Alternate Name Item # Length Source of Standard Implemented Year Implemented Version Retired Year Retired Version Column #
Census Occ Code 2010
282 4 Census/NPCR 2013 13 459 - 462
Description
Code for the patient's usual occupation, using U.S. Census Bureau codes and NIOSH non-paid worker codes. This data item applies only to patients who are age 14 years or older at the time of diagnosis. Usual occupation is defined as the type of job the patient was engaged in for most of his or her working life. Formerly Census Occ Code 2010.
Rationale
Use of a standard occupation classification system and associated codes improves the consistency of data collected from multiple sources and facilitates the use of data by researchers.

Coding Instructions
Occupation/industry coding should NOT be performed by reporting facilities. This is a central registry data item. Specially trained and qualified personnel should perform coding.

Codes for occupation are routinely updated to include new or more detailed codes. The 4-digit 2010 occupation codes from the U.S. Census Bureau and NIOSH are the most recent codes for occupation. When assigning occupation codes, central registries should use the most recent code set available. The occupation codes for 2010 may be used for earlier diagnosis years. Cases already coded with older occupation codes do not have to be recoded to the 2010 codes.
Valid codes for occupation include the U.S. Census codes and the NIOSH non-paid worker codes (listed below). CDC has combined these two sets of codes into a PHIN-VADS value set located here: http://phinvads.cdc.gov/vads/ViewValueSet.action?id=1445D71C-F37F-4504-8B6C-BA48C5A3F4CA
 
2010 NIOSH Occupation Codes for Non-Paid Worker Titles:
9010 Housewife, homemaker
9020 Volunteers
9050 Student
9060 Retired
9100 Child or infant, patient, disabled, inmate, or individual who did not work
9900 Blank text, unknown, don't know, not applicable, refused or information is inadequate to select a code
Blank Coding of Census Occ Code 2010 CDC not attempted
Note: The Division of Safety Research at CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed new web-based software for automated coding of industry and occupation to appropriate year Census (1990, 2000, or 2010) classifications. This system also includes the NIOSH non-paid worker codes. The contact person for this software is Sue Nowlin, who can be contacted at sxn1@cdc.gov or (513) 841-4467.

For more information related to the U.S. Census Bureau codes, see the following websites:
- Crosswalk: http://www.census.gov/people/io/methodology/. Utilize the 3rd tab of the following file: 2010 Census Occupation Codes with Crosswalk. The 2002 Census codes are the same as the 2000 codes with a “0” added to the end of the number due to the change from a 3-digit to 4-digit field.

- Index: http://www.census.gov/people/io/methodology/indexes.html