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Re: 2003 PMSA and Re: merging

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Kristen Crossney (Crossney@eden.rutgers.edu) says:

>>I was running into about 20+ variables, that according to SPSS which references exact name, were not common between the 1998 and 2002 Metro AHS datasets. I can try the merge again and write down all of the "unpaired" variables, but off the top of my head it seemed to be
several of householder and interviewee demographic variables.<<

The HUD USER web site has a file that cross-indexes all of the variable names ever used in an AHS database, showing the files in which they occured. You may find that helpful. Go to https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahs.html and look in the section called "Technical Supplements." The link to the file is "AHS Variable Name Index." If you still have questions about specific variables, let me know.

>>On another issue...for the 2003 National set, I'm looking at PMSA as recorded through the SMSA variable (label = 1980 design PMSA code). Over 36,000 of the total 71,000 are listed as "9999". Is this because these areas were not considered part of any PMSA in 1980 - or is this a disclosure issue? Is there another variable that would provide a more complete locational variable, other than Census region?<<

It's a disclosure issue. We can't reveal the metro area identity for smaller areas. You can use the METRO3 variable to tell whether such units are in a metro area, but you can't tell which one.

Dav Vandenbroucke
Economist
U.S. Dept. HUD
david_a._vandenbroucke@hud.gov
202-708-1060 ext. 5890