SEER-MHOS Review and Technical Assistance

National Cancer Institute, Frederick MD

Investigators

Abstract

This Intra-Agency Agreement (IAA) between the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences for Technical Support for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) Data Set and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is established to provide fiscal year (FY) 2023 funding: 1) for technical support to internal and external investigators using SEER-MHOS data; and 2) to conduct dissemination activities designed to make the SEER-MHOS data more useful for all users. The SEER-MHOS data resource links two large population-based sources of data that provide detailed information about elderly persons with cancer. The data come from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of cancer registries that collect clinical, demographic and cause of death information for persons with cancer and the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) that provides information about the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Medicare Advantage Organization (MAO) enrollees. The SEER-MHOS data resource is designed to improve the researcher's understanding of the HRQOL of cancer patients and survivors enrolled in Medicare Advantage Organizations. The SEER-MHOS database is sponsored by NCI and CMS and their partnership is modeled on the SEER-Medicare linked database. For the SEER-MHOS data resource, CMS provides the MHOS data and NCI provides the SEER data. NCI manages the SEER-MHOS data resource, but both agencies work together to update and improve the database over time. Both agencies also collaborate in creating and carrying out the research plan that guides the initiative. The linked SEER-MHOS data resource presently available includes eighteen (18) cohorts of MHOS data (baseline and follow-up) covering the data collection years of 1998-2019. Because these files are large and complex, researchers are encouraged to read through the data tables and figures in the SEER-MHOS Data File section of the SEER-MHOS Web site and the training module in the analytic support section to gain a better understanding of the linked data. (https://healthcaredelivery.cancer.gov/seer-mhos/overview/) before beginning an analysis using the SEER-MHOS data resource. This IAA amendment will support utilization, outreach, and further improvement of the SEER-MHOS linked database and resource.