National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) Restricted Variables

The most common request for restricted NSFG data is to access contextual information on the respondent’s state or county of residence. Contextual information is available starting in the 1976 NSFG.  The table “Geographic variables from NSFG” below shows the contextual variables available for each file.  These variables may be used to merge external information about place of residence onto the files. After the merge, the geographic identifiers of interest are replaced with a masked version of those variables so that the actual locations in the sample cannot be identified.  Masked versions of geographic variables can be used as controls, if needed. Estimates cannot be produced for specific states or counties. For more information on this, please see question #17 in the NSFG FAQ.

 

Geographic variables from NSFG

Additional restricted-use survey variables are also available for some data releases, such as detailed information about the respondent’s race.  Please see the information below for specific information about each data release.

2017-2019 NSFG

Contextual File

Restricted-use survey variables

Paradata and Interviewer Observations Files for combined 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 Files (2015-2019)

2015-2017 NSFG

Contextual variables

Restricted-use survey variables

2013-2015 NSFG

Contextual variables

Restricted-use survey variables

Paradata and Interviewer Observations Files for combined 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 Files (2011-2015) 

2011-2013 NSFG

Contextual variables

Restricted-use survey variables

2006-2010 NSFG

Contextual File

List of Restricted-use survey variables

ACASI Data

NSFG Cycle 6

Contextual File

Interviewer Observation variables

ACASI Data

NSFG Cycle 5

Contextual File

Omitted Items File

1976, 1982, and 1988 NSFG contextual variables are listed in “Geographic Variables from NSFG” above.