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This page provides an overview of the UAS data files, and data products, as well as instructions on how to access the data. We distinguish four types of UAS data and associated data access policies: individual survey data, curated data sets, exposome data and restricted data. Registration is not required to explore survey questions and documentation, read reports of aggregated results, or view study pages. Click on a tab below to learn more about each type of data.
All UAS survey data and data products are coded human subjects data files, that is, identifiers have been replaced with a study code. All data products include a set of standard variables including demographics collected in the My Household survey (administered quarterly to all respondents to ensure up to date demographic information); cleaned following the Data Cleaning Process. With regard to data quality the UAS uses multiple approaches to ensure high quality data. The different types of data and metadata provided are described on the Types Of Data page.
Individual survey data files available for download include survey responses, aggregated data products (e.g. comprehensive file, cognitive file), state location indicators (county is known for the LABarometer panel comprising members of Los Angeles County in California); demographic variables; household information. Data files include a unique code that allows linking to other UAS survey data files. Files may be accessed for secondary data analysis of de-identified data after obtaining a data user account. Click on each header below to learn more.
Individual Survey Data
UAS survey data files for individual surveys. Data sets for individual surveys include STATA/CSV data sets, demographic files for non-respondents, timings files containing the time respondents spent, platform information files containing information about the type of device, operating system and browser, as well as documentation such as codebooks and further data descriptions. View all surveys here.My Household
The My Household survey inquires of UAS respondents their age, ethnicity, education, marital status, work status, state of residence and family structure, among other matters. To ensure the UAS panel’s data is current, My Household is administered quarterly to all respondents. If a respondent's My Household survey is more than three months old, they cannot participate in other surveys until their information is checked and updated. Learn more about My Household.Surveys By Topic
UAS surveys cover a wide variety of topics including, but not limited to, education, employment and labor, health, housing, personality, social attitudes and well-being. Learn more about UAS survey topics.Registration And Access
To access individual survey data register for a UAS Data User account (if you have not done so already), then fill out and submit a Data User Agreement (editable PDF, basic PDF here) to uas-l@maillist.usc.edu.The UAS offers a wide range of curated datasets in which datasets, publications, documentation and other information are aggregated. The following curated data sets are available after obtaining a data user account. Click on each header below to learn more:
UAS Comprehensive File and UAS Comprehensive Panel Dataset
The UAS Comprehensive File (UAS CF) and UAS Comprehensive Panel Dataset (UAS CPD) merges the data from all core surveys in the UAS that are repeated every two years. It includes basic demographics as well as data on cognitive tests, personality, financial literacy, subjective well-being, health, retirement, several surveys dealing with financial management, preparation for retirement and knowledge of Social Security rules. It also includes the harmonized version of the UAS-Health and Retirement Study (UAS-HRS). Learn more about the UAS Comprehensive File and Panel Dataset..UAS Cognitive Comprehensive File
The UAS Cognitive Comprehensive File (UAS CogCF) aggregates a series of cognitive and ability tests administered in the UAS every two years. The UAS CogCF includes the scores from all waves of these longitudinal surveys. It also includes respondent and household identifiers, survey completion dates, and a variable indicating response across waves. Learn more about the UAS Cognitive Comprehensive File.UAS ALiR Files
The UAS ALiR Files provide access to documents and data from the Understanding America Study's American Life in Realtime (ALiR) Study. The goal of ALiR is to use activity trackers to understand how day-to-day activity and sleep behaviors relate to physical and mental health in a representative sample of Americans. Learn more about the UAS ALIR files.UAS Covid-19 Files
The UAS Covid-19 files consist of a series of datasets capturing attitudes and behaviors around the Novel Coronavirus pandemic in the United States running from March 10, 2021 to July 9, 2023. Learn more about the UAS Covid-19 Files.UAS Drug Use Supplement File
The UAS Drug Use Supplement (UAS-DUS) data set is a longitudinal panel survey public data resource that tracked monthly variation in drug use patterns and related-characteristics in a nationally-representative sample of U.S. adults. Learn more about the UAS Drug Use Supplement File.UAS Education Files
The UAS Education Project Files are data sets that cover a broad range of education-specific surveys to UAS households, posing questions about children’s progress, mental health, adult respondents’ attitudes towards education policies, beliefs about the value of postsecondary education, among many other education-relevant topics. Learn more about the UAS Education Files.UAS Elections Files
The UAS Elections Files consist of data sets covering the 2016, 2018, and 2020 U.S. Elections. It also includes a longitudinal data set containing political affiliation and leaning over time. Learn more about the UAS Elections Files.UAS EMA Burst Files
The UAS EMA Burst File and the Covid EMA Burst File are collections of data based on participants’ answers to 7-day “bursts”, over periods from March 2nd 2020 to March 27th 2022, and from March 2, 2020 to May 17, 2021, respectively. Learn more about the UAS EMA Burst Files.UAS LA Barometer Files
The UAS LABarometer Files comprise of data collected in surveys fielded to the LABarometer Panel on a biannual basis to monitor social and economic conditions in Los Angeles County. Learn more about the UAS LA Barometer Files.UAS Monthly Survey Files
The UAS Monthly Survey Files comprise of two longitudinal datasets related to repeated surveys conducted monthly, at different points in time, in the UAS. Learn more about the UAS Monthly Survey Files.UAS Panel Recruitment and Participation Files
The UAS Panel Recruitment and Participation Files contain the data the UAS collects about activities undertaken to recruit new panel members as well as to maintain membership of current panel members. The data sets also keep track of the behavior of respondents in terms of the surveys they participate in, and the change in panel demographics (per My Household) over time. Learn more about the UAS Panel Recruitment And Participation Files.UAS Experiments File
The UAS Experiments File documents all experimental survey treatments that participants have received during their tenure in the UAS panel. Download it as STATA or CSV. More information is available in the UAS Experiments Description.Registration And Access
To access curated data register for a UAS Data User account (if you have not done so already), then fill out and submit a Data User Agreement (editable PDF, basic PDF here) to uas-l@maillist.usc.edu.To maximize the analytical possibilities of UAS data we are offering access to the UAS Exposome Database. This database provides a large number of user-friendly datasets that provide information on the physical, social, and policy environments of UAS respondents. Uniquely, these can be linked to individual information on UAS respondents in the UAS data enclave. enclave can request linkage of selected variables of these datasets to individual UAS respondents.
The LINKAGE Enclave is a secure computing desktop for using UAS survey data linked to restricted CMS or SSA datasets for studying aging, healthcare, and health outcomes. Administered by UAS and the National Institute for Aging (NIA) Data Linkage Program, it may also be used for studies requiring UAS survey data to be linked to external data sources using geolocations more granular than state. Restricted data linked to UAS survey data is available in the LINKAGE Enclave after obtaining an enclave user account.
In addition to providing secure data access, the Enclave provides reference materials such as data dictionaries and methodology statements. It uses a top-tier internet service Provider (ISP) to support multiple and concurrent connections. Analytic software packages R, Python, SAS and Stata are available. Please inquire about any other software needs. For more information about the LINKAGE enclave, you can visit the NIA's LINKAGE website.
Data Available in the LINKAGE Enclave
Data available in the LINKAGE enclave include geocode crosswalks for linking UAS data to external data, as well as UAS data linked to restricted CMS and (coming soon) SSA data. Researchers may request to add any publicly available UAS survey data or data products as well as approved external data to their enclave desktop. CMS and SSA data have additional access requirements. The following data sources are available, or pending:- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data linked to UAS survey data, including Parts A & B Research Files, Denominator (DN), Home Health Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) Research Files, Long-Term Care Minimum Data Set (MDS) Research Files, Master Beneficiary Summary File (MBSF) - Base Segment Files, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) Research Files, Part D Drug Event (PDE) Research Files.
- Social Security Administration (SSA) earnings and benefits datasets linked to UAS survey data. Not yet available, but will include Imputation of Lifetime Earnings Records, Permissions Consent History, Cross-Wave Social Security Weights, Form 831 Respondent Disability Records, Respondent Cross-Year Benefits - Final, Respondent Cross-Year Detail Earnings, Respondent Cross-Year Summary Earnings, Respondent Supplemental Security Income, Prospective Social Security Wealth Measures, Disability Analysis File.
- National Death Index (NDI) linked to UAS survey data (Not yet available).
- UAS Public Data including the UAS Comprehensive File and the UAS Cognitive Comprehensive File.