HRS Survey Design and Methodology

Documents in this section provide detailed information on a range of topics relevant to the HRS survey methods.

Data Collection Path Table

This table shows the history of HRS data collection efforts, with links to additional information about each data product. For cross-year products, the table shows which years are included in the release. View Table »

Longitudinal Cohort Sample Design

This graphic portrays the HRS sample accrual over time, representing various birth cohorts. View Chart »

HRS Respondent Incentive Token Amounts

The HRS offers financial payments as tokens of appreciation to respondents for participating in various aspects of the study. Read more »

Sample Size and Response Rates

HRS Core Interview Sample Sizes and Response Rates. These tables provide sample sizes and interview response rates for each survey year of the core biennial survey for overall panel, race/ethnicity, and cohort.
HRS Staff. Sample Sizes and Response Rates . Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2011.PDF icon Download PDF (134.6 KB)

Weight Information

Lee S, Nishimura R, Burton P, McCammon RJ. HRS 2016 Sampling Weights. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2021.PDF icon HRS2016SamplingWeights.pdf (484.38 KB)
HRS Staff. Sample Weights and Sample Selection Indicator for the Physical Measures in HRS 2004. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2004.PDF icon Download PDF (38.61 KB)
HRS Staff. Health and Retirement Study 2016 Tracker. Ann Arbor: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2019:1-44.PDF icon trk2016.pdf (705.1 KB)
HRS Staff. Sampling Weights: Revised for Tracker 2.0 & Beyond. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2019.PDF icon Download PDF (23.71 KB)
Ofstedal MBeth, Weir DR, Chen KT, Wagner J. Updates to HRS Sample Weights. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2011.PDF icon Download PDF (209.48 KB)
Wagner J, Valliant R, Hubbard F, Jiang C. Level-of-Effort Paradata and Nonresponse Adjustment Models for a National Face-to-Face Survey. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2013.PDF icon Download PDF (1.64 MB)

Data Analysis

Servais M. An Elementary Cookbook of Data Management using HRS Data with SPSS, SAS and Stata Examples. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2004.PDF icon Download PDF (212.78 KB)
Servais M. Overview of HRS Public Data Files for Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Analysis. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2010.PDF icon Download PDF (406.2 KB)

Survey Design

Heeringa SG, Hill DH, Howell DA. Unfolding brackets for reducing item nonresponse in economic surveys. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 1995.PDF icon Download PDF (8.4 MB)
Heeringa SG, Connor J. Technical Description of the Health and Retirement Study Sample Design. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 1995.PDF icon Download PDF (272.48 KB)
Heeringa SG. Technical Description of the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) Study Sample Design. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 1995.PDF icon Download PDF (274.8 KB)
HRS Staff. Proxy Selection in the Health and Retirement Study. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2021.PDF icon Proxy selection in HRS.pdf (91.33 KB)
HRS Staff. HRS Design History. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2008.PDF icon Download PDF (92.14 KB)
HRS Staff. HRS Sample Evolution: 1992-1998 . Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2008.PDF icon Download PDF (302.12 KB)
Schroeder H, Weir DR, West BT. Representativeness of the oversamples of Blacks and Hispanics in the Health and Retirement Study: A geographic analysis of 2020. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2023.PDF icon Download PDF (383.09 KB)
Weir DR, Faul J, Langa KM. Proxy interviews and bias in the distribution of cognitive abilities due to non-response in longitudinal studies: a comparison of HRS and ELSA. Longit Life Course Stud. 2011;2(2):170-184. doi:10.14301/llcs.v2i2.116.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25360159?dopt=Abstract
Weir DR. Validating Mortality Ascertainment in the Health and Retirement Study. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2016.PDF icon Download PDF (669.74 KB)
Weir DR, Ofstedal MBeth. Evaluating Strategies for Reducing Field Costs in a Longitudinal Study. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2016:1-8.PDF icon Download PDF (284.93 KB)

Imputations

Cao H. HRS 1996 Imputations: Documentation. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2001.PDF icon Download PDF  (90.41 KB)
Cao H. HRS 1998 Preliminary Imputations. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2000.PDF icon Download PDF  (52.49 KB)

Administrative information

Weir DR. HRS Institutional Review Board Information. Ann Arbor, MI: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan; 2017.PDF icon PDF Download (87.78 KB)