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Americans' Changing Lives: Waves I, II, III, IV, V, and VI, 1986, 1989, 1994, 2002, 2011, and 2021 (ICPSR 4690)

Released/updated on: 2024-12-12
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1986-01-01--2021-01-01

The Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) survey series is an ongoing, nationally representative, longitudinal study focusing especially on differences between Black and White Americans in middle and late life. These data constitute the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth waves in a panel survey covering a wide range of sociological, psychological, mental, and physical health items. Wave I of the study began in 1986 with a nation face-to-face survey of 3,617 adults ages 25 and up, with Black Americans and people aged 60 and over over-sampled at twice the rate of the others. Wave II constitutes face-to-face re-interviews in 1989 of those still alive. Survivors have been re-interviewed by telephone, and when necessary face-to-face, in 1994 (Wave III), 2001/02 (Wave IV), 2011 (Wave V), and 2019/21 (Wave VI).

Please note that for Wave VI, the majority of data collection occurred in 2019, with only a small subset (n=39) of participants surveyed in 2021.

ACL was designed and sought to investigate the following: (1) The ways in which a wide range of activities and social relationships that people engage in are broadly "productive," (2) how individuals adapt to acute life events and chronic stresses that threaten the maintenance of health, effective functioning, and productive activity, and (3) sociocultural variations in the nature, meaning, determinants, and consequences of productive activity and relationships. Among the topics covered are interpersonal relationships (spouse/partner, children, parents, friends), sources and levels of satisfaction, social interactions and leisure activities, traumatic life events (physical assault, serious illness, divorce, death of a loved one, financial or legal problems), perceptions of retirement, health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, overweight, rest), and utilization of health care services (doctor visits, hospitalization, nursing home institutionalization, bed days). Also included are measures of physical health, psychological well-being, and indices referring to cognitive functioning.

Demographic information provided for individuals includes household composition, number of children and grandchildren, employment status, occupation and work history, income, family financial situation, religious beliefs and practices, ethnicity, race, education, sex, and region of residence.

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Census of Population and Housing [United States], 1970 Public Use Sample: Merged Family Household Data Records for 42 SMSAs (ICPSR 7759)

Released/updated on: 2009-08-12
Geographic coverage: United States
This data collection represents a sample of the records contained in the Census Bureau's 1-in-100 county group sample 5-percent files for Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas (SMSAs). Family information is provided in this file, including family relationships, size of family, family unit membership and group quarters status, Spanish descent, citizenship, immigration history, marital history, disability that affected work, and state of residence five years ago. Information is also provided on the housing unit, such as occupancy and vacancy status of house, number of rooms, tenure, value of property, commercial use, year structure was built, location of structure, rent, and availability of telephone, complete kitchen facilities, hot and cold water, bathtub or shower, flush toilet, plumbing facilities, basement, clothes washing machine, dishwasher, and television set. Other demographic variables provide information on age, sex, race, ethnicity, place of birth, marital status, education, occupation, income, and ratio of family income to poverty cutoff level.
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Detroit Area Old Age Study, 1966 (ICPSR 7669)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: Detroit, United States, Michigan
This data collection contains information about health gathered in interviews with persons aged 65 and over living in the Detroit area (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties as well as the city of Detroit) in 1966. The majority of questions concerned the respondent's physical health, e.g., illnesses, symptoms, history of medical care, type of medical care received currently, satisfaction with care, mental health, dental health, hospitalization costs, medicine costs, health insurance costs, welfare status, attitudes toward assistance and welfare programs, and past sources of payment for medical care and hospitalization other than insurance. Also asked were questions about income and personal finances, past and present employment and earnings, attitudes about retirement, cost of household utilities, amount paid in taxes, sources and history of financial assistance, and housing and living conditions. Other questions probed for place of birth and place where raised, daily activities, attitudes about surrounding area, number of times per week visiting or shopping in surrounding area in both the past and present, contact with family members, family history, family health history, attitudes about role in family, memberships, leisure activities, hobbies, presidential voting history, past and current political affiliation, and attitudes toward the federal government's response to social problems, as well as the respondent's race, education, number of children, marital status, and religious affiliation.
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Detroit Area Study, 1993: Health and Aging (ICPSR 2839)

Released/updated on: 2001-03-26
Geographic coverage: Detroit, United States, Michigan

The 1993 Detroit Area Study explored a variety of issues related to health, the effects of aging, living conditions, and participation in civic life in the Michigan tri-county area of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. A battery of questions probed respondents' perceptions of their health and mental state and those of their spouse, their ability to perform certain physical and mental activities, and the effect of their emotional state on their appetite and sleeping patterns. Other explored their feelings about neighborhood safety, means of transportation, relationships, accommodation, the portrayal of older people on television programs, and the treatment of older people by employers. The survey also sought respondents' opinions about government, their personal financial situation and problems, money management, savings and investments, and their life as a whole. Additional items questioned respondents about the frequency of their visits to the doctor, overnight hospitalization, chronic health conditions, smoking and drinking habits, and medical coverage, as well as electoral participation, political party preference, ideological leanings, class self-identification, assistance received from community organizations, family, and friends, personal regrets, and time spent watching television and engaging in pleasurable activities. Other questions gauged respondents' memory, vision, and motor skills. Respondents also provided demographic information on sex, age, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, and education.

