Description

FSRAWSCR95 records the total number of affirmative answers that a household would have provided to the 18 item food security questionnaire under consistent screening criteria for the period 1995 to the present. The raw score is used to determine the food security of the household over the past year (FSSTATUS95). Researchers planning to use only samples collected in 1998 or later should use FSRAWSCR because this more accurately reflects the food security status of households.

FSRAWSCR95 is useful for studying long-run trends in food insecurity because it applies a common screen (FSSCREEN) to correct for changes in screening procedures prior to 1998. Researchers interested in more recent periods should use (FSRAWSCR).

The food security questionnaire consists of 10 questions about the household overall and about the adults in household and 8 questions about the food security of any children in the household. FSRAWSCR95 is simply a count of the responses to these questions which indicate food insecurity.

Households with incomes greater than 185% of the poverty line are asked two screening questions about food insecurity and if they report no instances of food insecurity are coded as having no food insecure conditions.

This variable is part of the Food Security Supplement.

Comparability

This variable is comparable in all years. However, in some instances households that would have reported food insecure conditions will receive a value of zero under the under the common screen. Analysts who do not plan to include samples prior to 1998 are advised to use (FSRAWSCR).

In 1998, 1999, and 2007, food security data are not available for all rotation groups. The food security status weight FSHWTSCALE should be used when analyzing the food security scales.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables