Appendix Data Description
From: Beyond “pains” and “gains”: untangling the health consequences of probation
Variable | Description |
|---|---|
Health change since starting probation | Participants were asked “How do you think your current health compares to your health before you started probation?” Response options included: “Health is better now,” “Health is about the same,” and “Health was better before probation.” |
Race/ethnicity | A categorical variable describing a participant’s race/ethnicity. This variable was created by combining one survey question about race and one survey question about ethnicity. |
Gender | A categorical variable describing a participant’s gender identity. |
Age | A categorical variable describing a person’s age. |
Highest year of completed education | A categorical variable describing the highest grade or year of school that participants completed. |
Most serious charge for conviction | A categorical variable describing the most serious criminal convictions that led to a participant’s probation sentence. |
Previously served time in adult prison | A binary variable indicating whether a participant had previously spent time in an adult prison. |
Years on probation | A categorical variable describing the length of time (in years) that participants spent on probation at the time of the interview. |
Self-Rated Health | A categorical variable describing a participant’s self-rated health, with choices ranging from “Poor” to “Excellent”. |
SF-12 Aggregate Physical Health | A summary measure of participants’ physical health, which is derived from responses to the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). SF-12 scores fall within the range of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better physical health. |
SF-12 Aggregate Mental Health | A summary measure of participants’ mental health, which is derived from responses to the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). SF-12 scores fall within the range of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better mental health. |
History of mental health condition | A binary variable indicating whether a participant reported a previously diagnosed mental health condition. |
Visited a mental health provider since starting probation | A binary variable indicating whether a participant had accessed mental health services since the time of the arrest that led to their current term on probation. |
History of substance use problems | A binary variable indicating whether a participant reported a history of substance use problems. |
Substance use treatment since starting probation | A binary variable indicating whether a participant had attended substance use treatment since starting their current term on probation. |
Currently using any illicit substances | A binary variable indicating whether a participant reported current use of any illicit substances (including marijuana, heroin, cocaine or crack, methamphetamine, prescription pain medication, prescription sedatives, and/or injecting drugs with a needle). |
Currently drinking alcohol | A binary variable indicating whether a participant reported current use of alcohol. |
Health insurance coverage over past year | A binary variable indicating whether there was a time in the past 12 months when a participant did not have any health insurance coverage. |
Employment | A categorical variable describing a participant’s employment status at the time of the interview. |
Receiving public assistance | A binary variable indicating whether a participant was currently receiving public assistance (including food stamps, WIC, welfare, general assistance, emergency general assistance, SSI, Minnesota Supplemental Aid, SSDI, unemployment insurance, housing vouchers, and other public housing assistance) at the time of the interview. |
Food insecurity | A binary variable indicating whether a participant was currently experiencing food insecurity. If participants reported that it was “Slightly Difficult,” “Difficult,” or “Very Difficult” to provide themselves with food while on probation, they were considered to be experiencing food insecurity. |
Current housing status | A categorical variable describing a participant’s current housing situation. |
Probation reporting requirements | A categorical variable describing how often a participant was required to report to (or contact) their probation officer at the time of the interview. |