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Explorations in Equality of Opportunity, 1955-1970 [United States] (ICPSR 7671)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1955-01-01--1970-01-01
This data collection contains information gathered in a longitudinal survey of a national sample of adults who were high school sophomores in 1955 and who participated in a 1970 follow-up survey. The 1970 study was designed to explore the determinants and long-range consequences of individual mobility in the United States. In 1955, in 42 public high schools across the nation, 4,151 sophomores were given aptitude and career goals questionnaires by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). In 1970, the University of North Carolina's Institute for Research in Social Science (IRSS) attempted to contact the sample with mailback questionnaires. There were 2,077 usable responses. The sophomore sample approximated a representative national sample of its age cohort, with the following exceptions: (1) students attending predominantly non-white institutions were excluded, (2) private schools were excluded, (3) large-city schools tended to be under-represented, and (4) low-ability students and school dropouts tended to be under-represented. The mailed questionnaires included items concerning personal data and activities, high school and college experience (e.g., reasons for dropping out of high school, motivating factors for attending college, and number of high school friends who attended college), work experience (e.g., job history, hours worked, types of occupations, and work attitudes), family background and marriage (e.g., ethnicity, religion reared in, and highest level of education attained by immediate family members), and finances (e.g., financial obligations, income, and assets), as well as a wide range of questions on attitude and esteem (e.g., current feelings about hometown, present community, high school, and college). Women were asked additional questions concerning contraception, pregnancy, family size, and attitudes toward women's roles and work.
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Family Exchanges Study Wave 1, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2008 (ICPSR 36360)

Released/updated on: 2016-04-14
Geographic coverage: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Time period: 2008-01-01--2008-10-01

The Family Exchanges Study Wave 1 (FESI) was conducted in 2008 by the Institute for Survey Research at Temple University. The original 634 "target" or core sample was recruited from African American and White respondents aged 40-60 living in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties--Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery. To be eligible for the study, respondents had to have at least one living parent and one living offspring over 18 years of age. Temple University sought to recruit the parents, spouse, and up to three offspring over 18 years of age into the study. All target, parent, and spouse surveys were conducted by telephone. Offspring were given the option of completing the survey by telephone or web. A total of 337 parents, 511 offspring (with another 80 by web and 1 listed as other for a total of 592), and 197 spouses were successfully recruited into the first wave of the study.

This collection includes four data files, one for each type of participant: target, spouse, parent, and offspring. For each of these participants, there are data related to relationships with other family members, perceptions of family members, and views on key social issues. Demographic information includes gender, marital status, education level, religion, age, race, ethnicity, and employment status.

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Family Exchanges Study Wave 2, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2013 (ICPSR 37317)

Released/updated on: 2019-07-31
Geographic coverage: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Family Exchanges Study (FESI) began in 2008 conducted by the Institute for Survey Research at Temple University. The original "target" or core sample was recruited from African American and White respondents aged 40-60 living in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties--Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery. To be eligible for the study, respondents had to have at least one living parent and one living offspring over 18 years of age. Temple University sought to recruit the parents, spouse, and up to three offspring over 18 years of age into the study. All target, parent, and spouse surveys were conducted by telephone. Offspring were given the option of completing the survey by telephone or web.

For the Wave 2 data collection, the Survey Research Center at Pennsylvania State University attempted to contact all FESI respondents again, as well as collect updated information for spouses/romantic partners, parents, and up to 4 age-eligible offspring. The survey instruments were drawn largely from the first wave of data collection. This collection includes eight data files. These data files include five main study datasets: target, spouse, spouse without target, parent, and offspring. This collection also includes three diary datasets: target diary, parent diary, offspring diary. For each participant, there are data related to relationships with other family members, perceptions of family members, and views on key social issues. Demographic information includes gender, marital status, education level, religion, age, race, ethnicity, and employment status.

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Informal and Formal Supports in Aging in Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady Counties, New York, 1989 (ICPSR 6899)

Released/updated on: 1998-01-16
Geographic coverage: United States, New York (state)
Time period: 1988-09-01--1989-02-01
These data explore the family relationships and social support networks of middle-aged and older persons. Information on respondents' relationships with individual family members is supplied, along with measures of many kinds of routine help given and received, and summary measures of the amount of time that others spent helping the respondent and that the respondent spent helping others. Variables cover respondent's employment status and history, employment status and history of respondent's spouse, respondent's income, number and sex of children, family composition (biological parents, step-parents, in-laws), household chores performed (cooking, cleaning, washing, shopping, driving), and assistance received with chores. Additional items relate to whether respondents helped anyone else with daily activities, and whether they were involved in church, civic, and/or other activities. Demographic information about respondents and their spouses (age, sex, education, ethnicity) is also provided.
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Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996 (ICPSR 2760)

Released/updated on: 2020-09-28
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1995-01-01--1996-01-01

The Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) is a collaborative, interdisciplinary investigation of patterns, predictors, and consequences of midlife development in the areas of physical health, psychological well-being, and social responsibility. A description of the study and findings from it are available at http://www.midus.wisc.edu.

The first wave of the MIDUS study (MIDUS 1 or M1) collected survey data from a total of 7,108 participants. The baseline sample was comprised of individuals from four subsamples: (1) a national RDD (random digit dialing) sample (n=3,487); (2) oversamples from five metropolitan areas in the U.S. (n=757); (3) siblings of individuals from the RDD sample (n=950); and (4) a national RDD sample of twin pairs (n=1,914). All eligible participants were non-institutionalized, English-speaking adults in the coterminous United States, aged 25 to 74.

Data from the samples were collected primarily in 1995/96. The survey (Project 1) dataset contains responses from a 30-minute Phone interview and two 50-page Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) instruments. Of the 7,108 respondents who completed the Phone interview, 6,325 also completed the SAQ.

