Data Products - Help

How to get started.

If you wish to obtain NHES data files and run your own analyses using statistical software such as SPSS, SAS, or STATA, we recommend that you order the NHES CD-ROMs, which will be mailed to you free of charge. These CD-ROMs contain the following:

• The NHES Electronic Codebook (ECB), which allows analysts to easily examine the variables in each of the NHES datasets and facilitates the creation of SAS, SPSS, or STATA files
• NHES data files
• Syntax files to convert the NHES raw data into formats readable by SAS, SPSS, or STATA statistical software
• Data file user's manuals, which include the NHES questionnaires and important information for users

Users may also download data files, setup files for SAS, SPSS, and STATA, and documentation for surveys from 1999 and later on the Data Products page. Data files for surveys prior to 1999, and the ECBs for all years, are only available on CD-ROM.

Example: If you are an SPSS user and you want to conduct your own analysis of Parent-NHES:1999, you can order the free NHES:1991-1999 ECB CD-ROM, which includes the materials you need to analyze the Parent-NHES:1999 data. You can also download what you need (except the ECB) from the NHES Data Products Page. You would download four items: the Parent data (an 11MB ASCII zipped file); the SPSS setup file for Parent data; Volume 1 of the 1999 user's manual, which includes general information as well as the Parent:1999 questionnaire; and Volume 2, which contains information specific to the Parent file. Note that most users need to edit the setup file syntax so that the directories specified in the syntax match the directory structure and the location of data on their computers.

If you need help, please contact us.

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