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Curated

Comparative Study of Community Decision-Making (ICPSR 25)

Released/updated on: 2008-03-25
Geographic coverage: North Carolina, Milwaukee, Akron, Charlotte, Indiana, Santa Ana, Berkeley, Fort Worth, Utica, Tyler, Cambridge, Utah, San Jose, Memphis, Jacksonville, Arizona, Buffalo, Boston, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Petersburg, Clifton, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Waukegan, Hammond, Texas, Connecticut, Newark, Georgia, Malden, Tampa, Indianapolis, Duluth, United States, Tennessee, Euclid, Alabama, Pasadena, Albany (New York), Warren, Amarillo, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Massachusetts, Washington (state), Missouri, Hamilton, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, Wisconsin, Gary, Schenectady, Waterbury, Fullerton, St. Paul, Bloomington, Minnesota, Irvington, New York (state), Birmingham, New Jersey, Michigan, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Palo Alto, Long Beach, New Hampshire, Manchester, Ohio, South Bend, Waco
This study contains data for 51 communities with populations of 50,000-750,000 in 22 states of the United States on the characteristics of community leadership, decision-making, and patterns of influence, as well as political, economic, and demographic composition of the communities and per capita expenditures for various common community functions. Information regarding general political and public policy issues, specific municipal problems, and their solutions was obtained from interviews with eight prominent individuals in each city, such as the Chamber of Commerce president, a labor leader, a leading newspaper editor or publisher, the chairmen of the Democratic and Republican parties, the president of the largest bank, and the mayor. Data are also provided on the characteristics of the cities, including composite indexes created from the interview data as well as data from other sources. The study is composed of three files: a Merged Aggregate and Individual file (Part 1), an Aggregate file (Part 2), and an Individual file (Part 3). The Merged Aggregate and Individual file (Part 1) contains the responses of the individuals interviewed and information on the characteristics of each respondent's city from other sources. Items include education, health, culture, welfare, and total expenditures of the city. The Aggregate file (Part 2) contains information on the population characteristics of each city, as well as information on the structure, income, and expenditures of the city government. Demographic indices describe age and income distribution of the population, racial composition, level of educational attainment, and the size, income and occupational distribution of the labor force. The Individual file (Part 3) provides information received from respondents on decision-making pertaining to issues of urban renewal, mayoral elections, air pollution control, race relations, health, education, industrial and economic development, and anti-poverty programs.
Curated

Women's Health in Boston and Cambridge, 2000 [Massachusetts] (ICPSR 26583)

Released/updated on: 2010-06-16
Geographic coverage: United States, Massachusetts, Cambridge, Boston
Time period: 2000-09-01--2000-11-01
Using Random Digit Dial, this study tested the feasibility of using a brief telephone interview to assess sexual attraction, behavior, and identity among women. A neighborhood in Boston with a high density of lesbian residents was selected. The study used three criteria to identify a neighborhood that was expected to have a high density of lesbian residents. Neighborhoods were defined by a postal ZIP code so that potential respondents could easily identify whether or not they lived in the target area. The criteria used were: (a) a high proportion of never-married females aged 35 years or older (calculated as ratio of ZIP code area to city wide, United States Department of Commerce, 1990), (b) a high proportion of female-headed households who also reported an unmarried female partner in the household (United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1990), and (c) a high proportion of female patients from the ZIP code area among Fenway Community Health Center female patients (Fenway Community Health Center is a major health service provider to gay and lesbian populations in Boston and Cambridge). These criteria led to the selection of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood in Boston. Women were eligible if they resided in that area, were between the ages of 18 and 59 years, and spoke English well enough to be able to answer the interview questions. Phone interviews lasted a mean of 5.6 minutes. Respondents who identified themselves as lesbian or bisexual completed an additional specialized section that lasted a mean of 2.5 minutes and inquired about participation in and identification with the gay/lesbian community. In total, 1,250 numbers were dialed. Of them, 169 (14 percent) were nonworking numbers, 165 (13 percent) were not households (e.g., businesses), 235 (19 percent) were indeterminable (number was never answered by a person), and 681 (54 percent) were households. Of these households, 439 (64 percent) were successfully screened, 176 (26 percent) refused or delayed screening, and 66 (10 percent) could not be screened (e.g., language barriers). Of the screened households, 223 (51 percent) were not eligible. Of 216 eligible households, 202 (94 percent) women completed the interview.