Learning Center

Learning to Use Health and Retirement Study Data: The Basics

Learning to Use Health and Retirement Study Data: The Basics

Includes a Live Web Event on 10/14/2026 at 12:00 PM (EDT)

  • Register
    • Non-Member - $25
    • Comp Member - $15
    • Emeritus Member - $15
    • Regular Member - $15
    • Retired Member - $15
    • Spouse Member - $15
    • GSA Staff - Free!
    • Transitional Member - $15
    • Graduate Student/Post-Doc Member - $15
    • Undergraduate Student Member - $15

The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is the largest and most comprehensive nationally representative panel study of Americans over age 50. The HRS provides decades of cutting-edge, publicly available data on aging, supporting research, policy, and innovation to address the challenges of a rapidly aging population. The study also employs a complex sample design. It can be quite daunting to new users trying to get started with their own analyses, This workshop will provide a very high level overview in the first hour and a detailed walk-through of basic data management and analysis exercises in the second hour.

All times are ET

Agenda

Part One Basic Study Design and Content
12:00 PM Introduction & Overview
12:05 PM How We Get the Data: the HRS Complex Survey Design
12:20 PMWhat's Available: High-Level Overview of Study Content
12:40 PM How We Make it Easier to Use: the RAND HRS
Part Two Basics of Simple Data Management and Analysis
12:50 PM Data Structure
1:00 PM Breakout Rooms: Close Q&A
1:10 PM Simple Data Management
1:20 PM Breakout Rooms: Close Q&A
1:30 PM Walk Through Simple Data Analysis with Emphasis on Applying Sample Weights and Design Variables
1:40 PM Breakout Rooms: Participants to Discuss Applications to Their Own Research with Each Other and HRS Staff


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10/14/2026 at 12:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes
10/14/2026 at 12:00 PM (EDT)  |  120 minutes Welcome to today's workshop! Programming will begin at 12:00 PM ET, but feel free to join us in the waiting room, which will open at 11:30 AM ET.
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