The PRI Data Archive has acquired the RAND HRS Version F Dataset. This dataset is “a cleaned and easy-to-use version of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) with derived variables covering a broad range of measures and named consistently across waves. The file was developed by the RAND Center for the Study of Aging with funding from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and Social Security Administration (SSA).

As of 2006, nine HRS waves are available for study. The RAND HRS Data file (Version F) is based on 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002 final releases, and the 2004 early release of HRS data. The complete HRS includes five entry cohorts, as does the RAND file. The file incorporates only the core interviews. It does not include exit interview or any restricted data. Besides incorporating the 2004 early release, this version corrects known problems and adds a few new variables, including 2nd home value from 1998 forward.”
See the RAND Contributions Web Page for more information.

The data and documentation files are accessible in the PRI PopNet UNIX and SodaPop collections. Users must register with HRS prior to obtaining access to these files (if you have registered before to use any HRS public-use data, you do not need to register again).

The HRS 2004 Early Release Core data and documentation files have been added to the PRI HRS SodaPop Collection.

The HRS 2004 Core Imputation Early Release, Version 1 Files (data, documentation, and statistical input) are now available on PopNet UNIX.

The HRS Project announced on 10/25/2005 an update to one file within the 2002 Core Imputatations (Final V. 1.0) dataset.

When attempting to apply this update, it was found that the existing PopNet UNIX archive collection of the 2002 Core Imputations was incorrect (files were for the HRS 2002 core). The incorrect files were removed from the 2002 imputation directory (the correct core data is in /home/data/hrs/2002) and the current imputations files added.

These data are not currently available in SodaPop.

The HRS Project announced updates to two files within the 2004 (ER, V. 1.0) Core dataset:

9/14/2005: 2004 HRS Core (Early Release, Version 1.0): Additions and modifications to the data file H04E_MC.
10/20/2005: 2004 HRS Core (Early Release, Version 1.0): Additions to the data file H04PR_R.

As a result of these corrections, the entire dataset was redownloaded for the PopNet UNIX collection (the earlier version was retained in the event that it is still needed, see README file in data directory for more information). These files are not yet available in SodaPop as they are early release. However, if you are interested in having the 2004 Core dataset added to SodaPop, contact sodapop@pop.psu.edu.

The HRS project announced on November 29, 2005 that a correction must be made to two cases in the HRS 2000 Core file .

The correction has been applied to the SodaPop version of the file, but the raw file remains unchanged. Users working with the raw file will need to apply the correction themselves.

The HRS project announced on November 21, 2005 that there was miscoded data in V504 of the Health.DA data file of the HRS 1992 (Wave 1) dataset.

The correction has been applied to the SodaPop version of the file, but the raw file remains unchanged. Users working with the raw file will need to apply the correction themselves.

A new version (2.0) of the HRS Cross-Wave Tracker File was released in late October 2005. The documentation, data, and input files were obtained and added to PopNet UNIX, and have been added to SodaPop (replacing version 1.0).

From the HRS Web site: One case in the 2002 HRS Core Final Release data should be deleted. Please delete the case with HHID 053846 and PN 011 from your data files. The case with HHID 053846 and PN 010 was incorrectly marked as being married in the course of her interview. In fact, 010 was not married, and 010 and 011 are one and the same person. The error resulted in another interview being taken several months later with the same respondent, but with a PN assignment of 011. This 011 interview should not be included in the 2002 Core Final Release (Version 1.0) data.

This case has been deleted from the HRS 2002 Core data available via SodaPop. It has not been removed from the raw file on PopNet UNIX.

The HRS Rand Version E files announced previously have been added to the PRI HRS SodaPop Collection .