Codes by Interview Status

Type Final outcome code N 

Interview 

1 Fully complete 8,095

2 Sufficient partial 519

4 Sufficient partial set at closeout 104

5 Complete/Partial - Type 3 477

Total 9,195

Type A noninterview 

24 Unconverted language barrier 63

25 Unconverted hearing barrier 6 

176 Congressional - delete case 1 

179 Hostile breakoff 30

181 Refusal 3,299

182 Hard refusal 36

188 Insufficient partial – callback 1,448

193 Privacy detector 471

194 Never contacted - confirmed number 2,008

195 Never contacted - unconfirmed number 4,779

199 Never tried (new case) 4 

Total 12,145 

Type B noninterview 

20 Sample unit ineligible - out of scope 2 

21 Sample unit eligible but unavailable through closeout 778

22 Sample unit not found/unreached/eligibility uncertain 361

23 Coded out based on survey parameters 26

26 In scope but data unavailable 1 

 

 

Total 1,168
ヱヱ

As is shown in Table 7, the final response rate is 43.1 percent for the CPS ASEC Test. This rate is based on the 

sample of completed interviews and Type A noninterviews, both of which are considered to be eligible households. 

Excluded from this rate are Type B noninterviews for households that were determined to be ineligible.

Table 7. Final CPS Basic Response Rate 

 

n Response Rate 

Interviews 9,195 

Type A noninterviews 12,145 43.1% 

Total 21,340 

Coverage Rates 

The concept of coverage in the survey sampling process is the extent to which the total population that could be 

selected for sample “covers” the survey’s target population. Missed housing units and missed people within sample 

households create undercoverage. The overall CPS ASEC Test undercoverage is estimated to be about 29.0 percent. 

The coverage varies with age, sex, and race. Generally, coverage is larger for females than for males and larger for 

non-Blacks than for Blacks. This differential coverage is a general problem for most household-based surveys. 

The CPS ASEC Test weighting procedure partially corrects for bias from undercoverage, but biases may still be 

present when people who are missed by the survey differ from those interviewed in ways other than age, race, sex, 

Hispanic origin, and state of residence. How this weighting procedure affects other variables in the test data is not 

precisely known. All of these considerations affect comparisons across different surveys or data sources. 

A common measure of survey coverage is the coverage ratio, calculated as the estimated population before 

poststratification divided by the independent population control. Tables 8, 9 and 10 show the coverage ratios for sex 

by age, race, and Hispanic groups. 

 

Table 8. Coverage Ratios for Age and Sex 

Age Total Male Female 

00-99 0.71 0.70 0.71 

00-15 0.59 0.59 0.58 

16-44 0.53 0.54 0.53 

45+ 0.93 0.93 0.94 

Table 9. Coverage Ratios for Race and Sex 

Race Total Male Female 

Total 0.71 0.70 0.71 

White Alone 0.79 0.78 0.80 

Black Alone 0.33 0.32 0.33 

All Other Races and Races 

in Combination 

0.53 0.53 0.53 

Table 10. Coverage Ratios for Ethnicity and Sex 

Ethnicity Total Male Female 

Total 0.71 0.70 0.71 

Hispanic 0.51 0.50 0.51 

Non-Hispanic 0.75 0.75 0.75 
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CPS ASEC Test Weighting 

The weighting of the CPS ASEC Test data follows the same basic weighting procedure as the CPS ASEC with two 

additional adjustments. These adjustments account for only having five rotation groups of Non-Hispanic households 

and the removal of the ATUS households. The CPS ASEC Test weighting adjustments include a nonresponse 

adjustment, first-stage adjustment, second-stage adjustment, and family equalization. 

CPS ASEC Test Base weight 

For the basic CPS, the baseweight is the unbiased weight calculated by inverting the household’s 

probability of selection. For this test, we start with the Basic CPS basewieght multiplied by the Basic CPS 

Noninterview Adjustment from the interview month the household was selected. This is our CPS ASEC 

Test base weight. 

Non-HISPANIC Household Adjustment 

The purpose of the Non-Hispanic household adjustment is to increase the weight of non-Hispanic 

household’s to account for selecting only five rotation groups of expired CPS cases to represent the nonHispanic households in the CPS ASEC Test. We selected eight Hispanic rotation groups, which require no 

additional adjustment to the base weight. 

