I’m using 2017 ACS data for a mix of variables, including HCOVANY, CITIZEN, EDUC, and many others. In all of the variables in my dataset, I have no missing values showing in Stata. Ostensibly this is a good thing, but I am afraid I am missing something (no pun intended). I am an undergraduate student in the midst of my first deep-dive into national data for a research program, so I am not extremely familiar with how missing data works in IPUMS. Could anyone offer some beginner-friendly help?
Thank you.
This is a good question. Each of these variables include data quality flag, denoted by a leading “Q-,” that indicate if any of the observations have been allocated due to item non-response. These data quality flag variables can be found on the “flags” tab within each variable’s description. The HCOVANY variable is a summary variable of other more detailed health insurance variables. See this page for more information about the construction, and associated data quality flags, of these health insurance summary variables. CITIZEN has the QCITIZEN variable. EDUC has the QEDUC variable.
That clears it up. Thank you!