This updated version of the study is comprised of three primary datasets:

Dataset 1, Main, Siblings, and Twin Data, contains responses from the main survey of 7,108 respondents. Respondents were asked to provide extensive information on their physical and mental health throughout their adult lives, and to assess the ways in which their lifestyles, including relationships and work-related demands, contributed to the conditions experienced. Those queried were asked to describe their histories of physical ailments, including heart-related conditions and cancer, as well as the treatment and/or lifestyle changes they went through as a result. A series of questions addressed alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drug use, and focused on history of use, regularity of use, attempts to quit, and how the use of those substances affected respondents' physical and mental well-being. Additional questions addressed respondents' sense of control over their health, their awareness of changes in their medical conditions, commitment to regular exercise and a healthy diet, experience with menopause, the decision-making process used to deal with health concerns, experiences with nontraditional remedies or therapies, and history of attending support groups. Respondents were asked to compare their overall well-being with that of their peers and to describe social, physical, and emotional characteristics typical of adults in their 20's, 40's, and 60's. Information on the work histories of respondents and their significant others was also elicited, with items covering the nature of their occupations, work-related physical and emotional demands, and how their personal health had correlated to their jobs. An additional series of questions focusing on childhood queried respondents regarding the presence/absence of their parents, religion, rules/punishments, love/affection, physical/verbal abuse, and the quality of their relationships with their parents and siblings. Respondents were also asked to consider their personal feelings of accomplishment, desire to learn, sense of control over their lives, interests, and hopes for the future.

The Datasets previously numbered 2 and 3 have been removed to avoid redundancies, and all datasets have been renumbered. Please refer to the readme file.

Dataset 2, Twin Screener Data, provides the first national sample of twin pairs ascertained randomly via the telephone.

Dataset 3, Coded Text Responses, describes how open-ended textual responses in the MIDUS 1 Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) and Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ) were transformed into categorical numeric codes. These codes are included in a stand-alone dataset containing only those cases (N=3,950) that contained text data in their responses.

Online Analysis Only: Datasets 1, 2, and 3 were merged together by the SU_ID variable to form "Merged Data with Weights (Online Analysis Only)" (Dataset 4) for online analysis capabilities.

MIDUS also maintains a Colectica portal, which allows users to interact with variables across waves and create customized subsets. Registration is required.

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Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2): Milwaukee African American Sample, 2005-2006 (ICPSR 22840)

Released/updated on: 2024-02-26
Geographic coverage: Milwaukee, United States, Wisconsin
Time period: 2005-01-01--2006-01-01
As a refinement to Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2), 2004-2006 (ICPSR 4652), a sample of African Americans from Milwaukee was included to examine health issues in minority populations. Areas of the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, were stratified according to the proportion of the population that were African American. Those areas with high concentrations were sampled at higher rates than areas with lower concentrations. Area probability sampling methods were used along with population counts from the 2000 United States Census to identify potential respondents. Field interviewers screened households to determine if they contained any African American adults. There was additional screening to achieve an appropriate age/gender distribution in a manner similar to what was done for the original MIDUS sample Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996 (ICPSR 2760). Milwaukee respondents were interviewed in their homes using a Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) protocol and afterwards asked to complete a Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ). All measures paralleled those used in the larger MIDUS 1 and 2 samples. After successful completion of the Project 1 survey, some participants were eligible to participate in other MIDUS projects (2 through 5). Survey data was collected for 592 individuals.
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Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 3): Milwaukee African American Sample, 2016-2017 (ICPSR 37120)

Released/updated on: 2026-07-20
Geographic coverage: Milwaukee, United States, Wisconsin
Time period: 2016-01-01--2017-01-01

In 2005, 592 African Americans from Milwaukee were added to the MIDUS sample to examine health issues in minority populations (for more details, see Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2): Milwaukee African American Sample [ICPSR #22840]). Respondents were interviewed in their homes using a Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) survey protocol and asked to complete and return a Self-Administered Questionnaire (SAQ). Afterwards these individuals were eligible for participation in the same research protocol as the national MIDUS 2 sample, including cognitive, daily stress, biomarker, and neuroscience projects.

With support from the National Institute on Aging, a second wave of survey data collection on the Milwaukee sample was begun in 2016. The survey consisted of a 2.5 hour CAPI interview followed by a 45-page mailed SAQ. CAPI survey data was collected for 389 individuals, realizing a 78 percent response rate, adjusted for mortality and other eligibility criteria. Data collection for this follow-up wave largely repeated baseline assessments, with additional questions in selected areas (e.g., economic recession experiences, childhood experience with race, etc.). Following successful completion of the CAPI and SAQ protocols, individuals were eligible for participation in cognitive, daily stress, biomarker, and neuroscience projects.

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Midlife in the United States (MIDUS Refresher 1), 2011-2014 (ICPSR 36532)

Released/updated on: 2025-09-17
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2008-01-01--2009-01-01, 2011-01-01--2014-01-01

In 2011-2014, the MIDUS Refresher study recruited a national probability sample of 3,577 adults, aged 25 to 74, designed to replenish the original MIDUS 1 baseline cohort and paralleling the five decadal age groups of the MIDUS 1 baseline survey [ICPSR 2760]. The MIDUS Refresher survey employed the same comprehensive assessments as those assembled on the existing MIDUS sample, but with additional questions about the effect of the economic recession of 2008-09.

The MIDUS Refresher collection is split into two datasets: Aggregate Data and Coded Text Data. The Coded Text Dataset provides coded responses to open-ended question items in the Aggregate Dataset. The survey data collection (Project 1) [MIDUS, ICPSR 2760] consisted of a 30-minute phone interview followed by two 50-page mailed self-administered questionnaires. Survey data were collected on demographic, psycho-social, and physical and mental health information. This new crosssectional MIDUS sample allows the examination of period effects on health (mental and physical) related to the economic recession by comparing the pre-recession MIDUS 1 sample with the post-recession MIDUS Refresher sample. A further objective of the MIDUS Refresher sample was to strengthen cross-project analyses in MIDUS by increasing the sample sizes available for testing hypotheses dealing with the interplay of key factors (e.g., socioeconomic status, gender, psychosocial factors, biological factors) in mid- and laterlife health. To that end, the MIDUS Refresher sample followed the same multi-disciplinary protocol established in the main MIDUS sample, in that after completing the survey protocol respondents were asked to complete a cognitive assessment by phone (Project 3) [MIDUS 3, ICPSR 36346] and later became eligible to participate in daily diary assessments (Project 2) [MIDUS 2, ICPSR 4652] biomarker assessments (Project 4) [MIDUS 2: Biomarker Project, ICPSR 29282] and neuroscience assessments (Project 5) [MIDUS 2: Neuroscience Project, ICPSR 28683].

The MIDUS Refresher was funded by the National Institute on Aging as two separate but related efforts: The MIDUS Refresher younger decades (MRY), was fielded in November, 2011, and recruited over 2,100 new participants aged 25 to 54; Funding was later added for the MIDUS Refresher older decades (MRO), which was fielded in June, 2013 and recruited over 1,400 new participants aged 55 to 74.

Demographic variables include age, sex, gender, race, religion, and marital status.

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Midlife in the United States (MIDUS Refresher 1): Milwaukee African American Sample, 2012-2013 (ICPSR 36722)

Released/updated on: 2025-09-11
Geographic coverage: Milwaukee, United States, Wisconsin
Time period: 2012-01-01--2013-01-01

In 2012-2013, the MIDUS Milwaukee Refresher study recruited a sample of 508 Milwaukee African American adults, aged 25 to 64, designed to replenish the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS 2): Milwaukee African American Sample, 2005-2006 (ICPSR 22840). This sample was also designed to increase the number of racial minorities included in the broader MIDUS study. The MIDUS Milwaukee Refresher survey employed the same assessments (demographic, psycho-social, and physical and mental health) as those assembled on the existing MIDUS sample, but with additional questions about the effect of the economic recession of 2008-09. A sample of African Americans from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, was stratified by age, gender, and income.

Area probability sampling methods were used to identify potential respondents. Field interviewers screened households to determine if they contained any African American adults. There was additional screening to achieve an appropriate age/gender distribution in a manner similar to what was done for the original MIDUS sample (Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 1), 1995-1996 [ICPSR 2760]). Milwaukee respondents were interviewed in their homes using a 2.5-hour Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) protocol and afterwards asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire (SAQ). All measures paralleled those used in the larger MIDUS samples. In addition to successful completion of the survey, participants were asked to complete a cognitive assessment by phone. Some respondents were eligible to participate in additional MIDUS projects: daily diary assessments, biomarker assessments, and neuroscience assessments.

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Midlife in the United States (MIDUS Refresher 2), 2022-2024 (ICPSR 39670)

Released/updated on: 2026-02-10
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2022-01-01--2024-12-31

In 2011-2014, the MIDUS Refresher study recruited a national probability sample of 3,577 adults, aged 25 to 74, designed to replenish the original MIDUS 1 baseline cohort and paralleling the age groups of the MIDUS 1 baseline survey in 1995. The MIDUS Refresher survey employed the same comprehensive assessments as existing MIDUS sample, with additional questions about the effect of the Great Recession in 2008-09. Survey data were collected on demographic, psychosocial, and health and well-being information.

In 2022-2024, the second wave of survey data (MIDUS Refresher 2) was collected on longitudinal participants, including the questions (1) repeated from the Refresher 1, (2) new impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic replacing the questions related to the Great Recession in the Refresher 1, and (3) the additional questions in selected areas (e.g., AD8, IADL, family history of dementia). This new longitudinal MIDUS data allow examination of period effects on health and well-being related to the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing the pre-pandemic MIDUS Refresher 1 data with the post-pandemic MIDUS Refresher 2 data. Further, the longitudinal MIDUS Refresher datasets (Wave 1 and Wave 2) allow investigation of the two major macro-level historic events, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, on health and well-being across various population groups in the U.S.

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Midlife in the United States (MIDUS Refresher 2): Milwaukee African American Sample, 2023-2024 (ICPSR 39583)

Released/updated on: 2025-11-19
Geographic coverage: Milwaukee, United States, Wisconsin
Time period: 2023-01-01--2024-01-01

In 2012-2013, the MIDUS Milwaukee Refresher study recruited a sample of 508 Milwaukee African American adults, aged 25 to 64, designed to replenish the original MIDUS Milwaukee 1 survey that was designed to increase the number of racial minorities in 2005. The MIDUS Milwaukee Refresher survey employed the same comprehensive assessments (demographic, psycho-social, and physical and mental health) as those on the existing MIDUS sample, with additional questions about the effect of the Great Recession in 2008-09.

In 2023-2024, the second wave of survey data was collected from 327 longitudinal Refresher Milwaukee participants, including the questions (1) repeated from the Refresher 1, (2) new impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic replacing the questions related to the Great Recession in the Refresher 1, and (3) the additional questions in selected areas (e.g., AD8, IADL, family history of dementia). This new longitudinal MIDUS Refresher Milwaukee data allow examination of period effects on health and well-being related to the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing the pre-pandemic MIDUS Refresher Milwaukee 1 data with the post-pandemic MIDUS Refresher Milwaukee 2 data. Further, the longitudinal MIDUS Refresher datasets (wave 1 and wave 2) allow investigation of the two major macro-level historic events, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, on health and well-being.

