Why Researchers Now Rely on Surveys for Race Data on OASDI and SSI Programs : A Comparison of Four Major Surveys

Policy interest in the sociodemographic characteristics of beneficiaries of the Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Insurance (SSI) programs is increasing as the minority share of the senior and disabled population grows. This note discusses using four major surveys — the Current Population Survey, the Survey of Income and Program Participation, the American Community Survey, and the Health and Retirement Study — to examine OASDI and SSI program use by race and ethnicity. Survey profiles highlight each survey's history, design, and methodology; the categories with which each collects race and ethnicity data; and their strengths and limitations for analyzing SSA's program data