Disability Perception Survey (DPS) - Web version

Q #	Question		Source	Uses	Justification
Language of Survey/ SSN
LANGSWITCH		Would you like to take this survey in English or Spanish?	Standard AmeriSpeak question.	Routing of survey questions	This question will determine the language in which the survey will be administered. Respondents may choose between English and Spanish
S1		. The Social Security Administration will use the results of this survey to get a better understanding of people’s knowledge about SSDI and their likelihood of applying for benefits in the future. By collecting Social Security Numbers along with survey responses, SSA will be able to learn about the types of people who apply for SSDI , and find out what additional information they might need about the program. Your responses to this survey will NOT be used to determine eligibility for benefits but will be used for research purposes. Please provide your social security number in the spaces below.		Record linkage	SSN is needed by SSA to link to administrative records. SSA will use this information to learn about who applies for SSDI and understand what information applicants may need about the SSDI program.
S2		Please note that to complete the survey and be eligible for the incentive, we need your Social Security Number.			Respondents who attempt to skip S1 will be prompted at S2 to provide SSN.
Q1		How familiar are you with the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program?		Descriptors Covariates Subgroups	Understanding respondent familiarity of SSDI and SSI will aid in interpreting their answers to the survey questions.
Q2		How familiar are you with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program?
Part 1 Background and Future Outlook
F1	Have you ever applied, or are you currently applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) disability benefits?			Descriptors Covariates Subgroups	These questions collect information on the respondent’s prior experience with SSDI, both through personal experience and through others they know. Respondents’ familiarity with SSDI and perceptions about the impact of impairments on work are measured through questions on whether the respondent has applied or knows someone who has applied for SSDI and, if so, the outcomes of their applications. The reasons why people with disabling conditions whom they know may not apply may inform respondents’ perception of who qualifies for benefits and the potential stigma of receiving benefits.
F1a	What was the outcome of the application?
F2_1	Thinking about family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and acquaintances who are 18 to 64 years old, do you know anyone who has a disabling condition that limits their ability to work?
F2_2	Have any of the people you know with a disabling condition applied for SSDI disability benefits?
F2_3	About how many people do you know who have applied for disability benefits?
F2_4	[Please think about the person you know best who has applied for disability benefits.] What is the current status of this person’s application for SSDI disability benefits?
F2_5	Have any of the people you know with disabling conditions not yet applied for SSDI disability benefits?
F2_6	How many people with disabling conditions do you know who have not yet applied for SSDI disability benefits?
F2_7	[Please think about the person you know best who has not yet applied for benefits.] Do you think this person is planning to apply for SSDI disability benefits?
F2_8	What do you think are the reasons why this person does not plan on applying for SSDI disability benefits?
F4a	In the past year, did you look for any information about SSDI?			Descriptors Covariates Subgroups	These questions examine where respondents obtain information about SSDI and how that information influences their decisions as to whether to apply for benefits.
F4b	Where did you look for information?
F4c	Overall, how helpful was the information that you found?
F4d	In the past year, have you heard anything about SSDI from any of the following sources?
F6	Based on what you know about the SSDI program, how likely is it that you will apply for disability benefits [IF S_AGE<63: in the next 5 years][IF S_AGE>62: before you turn 67]?
F7	In the next 5 years, do you expect your health to improve, get worse, or stay about the same?			Descriptors Covariates Subgroups	These questions will be used to help predict respondents’ potential future need for benefits. Same as above.
D1	Are you currently working for pay at a job or business?
F8a	In the next 5 years, if you developed a long-term health problem and lost your job, would you apply for disability benefits?
F8b	Which of the following resources would you rely on?
P6	Do you think of the SSDI disability program as a “welfare program”?				This question addresses respondents’ perceptions of the SSDI program.
P8	Some individuals who potentially qualify for disability benefits do not apply. Which of the following do you think is the most common reason for not applying for these benefits?				This question addresses the reasons why people who may be eligible for SSDI benefits do not apply.
Part 2 General Knowledge [K] of the Social Security Disability Programs
K1	In general, how long must a health problem last to be considered disabling for receipt of SSDI benefits?			Descriptors Covariates Subgroups	This series of questions assesses respondents’ knowledge of the eligibility requirements for receiving and maintaining SSDI benefits. Questions also assess respondents’ knowledge about SSDI receipt in the United States. A goal of the Disability Perceptions Survey is to examine whether an individual’s knowledge of SSDI affects future decisions to apply for benefits.
K2	Does ability to find a job matter in qualifying for SSDI benefits?
K3	What, if any, are the requirements for receiving SSDI benefits?
K5	Does SSA ever check to see if SSDI beneficiaries are still disabled?
P1	Thinking about the U.S. as a whole, what percentage of the working age population do you think receive SSDI disability benefits at some point in their lives?
P2	Thinking about the U.S. as a whole, what percentage of 18 to 64 year olds do you think are currently receiving SSDI disability benefits?
P3	Thinking about the U.S. as a whole, what percentage of SSDI disability applicants do you think are ultimately approved for benefits?