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Simple Crosstabs

Midlife in the United States (MIDUS): Survey of Minority Groups [Chicago and New York City], 1995-1996 (ICPSR 2856)

Released/updated on: 2018-03-21
Geographic coverage: New York City, United States, Chicago, Illinois, New York (state)
Time period: 1995-01-01--1996-01-01
This survey of minority groups was part of a larger project to investigate the patterns, predictors, and consequences of midlife development in the areas of physical health, psychological well-being, and social responsibility. Conducted in Chicago and New York City, the survey was designed to assess the well-being of middle-aged, urban, ethnic minority adults living in both hyper-segregated neighborhoods and in areas with lower concentrations of minorities. Respondents' views were sought on issues relevant to quality of life, including health, childhood and family background, religion, race and ethnicity, personal beliefs, work experiences, marital and close relationships, financial situation, children, community involvement, and neighborhood characteristics. Questions on health explored the respondents' physical and emotional well-being, past and future attitudes toward health, physical limitations, energy level and appetite, amount of time spent worrying about health, and physical reactions to those worries. Questions about childhood and family background elicited information on family structure, the role of the parents with regard to child rearing, parental education, employment status, and supervisory responsibilities at work, the family financial situation including experiences with the welfare system, relationships with siblings, and whether as a child the respondent slept in the same bed as a parent or adult relative. Questions on religion covered religious preference, whether it is good to explore different religious teachings, and the role of religion in daily decision-making. Questions about race and ethnicity investigated respondents' backgrounds and experiences as minorities, including whether respondents preferred to be with people of the same racial group, how important they thought it was to marry within one's racial or ethnic group, citizenship, reasons for moving to the United States and the challenges faced since their arrival, their native language, how they would rate the work ethic of certain ethnic groups, their views on race relations, and their experiences with discrimination. Questions on personal beliefs probed for respondents' satisfaction with life and confidence in their opinions. Respondents were asked whether they had control over changing their life or their personality, and what age they viewed as the ideal age. They also rated people in their late 20s in the areas of physical health, contribution to the welfare and well-being of others, marriage and close relationships, relationships with their children, work situation, and financial situation. Questions on work experiences covered respondents' employment status, employment history, future employment goals, number of hours worked weekly, number of nights away from home due to work, exposure to the risk of accident or injury, relationships with coworkers and supervisors, work-related stress, and experience with discrimination in the workplace. A series of questions was posed on marriage and close relationships, including marital status, quality and length of relationships, whether the respondent had control over his or her relationships, and spouse/partner's education, physical and mental health, employment status, and work schedule. Questions on finance explored respondents' financial situation, financial planning, household income, retirement plans, insurance coverage, and whether the household had enough money. Questions on children included the number of children in the household, quality of respondents' relationships with their children, prospects for their children's future, child care coverage, and whether respondents had changed their work schedules to accommodate a child's illness. Additional topics focused on children's identification with their culture, their relationships with friends of different backgrounds, and their experiences with racism. Community involvement was another area of investigation, with items on respondents' role in child-rearing, participation on a jury, voting behavior, involvement in charitable organizations, volunteer experiences, whether they made monetary or clothing donations, and experiences living in an institutional setting or being homeless. Respondents were also queried about their neighborhoods, with items on neighborhood problems including racism, vandalism, crime, drugs, poor schools, teenage pregnancy, the existence of social networks, the frequency of contact with family members, social interaction with neighbors, sense of community, whether the respondent owned or rented their home, and the financial, legal, and medical problems of family members. A final set of questions sought respondents' assessments of their life and their expectations for the future. Additional background information on respondents includes age, ethnicity, and gender.
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National Health Interview Survey, 1984 (ICPSR 8659)

Released/updated on: 2011-04-19
Geographic coverage: United States
The basic purpose of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is to obtain information about the amount and distribution of illness, its effects in terms of disability and chronic impairments, and the kinds of health services people receive. There are five types of records in this core survey, each in a separate data file. The variables in the Household File (Part 1) include type of living quarters, size of family, region, and type of sampling area. The Person File (Part 2) includes sex, age, race, marital status, veteran status, and education. These variables are found in the Condition, Doctor Visit, and Hospital Episode Files as well. The Person File also supplies data on height, weight, bed days, doctor visits, hospital stays, years at residence, and region variables. The Condition (Part 3), Doctor Visit (Part 4), and Hospital Episode (Part 5) Files contain information on each reported acute or chronic condition, doctor visit, or hospitalization, respectively. A sixth, seventh, and eighth file have been provided. The Health Insurance Supplement File (Part6) contains information on the type of health insurance held by each respondent from the Person file. Parts 7-8 comprise the Supplement on Aging (SOA) Files divided into Condition and Person Public Use Files respectively, and contain data on a subset of the NHIS population, those aged 55 and over. These files contain the same Condition and Person variables as Parts 2-3 but are supplemented by questions pertaining specifically to the subpopulation of older respondents. These additional variables cover family relationships and support, community and social support, occupation and retirement, nursing home stays, help with care, health opinions, and other health-related and social information about middle-aged and older people.
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National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), 1994-2025 [Public Use] (ICPSR 21600)

Released/updated on: 2026-03-03
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1994-01-01--2025-01-01

Downloads of Add Health require submission of the following information, which is shared with the original producer of Add Health: supervisor name, supervisor email, and reason for download. A Data Guide for this study is available as a web page and for download.

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), 1994-2018 [Public Use] is a longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents in grades 7 through 12 during the 1994-1995 school year. The Add Health cohort was followed into young adulthood with four in-home interviews, the most recent conducted in 2008 when the sample was aged 24-32. Add Health combines longitudinal survey data on respondents' social, economic, psychological, and physical well-being with contextual data on the family, neighborhood, community, school, friendships, peer groups, and romantic relationships.

Add Health Wave I data collection took place between September 1994 and December 1995, and included both an in-school questionnaire and in-home interview. The in-school questionnaire was administered to more than 90,000 students in grades 7 through 12, and gathered information on social and demographic characteristics of adolescent respondents, education and occupation of parents, household structure, expectations for the future, self-esteem, health status, risk behaviors, friendships, and school-year extracurricular activities. All students listed on a sample school's roster were eligible for selection into the core in-home interview sample. In-home interviews included topics such as health status, health-facility utilization, nutrition, peer networks, decision-making processes, family composition and dynamics, educational aspirations and expectations, employment experience, romantic and sexual partnerships, substance use, and criminal activities. A parent, preferably the resident mother, of each adolescent respondent interviewed in Wave I was also asked to complete an interviewer-assisted questionnaire covering topics such as inheritable health conditions, marriages and marriage-like relationships, neighborhood characteristics, involvement in volunteer, civic, and school activities, health-affecting behaviors, education and employment, household income and economic assistance, parent-adolescent communication and interaction, parent's familiarity with the adolescent's friends and friends' parents.

