These questions assess the person’s non-specific psychological distress during the past 30 days. The non-specific psychological distress variables are as follows:

• ADNERV42 – During the past 30 days, felt nervous
• ADHOPE42 – During the past 30 days, felt hopeless C-63 MEPS HC-171
• ADREST42 – During the past 30 days, felt restless or fidgety
• ADSAD42 – During the past 30 days, felt so sad that nothing could cheer the person up ADEFRT42 – During the past 30 days, felt that everything was an effort
• ADWRTH42 – During the past 30 days, felt worthless Kessler Index (K6)

A summary of the six variables above provides an index to measure non-specific, rather than disorder-specific, psychological distress, using the following values:

• 0 None of the Time
• 1 A Little of the Time
• 2 Some of the Time
• 3 Most of the Time
• 4 All of the Time

The index, called K6SUM42, is a summation of the values of the six variables above. The higher the value of K6SUM42, the greater the person’s tendency towards mental disability. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) The 2014 SAQ includes two additional mental health questions.

These questions assess the frequency of the person’s depressed mood and decreased interest in usual activities.

• ADINTR42 – During the past two weeks, bothered by having little interest or pleasure in doing things
• ADDPRS42 – During the past two weeks, bothered by feeling down, depressed, or hopeless
• PHQ242 is a summation of the values of the two variables above, with scores ranging from 0 through 6.

The higher the value of PHQ242, the greater the person’s tendency towards depression. Kroenke et al. (2004) suggest a score of 3 as the optimal cut point for screening purposes.

Note that these items are intended as a screening measure for depression and are not equivalent to a DSM-V diagnosis of depression. Attitudes about Health The SAQ included four questions that ascertain certain health-related attitudes. Two items (ADINSA42 and ADINSB42) deal with attitudes toward health insurance.

The other two questions (ADRISK42 and ADOVER42) deal with attitudes that might influence decisions to purchase health insurance or to use health services.

No editing has been performed for these items.

• C-64 MEPS HC-171 ADINSA42 – Do not need health insurance
• ADINSB42 – Health insurance is not worth the money it costs
• ADRISK42 – More likely to take risks than the average person
• ADOVER42 – Can overcome illness without help from a medically trained person