P4	Thinking about the last ten years, do you think it has become easier or harder to receive SSDI disability benefits?
P5	On average, about how much of a person’s work-related income do you think SSDI benefits will cover? Do you think SSDI will cover all, most, about half, or less than half of what people would otherwise earn through work?
1	Were you employed at the beginning of the pandemic (in March 2020)?			Descriptors Covariates Subgroups	The series of questions on COVID ask about respondents’ personal experiences with COVID, including whether one’s employment and financial situation were affected by the pandemic, Questions also assess respondents’ opinions on how workers who have been diagnosed with or are experiencing long-term COVID symptoms may qualify for SSDI benefits.
2	Since the beginning of the pandemic (i.e., since March 2020), have you experienced any of the following changes to your work due to COVID?		Adapted from NLSY97
3	Compared to the beginning of the pandemic, are your savings now higher, lower, or about the same as when the pandemic started?
4	Have you ever tested positive for COVID?
5	When was the date of your most recent positive COVID test?
6	How would you categorize your symptoms from having COVID-19?
7	Have you received a COVID-19 vaccine?
8	Has the COVID pandemic made you think you are more or less likely to apply for disability benefits through SSDI?
9	Did the COVID pandemic raise your awareness of the SSDI program?
10	Thinking about others, if a worker who was diagnosed with COVID continued to have symptoms six months later, do you think they should apply for SSDI benefits?
11	How likely do you think a worker who experienced symptoms of COVID for six months would be to qualify for SSDI benefits?
Part 3 Examples: Dealing with Disability
V1_A	Sam is 40 years old. He has worked his entire adult life as a construction worker. Sam recently developed pain in his back and legs. The pain is present almost all of the time. Sam takes medication for the pain, which helps somewhat, but he still has a difficult time moving around and lifting things at work. If you were in Sam’s situation, how likely would you be to apply for SSDI disability benefits?			Descriptors Covariates Subgroups	The vignettes assess respondents’ opinions on how different factors may affect current and future ability to work and the likelihood of applying for SSDI benefits. Each vignette presents a different scenario in terms of factors such as the age, occupation, health condition, symptoms, and duration of the condition that the fictional worker is experiencing.
V1_B	How likely do you think Sam is to qualify to receive SSDI disability benefits?
V1_C_A	If Sam had been experiencing symptoms for more than a year, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V1_C_B	If Sam were able to do another job instead of construction, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V2_A	Mary is 57 years old. She is a bilingual customer service worker. She has a mild mental impairment caused by a recent stroke. Mary is still five years away from the earliest age that she can file for retirement benefits. She is struggling to make ends meet. If you were in Mary’s situation, how likely would you be to apply for SSDI disability benefits?
V2_B_A	If Mary were diagnosed with COVID and continued to have mild symptoms 12 months later, do you think she would be more or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V2_B_B	If Mary’s work hours were reduced due to the pandemic and were never restored, do you think she would be more or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V2_C_A	If Mary’s mental impairment was more severe, do you think she would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V2_C_B	If Mary became unable to work as a bilingual customer service worker, do you think she would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V3_A	Diane is a 30-year-old attorney. In her free time she is a competitive cyclist who regularly participates in races. Yesterday, Diane was hit by a car while biking and broke her leg. She is recovering from her injury. She is expected to be off work for 9 months during her recovery. If you were in Diane’s situation, how likely would you be to apply for SSDI disability benefits?
V3_B	How likely do you think Diane is to qualify to receive SSDI disability benefits?
V3_C_A	If Diane had been experiencing symptoms and out of work for more than a year, do you think she would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V3_C_B	If Diane became unable to work as an attorney, do you think she would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V4_A	Bill is 58 years old and has a high school education. He has worked most of his life at an auto manufacturing plant. He has developed severe arthritis as a result of this work. Six months ago, his auto plant relocated overseas and Bill was laid off. He has since developed clinical depression. He has not been able to get another manufacturing position in his rural area. If you were in Bill’s situation, how likely would you be to apply for SSDI disability benefits?
V4_B	How likely do you think Bill is to qualify to receive SSDI disability benefits?
V4_C_A	If Bill were able to do another job instead of manufacturing, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V4_C_B	If Bill were further from retirement age, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V4_C_C	If Bill had more education, such as a master’s degree, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V5_A	Daniel is 48 years old and never finished high school. He only speaks Spanish and has asthma. He has worked most of his adult life, but has trouble finding and keeping a job. It is not clear if his health problems or other issues contribute to his difficulties in finding and keeping a job. If you were in Daniel’s situation, how likely would you be to apply for SSDI disability benefits?
V5_B	How likely do you think Daniel is to qualify to receive SSDI disability benefits?
V5_C_A	If Daniel’s health problems were more severe, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V5_C_B	If Daniel were closer to retirement age, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V5_C_C	If Daniel had more education, such as a high school diploma, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?
V5_C_D	If Daniel were able to speak English, do you think he would be more likely or less likely to qualify for SSDI benefits?