Add Health data collection recommenced for Wave II from April to August 1996, and included almost 15,000 follow-up in-home interviews with adolescents from Wave I. Interview questions were generally similar to Wave I, but also included questions about sun exposure and more detailed nutrition questions. Respondents were asked to report their height and weight during the course of the interview, and were also weighed and measured by the interviewer.

From August 2001 to April 2002, Wave III data were collected through in-home interviews with 15,170 Wave I respondents (now 18 to 26 years old), as well as interviews with their partners. Respondents were administered survey questions designed to obtain information about family, relationships, sexual experiences, childbearing, and educational histories, labor force involvement, civic participation, religion and spirituality, mental health, health insurance, illness, delinquency and violence, gambling, substance abuse, and involvement with the criminal justice system. High School Transcript Release Forms were also collected at Wave III, and these data comprise the Education Data component of the Add Health study.

Wave IV in-home interviews were conducted in 2008 and 2009 when the original Wave I respondents were 24 to 32 years old. Longitudinal survey data were collected on the social, economic, psychological, and health circumstances of respondents, as well as longitudinal geographic data. Survey questions were expanded on educational transitions, economic status and financial resources and strains, sleep patterns and sleep quality, eating habits and nutrition, illnesses and medications, physical activities, emotional content and quality of current or most recent romantic/cohabiting/marriage relationships, and maltreatment during childhood by caregivers. Dates and circumstances of key life events occurring in young adulthood were also recorded, including a complete marriage and cohabitation history, full pregnancy and fertility histories from both men and women, an educational history of dates of degrees and school attendance, contact with the criminal justice system, military service, and various employment events, including the date of first and current jobs, with respective information on occupation, industry, wages, hours, and benefits. Finally, physical measurements and biospecimens were also collected at Wave IV, and included anthropometric measures of weight, height and waist circumference, cardiovascular measures such as systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse, metabolic measures from dried blood spots assayed for lipids, glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), measures of inflammation and immune function, including High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Wave V data collection took place from 2016 to 2018, when the original Wave I respondents were 33 to 43 years old. For the first time, a mixed mode survey design was used. In addition, several experiments were embedded in early phases of the data collection to test response to various treatments. A similar range of data was collected on social, environmental, economic, behavioral, and health circumstances of respondents, with the addition of retrospective child health and socio-economic status questions. Physical measurements and biospecimens were again collected at Wave V, and included most of the same measures as at Wave IV.

The overall goal of Wave VI was to better understand life course trajectories, determinants, and consequences of critical dimensions of aging, health, and health disparities among U.S. early midlife adults. Data collection took place from 2022 to 2025, with participants between the ages of 39 and 51, with an average age of 44. Beyond longitudinal survey measures, newly added questions included those on cumulative stress, discrimination, despair, work-life balance, memory, physical limitations, and caregiving. Continuing from previous waves, home exams collected physical measurements and biospecimens with most of the same measures as Wave V.

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National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) Parent Study: Public Use, [United States], 2015-2017 (ICPSR 37375)

Released/updated on: 2020-08-10
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 2015-01-01--2017-01-01

The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) Parent Study Public Use collection includes data gathered as part of the Add Health longitudinal survey of adolescents. The original Add Health survey is a longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of adolescents in grades 7-12 in the United States during the 1994-1995 school year. In Wave 1 of the Add Health Study (1994-1995), a parent of each Add Health Sample Member (AHSM) was interviewed. The Add Health Parent Study gathered social, behavioral, and health survey data in 2015-2017 from the parents of Add Health Sample members who were originally interviewed at Wave 1 (1994-1995). Wave 1 Parents were asked about their adolescent children, their relationships with them, and their own health.

The Add Health Parent Study interview is a comprehensive survey of Add Health parents' family relations, education, religious beliefs, physical and mental health, social support, and community involvement experiences. In addition, survey data contains cognitive assessments, a medications log linked to a medications database lookup table, and household financial information collection. The survey also includes permission for administrative data linkages and includes data from a Family Health History Leave-Behind questionnaire. Interviews were conducted with parents' spouse/partner when available.

Research domains targeted in the survey and research questions that may be addressed using the Add Health Parent Study data include:

