The March 2026 monthly data and the January 2026 data that were recently re-released by the Census Bureau are now available via IPUMS CPS. October 2025 data were not collected during the U.S. federal government shutdown.
- Codes
- Description
- Comparability
- Universe
- Availability
- Flags
- Questionnaire Text
- UnHarmonized Variables
Codes and Frequencies
Description
DIFFCARE indicates whether respondents have any physical or mental health condition that makes it difficult for them to take care of their own personal needs, such as bathing, dressing, or getting around inside the home.
DIFFCARE was drawn from the final CPS interview, conducted 2-5 months before the ATUS interview.
For more information about difficulty variables in the CPS see DIFFANY.
Comparability
This variable is completely comparable across years.
Comparability with IPUMS-USA
This variable is fully comparable to the IPUMS-USA variable DIFFCARE, although the CPS question wording differs slightly from that in the pre-2008 ACS data.
Universe
- Civilians age 15+.
Availability
| Years | Jan | Feb | ASEC | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | - | - | - | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 2009 – 2024 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 2025 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | - | X | X |
| 2026 | X | X | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