ATUS Adjustment 

The purpose of the ATUS Adjustment is to increase the weights to account for the removal of households 

selected to participate in the ATUS. We calculate this adjustment as the ratio of the sum of base weights 

before and after ATUS households are removed within three demographic groups: 

households with children under 18, 

Hispanic households, and 

all other households. 

Nonresponse Adjustment 

The noninterview adjustment increases the weights for the interviewed households to account for eligible

noninterviewed households. We calculate the noninterview adjustment within noninterview clusters – 

generally defined as groups of primary sampling units (PSUs) belonging to core-based statistical areas

(CBSAs) of the same or similar size or groups of PSUs3

 not belonging to any CBSA. We have defined 

most noninterview clusters within a state, but some do cross state boundaries. 

First-stage Adjustment 

The first-stage ratio adjustment reduces the contribution of the variance arising from the sampling of PSUs. 

We base the first-stage ratios on decennial census data and apply them only to sample records in the 

nonself-representing (NSR) PSUs4

. 

Second-stage Adjustment 

There are two steps to the second-stage adjustment, the national coverage step and the iterative raking

procedure to independent age, sex, race, and Hispanic-origin population controls. 

The national coverage adjustment modifies sample estimates of the population to match independently 

derived national estimates of the population for certain demographic groups. 

 

3 A primary sampling unit (PSU) is a single group or a group of counties which are geographically contiguous within a state. In 

New England and Hawaii, PSUs in the design are defined using counties within the states. 

4

 Nonself-representing (NSR) PSUs are PSUs with a selection probability less than 1.
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The raking procedure adjusts sample estimates of the population in a number of age-sex-race-ethnicity 

groups to match independently derived estimates of the population in each of these groups. 

Family equalization 

The purpose of the Family Equalization process is to equalize the estimates of the number of people in

partnerships, both married and unmarried. Without this adjustment, our estimates of men in partnerships 

would be more than the number of women in partnerships. We adjust weights, mostly of males, to give 

equal weights to both partners while maintaining the overall civilian age-race-sex-ethnicity control totals. 

We also created 160 replicate weights for the CPS ASEC Test data. We applied the replicate factor before the 

nonresponse adjustment and then applied the same weighting adjustments outlined above to create each replicate 

weight. 

Cautionary Warning -- Non-sampling Error 

The Census Bureau’s Statistical Quality Standards provides some guidance related to non-sampling error. In 

standard F1-6 —Releasing Information Products, the standard states that “Information products must comply with 

Census Bureau’s statistical quality standards and must be free of serious data quality issues in order to be released 

outside the Census Bureau without restrictions.” It goes on to say that “serious data quality issues related to nonsampling error occur when: (F1-6.2b1) unit response rates for surveys or censuses, or cumulative unit response rates 

for panel or longitudinal surveys are below 60 percent; and (F1-6.2b4) coverage ratios for population groups 

associated with key estimates are below 70 percent.” With such high nonresponse rates and low coverage rates 

obtained for this test, we should be concerned with non-sampling error and the restrictions of the use of the data. 

Sub-Requirement F1-6.2 allows us to release this data under very strict guidelines. Since these data are not to 

report, analyze, or discuss characteristics of the population or economy, but is to analyze and discuss data quality 

issues or research on methodological improvements, we can release our findings with the following statement 

included with the data: “These data are being released on request, despite concerns about their quality. The Census 

Bureau’s policy is not to withhold data that are available, unless releasing such data would violate confidentiality 

requirements. The Census Bureau recommends using these data only for research or evaluation purposes, and not 

to make statements about characteristics of the population or economy because they do not meet the criteria 

outlined in the Census Bureau’s Statistical Quality standard: Releasing Information Product.” 

References

[1] U.S. Census Bureau. 2006. Current Population Survey: Design and Methodology. Technical Paper 66. 

Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. (http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/tp-66.pdf)

[2] Lohr, S. 2010. Sampling: Design and Analysis, Second Edition. Brooks/Cole. Boston, MA, USA 

[3] U.S. Census Bureau. 2013. U.S. Census Bureau Statistical Quality Standards Reissued July 2013. 

(http://www.census.gov/quality/standards/Quality_Standards.pdf)