  • Health Behaviors and Risks Many health conditions and behaviors run in families; for example, cardiovascular disease, obesity and substance abuse. How are health risks and behaviors transmitted across generations or clustered within families? How can we use information on the parents' health and health behavior to better understand the determinants of their (adult) children's health trajectories?
  • Cognitive Functioning and Non-Cognitive Personality Traits What role does the intergenerational transmission of personality and locus of control play in generating intergenerational persistence in education, family status, income and health? How do the personality traits of parents and children, and how they interact, influence the extent and quality of intergenerational relationships and the prevalence of assistance across generations?
  • Decision-Making, Expectations, and Risk Preferences Do intergenerational correlations in risk preferences represent intergenerational transmission of preferences? If so, are the transmission mechanisms a factor in biological and environmental vulnerabilities? Does the extent of genetic liability vary in response to both family-specific and generation-specific environmental pressures?
  • Family Support, Relationship Quality and Ties of Obligation How does family complexity affect intergenerational obligations and the strength of relationship ties? As parents near retirement: What roles do they play in their children's lives and their children in their lives? What assistance are they providing to their adult children and grandchildren? What do they receive in return? And how do these ties vary with divorce, remarriage and familial estrangement?
  • Economic Status and Capacities What are the economic capacities of the parents' generation as they reach their retirement years? How have fared through the wealth and employment shocks of the Great Recession? Are parents able to provide for their own financial need? And, do they have the time and financial resources to help support their children and grandchildren and are they prepared to do so?
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National Survey of Black Americans, 1979-1980 (ICPSR 8512)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1979-01-01--1980-01-01
The purpose of this data collection is to provide an appropriate theoretical and empirical approach to concepts, measures, and methods in the study of Black Americans. The questionnaire was developed over two years, with input from social scientists, students, and a national advisory panel of Black scholars. The final instrument encompasses several broad areas related to Black American life. The study explores neighborhood-community integration, services, crime and community contact, the role of religion and the church, physical and mental health, and self-esteem. It also examines employment, the effects of chronic unemployment, the effects of race on the job, and interaction with family and friends. In addition, the survey provides information on racial attitudes, race identity, group stereotypes, and race ideology. Demographic variables include education, income, occupation, and political behavior and affiliation.
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National Survey of Black Americans, Waves 1-4, 1979-1980, 1987-1988, 1988-1989, 1992 (ICPSR 6668)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States
The purpose of this data collection was to provide an appropriate theoretical and empirical approach to concepts, measures, and methods in the study of Black Americans. Developed with input from social scientists, students, and a national advisory panel of Black scholars, the survey investigates neighborhood-community integration, services, crime and community contact, the role of religion and the church, physical and mental health, self-esteem, life satisfaction, employment, the effects of chronic unemployment, the effects of race on the job, interaction with family and friends, racial attitudes, race identity, group stereotypes, and race ideology. Demographic variables include education, marital status, income, employment status, occupation, and political behavior and affiliation.
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National Survey of Hispanic Elderly People, 1988 (ICPSR 9289)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: United States
Time period: 1987-01-01--1988-01-01
This survey, conducted as an extension of the NATIONAL SURVEY OF PROBLEMS FACING ELDERLY AMERICANS LIVING ALONE, 1986 (ICPSR 9379) (NSPFEALA), was designed to investigate specific problems of the elderly in order to gain a better understanding of the economic, health, and social status of this group. The survey focused on many of the same issues investigated by the NSPFEALA to allow comparisons between Hispanic elderly and the elderly population as a whole. Respondents were given their choice of English or Spanish as the interview language. Elderly Hispanics were asked if they had serious problems with family relationships, loneliness, anxiety, care of a sick spouse or relative, paying for medical bills, having enough money to live on, or dependence on others. In the same vein, respondents were asked if they had disabilities that affected their daily activities such as bathing, dressing, walking, eating, and shopping, and who, if anyone, helped them to perform these functions. Respondents were also asked if they were generally satisfied with their lives and if they felt excited, restless, proud, pleased, bored, depressed, optimistic, or upset during the few weeks preceding the interview. In addition, the survey inquired about willingness to accept various changes in Social Security benefits and taxation and also queried respondents about their living arrangements (actual and preferred), social networks, general health, doctor visits and hospital stays during the last 12 months, coverage by and utilization of social programs and services, income and sources of income, fluency in English and Spanish, current and past employment, usual means of transportation, home ownership, ancestry, country of birth, year of immigration, religion, education, number of living children, age, sex, and marital status.
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National Survey of the Aged, 1975 (ICPSR 7945)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: United States
This survey was conducted during the spring and summer of 1975 under a grant from the Administration on Aging and with supplemental funding from the Social Security Administration. It surveyed noninstitutionalized Americans aged 65 and older with a special focus on developing national estimates of the economic needs and social concerns of the elderly. The survey attempted to describe the aged population and to indicate the degree of health, financial independence, and familial support of 2,143 older Americans. Also studied were the work status of respondents, their past and present attitudes toward work, their desire for gainful employment, their income and assets, their evaluation of their own financial status, and their reported use of health and welfare services. The data collection comprises three files. Part 1 contains the general survey, Part 2 is a survey of proxy respondents, and Part 3 supplies information on persons who could not complete an interview.
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National Survey of the Aged [United States], 1962 (ICPSR 7687)

Released/updated on: 1992-02-16
Geographic coverage: United States
This data collection contains the results of a survey of the aged in the United States in 1962. The study gathered information on the health, economic status, living arrangements, and family relationships of persons aged 65 years and older. The emphasis of the survey was on the general physical capacity of older people, the relationship of physical capacity to economic conditions, employment and retirement patterns, housing, and family and social relationships. The survey was designed to produce national estimates of the needs of older persons. In particular, the services that facilitate continued independent living arrangements were examined. The survey was conducted by the National Opinion Research Center and was part of a three-nation study in Denmark, Great Britain, and the United States (see NATIONAL SURVEY OF THE AGED [UNITED STATES], 1957 [ICPSR 7686] and NATIONAL SURVEY OF THE AGED, 1975 [ICPSR 7945]). In personal interviews respondents who were currently employed (and those who were retired or housewives) were asked for employment details and occupational history, their attitudes about work and retirement, and descriptions of their physical health, with specific questions asked of both nonambulatory and housebound persons, (e.g., if they needed and/or received help with various personal care tasks, what specific illness kept them indoors, and who provided their in-home care). Respondents were also asked for information about their children and relatives (e.g., the amount of financial help received from them, the number of times each sibling and child visited, and the amount of time it would take each to make the trip to the respondent's dwelling) and their finances (e.g., living expenses, life insurance, value of property, amount of mortgage payment or rent, and amount and sources of income). Other questions concerned attitudes about aging (e.g., if respondents were satisfied with their life accomplishments, if they believed in an afterlife, and how often they experienced feelings of loneliness and isolation). The interviewers provided observational data about respondents (e.g., level of cooperation and alertness and ability to hear and see). Demographic data gathered include age, sex, marital status, relationship to head of household, number of persons in household, type of household, country of origin, age when arrived in the United States, last grade or year of school completed, religious preference, and if living on a farm.
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Survey of Three Generations of Mexican Americans, 1981-1982 (ICPSR 9413)

