Using IPUMS Data for Health-Related Research

Abstract

IPUMS provides free census and survey data from around the world. We receive funding from the NIH and NSF to make data more accessible to researchers by making them comparable across time and space. IPUMS data users can create customized data files with only the variables and samples of interest through our online interface and download these files for use in their preferred statistical package. By reducing the barriers to accessing rich data sources, IPUMS allows researchers to leverage publicly available datasets to answer a broad array of health-related research questions. This talk will provide an introduction to IPUMS, review the health-related data available, demonstrate how to use the IPUMS data extract system to create custom datasets, and will briefly discuss combining IPUMS data with restricted use versions in a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC). This is the first talk in a two-part series; my colleague Dr. Julia Rivera Drew will provide a more in-depth exploration of the harmonized versions of the National Health Interview Survey and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data available through IPUMS in the subsequent week’s workshop.