HRS Codebook: Information on Variables

This resource contains a table of the variables within the HRS dataset, including their descriptions, levels, and label.
Position Name Label Type Unit / Levels Original HRS Name
1 hhid Household ID character HHID
2 pn Person Number character PN
3 id Household identifier + person number identifier character HHIDPN
4 BIRTHYR Respondent Birth Year numeric years RABYEAR
5 BIRTHMO Respondent Birth Month factor

  • 1-12 for each month Jan-Dec

  • Unknown (if 0)

 RABMONTH
6 BIRTHDATE Respondent Birth Date numeric RABDATE
7 proxy Proxy Interview Status factor

  • Self

  • Proxy interview

 R16PROXY
8 coupled Couple Household Status factor

  • Single

  • Coupled/partnered

 H16CPL
9 sex Sex factor

  • Male

  • Female

 RAGENDER
10 age_mo Age at Interview (Months) numeric months R16AGEM_B
11 age_yr Age at Interview (Years) numeric years R16AGEY_B
12 ed Years of Education numeric years RAEDYRS
13 degree Highest Degree Earned factor

  • None

  • GED

  • High school diploma

  • Associate’s degree

  • Bachelor’s degree

  • Master’s degree

  • Professional degree (Ph.D./M.D./JD)

 RAEDEGRM
14 race_original Race/Ethnicity factor

  • White/Caucasian

  • Black/African American

  • Other

 RARACEM
15 smoke_ever Ever Smoked factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16SMOKEV
16 smoke_now Current Smoker factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16SMOKEN
17 drink Current Drinker factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16DRINK
18 height Self-Reported Height (Meters) numeric R16HEIGHT
19 srh Self-Reported Health Status factor

  • Excellent

  • Very good

  • Good

  • Fair

  • Poor

 R16SHLT
20 act_vig Vigorous Physical Activity Frequency factor

  • Every day

  • >1 per week

  • 1 per week

  • 1-3 per month

  • Never

 R16VGACTX
21 bp Ever Had High Blood Pressure factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16HIBP
22 diab Ever Had Diabetes factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16DIABE
23 cancer Ever Had Cancer factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16CANCRE
24 lung Ever Had Lung Disease factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16LUNGE
25 hrt Ever Had Heart Problems factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16HEARTE
26 strk Ever Had Stroke factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16STROKE
27 psych Ever Had Psychiatric Problems factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16PSYCHE
28 sleep Ever Had Sleep Disorder factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16SLEEPE
29 arth Ever Had Arthritis factor

  • No

  • Yes

 R16ARTHRE
30 cond_count Total Number of Chronic Conditions numeric count (0-9) R16CONDE
31 cesd CES-D Depression Score numeric score (0-8) R16CESD
32 income Total Household Income numeric dollars H16ITOT