Released/updated on: 2005-11-04
Geographic coverage: San Antonio, United States, Texas
Time period: 1981-01-01--1982-01-01
This survey was conducted in San Antonio, Texas, where the Mexican-American population is approximately half a million and accounts for over 50 percent of the city's population. The large number of Mexican Americans made San Antonio an appropriate setting for a three-generation study. This survey sought to describe the role of older Mexican Americans in the extended family by obtaining information on relations between generations, frequency of contact, amount of intergenerational social support, and strength of affectual ties. The three-generation families studied consisted of an older person (aged 65-80 years), a middle-aged child, and an adult (aged 18 years and over) married or previously married grandchild of the same family line, all living within 50 miles of San Antonio. Variables include sex, age, education, marital status, number of children, length of residence, and relationships. Also asked were questions on religion, political preferences, health, occupation, and language spoken, read, and understood. Other items cover life satisfaction and cooperation and help between spouses, between parents and children, and between grandparents and grandchildren. Comparisons of views, beliefs, goals, activities, contact, and support among family members are also included.
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Swedish Adoption/Twin Study on Aging (SATSA), 1984, 1987, 1990, 1993, 2004, 2007, and 2010 (ICPSR 3843)

Released/updated on: 2015-05-13
Geographic coverage: Sweden, Global
Time period: 1984-01-01--2010-01-01
The Swedish Adoption/Twin Study on Aging (SATSA) was designed to study the origins of individual differences in aging and the environmental and genetic factors that are involved. SATSA began in 1984, and six additional waves were conducted in 1987, 1990, 1993, 2004, 2007, and 2010. The questionnaire was initially sent to all twins from the Swedish Twin Registry who were separated at an early age and raised apart; the survey was also administered to a control sample of twins who were raised together. The respondents were surveyed on items that included health status, how they were raised, work environment, alcohol consumption, and dietary and smoking habits, as well as questions about personality and attitudes; this information comprised the first component. The second component was collected from a subsample composed of 150 pairs of twins raised apart and 150 pairs of twins raised together. This subsample participated in seven waves of in-person testing, which included a health examination, structured interviews, and tests on functional capacity, cognitive abilities, and memory. The data are represented according to questionnaire and time number, and correspond to each wave/year: Questionnaire 1 and In-Person Testing Time 1 were in 1984; Questionnaire 2 and In-Person Testing Time 2 were in 1987; Questionnaire 3 and In-Person Testing Time 3 were in 1990; Questionnaire 4 and In-Person Testing Time 4 were in 1993; Questionnaire 5 was in 2003; In-Person Testing Time 5 was in 2004; Questionnaire 6 and In-Person Testing Time 6 were in 2007; In-Person Testing Time 7 was in 2010. The Administrative and Cognitive datasets include data from all years/waves. The Smell Survey dataset only includes data from 1990. No years were specified for the Contact measures and Separation measures datasets. Demographic and background information includes age, sex, education, family history, household composition and employment.
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UC Berkeley Social Networks Study (UCNets), San Francisco Bay Area, 2015-2018 (ICPSR 36975)

Released/updated on: 2020-07-22
Geographic coverage: San Francisco Bay Area
Time period: 2015-01-01--2016-01-01

Understanding How Personal Networks Change: Wave 1 (UCNets) is the University of California Berkeley Social Networks Study, a longitudinal study with the objective of understanding how network composition changes over time as a result of life course transitions - e.g., graduation, marriage, retirement or widowhood - and how these changes are related to health status and outcomes. Using mostly addressed-based sampling from six San Francisco Bay Area counties, the study recruited participants in two age groups (cohorts) - 21-30 year-olds and 50-70 year-olds -- to maximize the possibility of experiencing a life transition. There are 3 waves of interviewing. The first interview, Wave 1, was May 2015 through January 2016. The re-interview for Wave 2 was conducted in Feb-June 2017, and Wave 3 was during Feb-May 2018. In Wave 1, the majority of respondents completed a face-to-face (FTF) survey, with the rest filling out a comparable web survey. In Wave 2 about half completed the FTF survey, and in Wave 3, about one-quarter. The survey contains items regarding households, personal networks, family milestones, employment, health status and behavior, personality and demographic characteristics.

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Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, 1957-2022 (ICPSR 6163)

Released/updated on: 2006-04-06
Geographic coverage: United States, Wisconsin
Time period: 1957-01-01--2022-01-01

The Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) is a long-term study of a random sample of 10,317 men and women who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957. The WLS provides an opportunity to study the life course, intergenerational transfers and relationships, family functioning, physical and mental health and well-being, and morbidity and mortality from late adolescence through 2025. WLS data also cover social background, youthful aspirations, schooling, military service, labor market experiences, family characteristics and events, social participation, psychological characteristics and retirement.

Survey data were collected from the original respondents (the graduates) in 1957, 1964, 1975, 1992, 2004, 2011, 2020 and 2022; from their parents in 1957 and 1964; from a selected sibling in 1977, 1994, 2005, 2011, 2020 and 2022; from the spouse of the original respondent in 2004; and from the spouse of the selected sibling in 2006.

The collection of cognitive function data among graduates and siblings under the ILIAD study (MPIS: Sanjay Asthana, Michal Engelman, and Pamela Herd) began in 2020 to measure risk and resilience of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) as the cohort reaches their 80s. Data from 2020 and 2022 have been released, and 2025 and 2027 wave releases are forthcoming.

The WLS also has extensive administrative linkages, including with the 1940 and 1950 census, Social Security records, voting participation, and Medicare claims data.

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