Northwest Area Foundation Horizons Social Indicators Survey, 2004-2005 (ICPSR 21181)

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The purpose of the study was to gather information pertinent to community, neighborhood, local government, and community-based activities in order to find ways to reduce poverty throughout the Northwestern states of Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington. The survey first asked the respondents to name their place of residence (in terms of state, county, and town), how long they had lived at their residence, and how much longer they planned to reside there. Then a sequence of questions asked respondents for their thoughts about the community, such as how they felt about it, whether they felt they belonged, whether they were fairly treated or excluded from the community, and how safe they felt walking around their community at night. They were also asked about the attitudes of individuals and the relationships between community members. The survey further asked about community involvement, group membership, and social participation, access to outside sources for problem-solving, and how well the members cooperated with one another (in groups and in neighborhoods) when they disagreed. The questionnaire also asked respondents to assess how well people of different ethnic groups interacted with the community as a whole and within groups, organizations, and activities. It asked for respondents' assessment of government services for the community, their trust in government as well as members and leaders of local groups (business, ethnic, and religious), and the cooperation of the community in emergencies. Respondents were asked to evaluate their ability to make a positive impact in their community and the ability of people and groups to provide assistance to the poverty-stricken and to reduce the number of those in poverty. Moreover, the survey asked respondents about the presence of leadership programs in their community and the effects, if any, they had on its members. Switching the focus, respondents were asked to evaluate their personal or financial status, their ability to acquire a loan, credit, or other financial services, and if they ever had difficulty paying for living costs (food, housing, electricity, heating, telephone, or health care). They were also asked to estimate how many people in the community could not afford the basic living costs. Questions were asked of respondents about their interest in staying informed about public affairs, how often they accessed information in newspapers, how often they voted in elections, the frequency in which young people left town in search of better opportunities, and about the possibility of implementing and developing small/local businesses within the community. Finally, the survey collected general demographic information including marital status, age, gender, race, education, religion and religious affiliation, employment status, location of residence (state, county, and town), whether they own or rent their home, household composition, current assets and income, and their access to telephones and the Internet.

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town

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To protect respondent privacy, certain geographic and demographic variables are restricted from general dissemination. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete an Agreement for the Use of Confidential Data, specify the reasons for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research. Apply for access to these data through the ICPSR Restricted Data Contract Portal, which can be accessed via the study home page.

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