Title: Maternal and Child Health Data in the NLSY79
Author:
Section/SPIG: Maternal and Child Health
Issue Date:
The National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth (NLSY79) contain information on a broad range of health issues, many of which relate to mothers, children, and adolescents. Respondents to the main youth survey have been interviewed since 1979. The children of the NLSY79 mothers have been assessed since 1986, and are now being interviewed as they become young adults.
The child data are suitable for examining the dynamic nature of both biological and social determinants of health, and the inter-cohort nature of the surveys allows researchers to examine individual and family antecedents of health behaviors and outcomes. The main survey contains extensive information about health conditions, insurance, and occupational injuries and illnesses. The dataset on children, a major source of national data on child and adolescent development, has been featured prominently in recent studies of obesity, health insurance, behavior problems, child care, and maternal employment. The child surveys contain measures of each child’s general health status and history, mental health, height and weight, limiting health conditions, accidents and injuries, stress and anxiety, depression, substance use, immunization, hospitalization, birth histories, pre/postnatal care, illnesses, menses, handedness and eye color, health care access, insurance coverage, and medical visits. The child assessments include temperament scales, the full Behavior Problems Index, and mother reports of motor and social development. The 2004 child/young adult survey round, in which 7,500 children and young adults were interviewed, included detailed questions about asthma onset and history.
The data from the NLSY79 have been used to address a range of health-related topics, including smoking behavior during pregnancy, birthweight and gestational age, differentials in access to health care, adolescent drinking, and the impact of risk factors on developmental outcomes. The data and documentation are available, at no charge via ftp at: <http://www.nlsinfo.org/web-investigator/>. For information contact: NLS User Services, Center for Human Resource Research, 921 Chatham Lane, Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43221-2418, Phone 614-442-7300; <usersvc@chrr.ohio-state.edu>.