RAND Contributions to HRS
This section contains data descriptions and documentation for contributed files produced
by the RAND Corporation from public versions of Health and Retirement Study data.
The Health and Retirement Study is not responsible for the support,content, or usability of these files. HRS cannot respond
to any queries concerning these files. Questions or problems concerning the RAND HRS Data should be addressed to
RANDHRShelp@rand.org at RAND.
What's Available
A. RAND HRS Data FileThe RAND HRS Data file is a cleaned and easy-to-use version of data from fourteen waves of the Health and Retirement Study data, including six entry cohorts: the original 1992 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) cohort; the 1993 Study of Assets and Health Dynamics (AHEAD) cohort; the Children of Depression and War Baby cohorts entering in 1998; Early Baby Boomer cohort entering in 2004; and Middle Baby Boomer cohort entering in 2010. Derived variables covering a broad though not complete range of measures have been constructed and named consistently across waves. It incorporates HRS data from 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012 final releases, and 2014 early release.
- Data Description (PDF format)
- Codebook (PDF format)
The RAND Enhanced Fat Files contain most of the original HRS variables from each questionnaire section, collapsing them into a single respondent-level dataset for each wave. The files are easily merged with one another and with the RAND HRS dataset, which can expedite the preparation of analytic files from the HRS study.
There is one file for each survey year. Currently, there are files for 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012.
- Codebook (PDF format)
The RAND Income and Wealth Imputation file contains income and wealth imputations containing the component and ownership variables that were used in RAND HRS income and wealth summary measures.
These imputations are distributed as companion files to the RAND Enhanced Fat Files and are incorporated into the RAND HRS file. It contains respondent-level data, with household-level data merged to both individuals in a couple household. The files are sorted by household identifier and person number (HHID and PN).
- RAND Income and Wealth Imputations Release O
The RAND HRS Family data set is a user-friendly version of HRS family data variables. This data set contains a cleaned, processed, and streamlined collection of variables related to the respondent's family including a subset of available characteristics of all respondent and spouse children, data on children-in law, and data on grandchildren of the respondent.
The data set is longitudinal, linking HRS child families within wave and HRS children across waves. Variable names are consistent across waves and will easily merge with other HRS data, such as the RAND HRS and RAND Enhanced Fat files. The data set is distributed as two alternative longitudinal files: one with respondent-child observations with variables specific to parent-child pairs, and one with respondent observations with summary variables about the children of the respondent.
RAND HRS Family Data Version C contains information for twelve waves: 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010. The files incorporate only the core interviews and do not include exit interview or any restricted data.
- Data Description (PDF format)
- Codebook (PDF format)
This RAND CAMS spending data file is a user-friendly version of Part B of the CAMS survey. It contains annualized, cleaned, and aggregated spending and consumption variables with consistent and intuitive naming conventions across waves. Specifically, total household spending and household consumption are calculated across all categories and for subsets of spending: nondurables, durables, housing and transportation. These data can be easily merged to the RAND HRS and other HRS files as described in the data codebook. The RAND CAMS data are based on 2001 (V3), 2003 (V2), 2005 (V1), 2007 (V1), 2009 (V1), 2011 (V2), and 2013 (V1) final data releases.
- Data Description (PDF format)
- Codebook (PDF format)
Send questions or comments about this webpage to RANDHRSHelp@rand.org
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