National Survey of Family Growth

2013-2015 NSFG: Public Use Data Files, Codebooks, and Documentation

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Codebooks and Documentation

 

 

 

Design and Data Collection Methods

Beginning with the release of data for 2011–2013, detailed information on the survey design and operations, weighting, and variance estimation was compiled in four documents available on the NSFG website. These documents replace the “Series 1” and “Series 2” reports published by NCHS for the 2006–2010 and earlier releases, which can be found within the NSFG’s “Publications and Information Products” pages. The survey design and all related aspects were planned with the entire period 2011 to 2019 in mind, thus are consistent from release to release. The documents below provide information on survey design and operations for 2013-2015, and reflect only minor changes and updates.

 

 

Variance Estimation Examples

Each of the PDF files below provides programs and output in SAS and STATA for three examples of variance estimation for the 2013–2015 NSFG data. These examples are intended to cover some of the basic types of variance estimation you may do in your analyses. See also the section “Sample Weights and Variance Estimation” in the 2013–2015 NSFG User’s Guidepdf icon[PDF – 893 KB] for more information. If you have any questions about any of these examples, please e-mail the NSFG staff at nsfg@cdc.gov.

 

Variance Estimation:

 

2002, 2006–2010, 2011–2013, and 2013–2015 Design and Weight Variables

Design variable 2002 2006–2010 2011–2013 2013–2015
Stratum variable SEST SEST SEST SEST
Four Cluster/Panel Variable SECU_R (fem resp)
SECU_P (fem preg)
SECU (male resp)
SECU SECU SECU
Final post-stratified, fully adjusted case weight FINALWGT WGTQ1Q16 WGT2011_2013 WGT2013_2015

*Note: See 2011-2019 Combined Files: Selected Data and Documentation for more information about combining data across file releases and weights for combined files.

See the 2013-2015 User’s Guide, Appendix 2 pdf icon[PDF – 279 KB] for more information about combining the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 files.

 

Questionnaires

 

Informed Consent Materials

 

Downloadable Data Files

 

Program Statements

 

Other Data Files

The NSFG ACASI data for 2013–2015 are now included as part of the main NSFG public use files. In addition to the main 2013–2015 public use data files, there are other files available containing Region of Residence and Contextual data. Below are instructions on how to access these other data files, as well as further information about the ACASI data.

 

ACASI Data: As done for 2011-2013 NSFG, the data collected in the Audio Computer-Assisted Self Interviewing (ACASI) portion of the interview are included in the main public use files for 2013–2015 NSFG, as released in October 2016. Please see Questionnaires, Datasets, and Related Documentation for the 2013–2015 NSFG for all links associated with accessing these data.

If you wish to access ACASI data from 2006–2010 NSFG or prior NSFG surveys, you must still follow the procedures specified for those datasets.

 

Contextual Data: The 2013-2015 contextual data file consists of six variables: CASEID, the State FIPS code, County FIPS code, Tract code, and Block group code of the respondent’s address at the time of the interview*, and the State FIPS code of the respondent’s address at the time of the previous Census. These data are only available to the research community through the NCHS and Census Research Data Centers (RDCs) due to the increased risk of deductive disclosure of individual respondent’s identities when geographic variables are linked to the survey data. FIPS codes can be used to merge external contextual information with the 2013–2015 NSFG public use files. For more information about using these data, including options on accessing the RDC and associated charges, visit the RDC website. Researchers may also find useful information for working with NSFG data through the RDC in the Community Environment and Women’s Health Outcomes: Contextual Data, pdf icon[PDF – 5.2 MB].

* ‘Tract’ and ‘Block group’ variables were added after the initial release of this file, bringing the total number of variables from 4 to 6.

 

Region: Due to a change in NCHS policy, made effective in January 2019, the 4-category REGION variable for 2013-2015 NSFG will no longer be accessible via special data use agreement.  The REGION variable for this survey period can only be accessed through the Research Data Center (RDC). For more information about using the RDC, including access and associated charges, visit the RDC website.

For additional information or questions, please contact the NSFG staff via mail, e-mail, or telephone at:

National Survey of Family Growth
Reproductive Statistics Branch
Division of Vital Statistics
National Center for Health Statistics
3311 Toledo Road
Hyattsville, MD 20782
nsfg@cdc.gov
(301) 458-4222

Page last reviewed: March 30, 2021