The datafiles released under SN6614 and listed on the Data files and their descriptions page, represent the data collected in the main survey interviews. In addition to this, data is collected from Understanding Society survey participants for specific purposes in separate surveys: Nurse health assessment and genetics data and the Covid-19 survey. These data can be linked to the main survey data using the unique cross-wave individual identifier, pidp.
Information about current and past histories on specific events such as employment, jobs, and (marital) partnerships is collected during the main survey interviews and the aim is to collate these and provide event history datafiles. Currently the partnership history file is available, the others will be made available in the future. These data can be linked to the main survey data using the unique cross-wave individual identifier, pidp.
Geographical data linkage
Residential addresses of main survey participants are collected and using that different geographical locator variables are made available which can be used to link these data to external geographically linked datasets such as the Census. These data can be linked to the main survey data using the wave specific unique household identifiers, w_hidp. To learn more about these and how to access these files see the geographical data linkage web page.
Administrative data linkage
Administrative Data Linkage allows researchers to analyse information obtained from administrative data together with Understanding Society. Data can only be linked if Understanding Society participants give their informed consent. To learn more about these and how to access these files see the administrative data linkage web page.
Interviewer characteristics
Some basic demographic information (sex, ethnicity, years of experience, age) about Understanding Society interviewers is provided by the fieldwork agency and this information can be linked to the main survey data using (scrambled) interview IDs using Study number 8579. In addition to this, Wave 1 interviewers participated in a survey which collected information on more subjective measures, attitudes and opinions. You can find this data under study number 7615.
