At a glance
- Explore this gateway to data from the Research and Development Survey (RANDS).
- Find survey methods, questionnaires, and other resources used to collect RANDS data.
- Access important technical information to help you understand, analyze, and use RANDS data.
About these resources
Public-use data and documentation are available for the Research and Development Survey (RANDS) Rounds 1– 8. Visit the RANDS during COVID-19 page to find public-use data and documentation for Rounds 1, 2, and 3 of that survey.
Each data file includes—
- Questionnaire data
- Respondent demographic characteristics
- Sample weights (might not be included on the nonprobability data files)
Data files are available in .csv and .txt formats and include—
- The codebook of variables
- Example SAS code to read the .txt file
- SAS formats
- Survey questionnaire
RANDS methods
Rounds 1–7 of RANDS were conducted as a probability survey using recruited panels. Data files for Rounds 1–3 of RANDS do not include sampling strata. Sample weights are included on all RANDS data files collected from probability samples.
Rounds 8–10 of RANDS used both a probability and a nonprobability sample. The probability samples were divided into subgroups (sampling strata) by demographic factors such as age group, sex, race and ethnicity, and education level.
NCHS has contracted with different commercial survey panels companies to administer RANDS since 2015. The panels and sample weighting methods have differed between the contractors.
RANDS Rounds
RANDS 1 was conducted by Gallup in the fall of 2015. Data collection began on November 2, 2015, and ended on December 9, 2015. Gallup invited 9,809 of the Gallup Panel members to complete the RANDS web questionnaire. Of the members contacted, 2,304 completed the survey, resulting in a 23.5% completion rate (unweighted). The completion rate differs from the response rate because it does not take into account the proportion of people who are invited and agree to join the panel.
The survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey.
RANDS 2 was conducted by Gallup in the spring of 2016. Data collection began on March 29, 2016, and ended on April 13, 2016. Gallup invited 8,231 of the Gallup Panel members to complete the RANDS web questionnaire. Of the members contacted, 2,480 completed the survey, resulting in a 30.1% completion rate (unweighted). The completion rate differs from the response rate because it does not take into account the proportion of people who are invited and agree to join the panel.
The survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey and targeted embedded cognitive probe questions.
RANDS 3 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the spring of 2019. Data collection began on April 11, 2019, and ended on April 24, 2019. NORC invited 4,255 of its AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the RANDS web questionnaire. Of the panel members contacted, 2,646 completed the survey, resulting in a 62.2% completion rate (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 18.1%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
This survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey, cognitive probe questions, and split sample experiments.
RANDS 4 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the summer of 2020. Data collection began on July 17, 2020, and ended on August 24, 2020. NORC invited 4,914 of its AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the RANDS questionnaire via web and phone administration. Of the panel members contacted, 3,442 completed the survey, resulting in a 70.0% completion rate (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 14.0%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
This survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey, cognitive probe questions, and several experiments.
RANDS 5 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the winter of 2022. Data collection began on January 21, 2022, and ended on March 9, 2022. NORC invited 9,469 AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the questionnaire via web and phone administration. Of the panel members contacted, 6,896 completed the survey, resulting in a 72.8% completion rate (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 11.1%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
This survey included existing questions from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey and cognitive probe questions.
RANDS 6 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the summer of 2022. Data collection began on August 10, 2022, and ended on August 29, 2022. NORC invited 3,135 AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the questionnaire via web and phone administration. Of the panel members contacted, 2,312 completed the survey, resulting in a 73.7% completion rate (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 12.9%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
This survey included existing questions from the National Survey of Family Growth, cognitive probe questions, and questions about gender identity.
RANDS 7 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the fall of 2022. Data collection began on November 3, 2022, and ended on December 12, 2022. NORC invited 10,320 AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the questionnaire via web and phone administration. Of the panel members contacted, 6,821 completed the survey, resulting in a 66.1% completion rate (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 12.5%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
This survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey, cognitive probe questions, and questions about firearm safety, gender identity, long symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and traumatic brain injury.
RANDS 8 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the summer of 2023. Data collection began on June 8, 2023, and ended on July 24, 2023. RANDS 8 used both a probability sample panel and a nonprobability sample panel.
NORC invited 10,014 AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the questionnaire via web and phone administration. Of the panel members contacted, 6,857 completed the survey, resulting in a 68.5% completion rate (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 13.1%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
NORC recruited 9,791 adult participants in the nonprobability sample using Lucid and CMI online opt-in panels. This included an oversample of gender minorities.
This survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey, cognitive probe questions, and questions about gender identity, emotional well-being, and discrimination.
RANDS 9 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in late fall 2023 and early winter 2023–2024. Data collection began on November 28, 2023, and ended on January 12, 2024. RANDS 9 used both a probability sample panel and a nonprobability sample panel. Responses from the nonprobability panel were collected from December 2, 2023, to January 5, 2024.
NORC invited 9,829 AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the questionnaire via web and phone administration. Of the panel members contacted, 7,055 completed the survey, resulting in an overall completion rate of 71.8% (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 13.9%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
NORC recruited 8,973 adult participants in the nonprobability sample using the Cint-Lucid online opt-in panel. This included an oversample of Afro-Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and North African adults.
This survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey, cognitive probe questions, and questions about race and ethnicity, diabetes and obesity stigma, and intimate partner violence.
RANDS 10 was conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the spring of 2024. Data collection began on April 18, 2024, and ended on May 13, 2024. RANDS 10 used both a probability sample panel and a nonprobability sample panel. Responses from the nonprobability panel were collected from April 18, 2024, to May 10, 2024.
NORC invited 6,342 AmeriSpeak panel members to complete the questionnaire via web and phone administration. Of the panel members contacted, 5,017 completed the survey, resulting in an overall completion rate of 79.1% (unweighted) and a weighted cumulative response rate of 15.8%. For more information about completion rates and response rates, visit the American Association of Public Opinion Research's Standard Definitions resource.
NORC recruited 5,420 adult participants in the nonprobability sample using the Cint-Lucid online opt-in panel.
This survey included existing questions from the National Health Interview Survey, cognitive probe questions, and questions about whole person health, quality of life, and social and family connections.