Age
Household, Geography & Contextual Variables
Age
Mature Women Age Variables
The data set includes the respondent's date of birth and age as of the initial survey year. The initial survey year age variable, 'Age, 67,' was provided by the Census Bureau based on information collected during the 1966 household screening; complete information is available for most respondents. As age inconsistencies were discovered, Census made date of birth information available in the late 1970s. Two additional age variables were then collected in the "Household Roster" section of the questionnaire for those interviewed in 1987 or 1989 (i.e., 'Age of Respondent, 87' and 'Age of Respondent, 89').
During the 1981 interview, respondents were asked whether the Census birth date information was correct. In 144 cases, the respondent reported a birth date different from that originally provided by Census; the 1981 variable contains revised birth dates for those cases. The 1987 and 1989 "Household Roster" collected additional date of birth information for the respondent. During the 1995-2003 surveys, the respondent was asked to confirm or correct the most recent birth date information available.
Table MW1 provides reference numbers for date of birth and age variables; Table MW2 presents age distributions for the Mature Women. Data for reported age and birth dates include a small number of inconsistencies. As a result, attempts to restrict the universe according to age-related variables may lead to unwanted or incorrect results. The User Notes below discuss some of the idiosyncratic aspects of these variables.
Table MW1. Reference Numbers for Date of Birth & Age Variables
Year | Date of Birth of R | Age of R |
1967 | R00022.01-R00022.03 | R00022.00 |
1981 | R04916.00-R04916.20 | -- |
1987 | R0817100.-R08173.00 | R08174.00 |
1989 | R09205.00-R09207.00 | R09208.00 |
1995 | R16067.00-R16070.00 | R16071.00 |
1997 | R35040.00-R35043.00 | R35044.00 |
1999 | R42763.00-R42766.00 | R42767.00 |
2001 | R54450.00-R54453.00 | R54454.00 |
2003 | R65133.00-R65136.00 | R65137.00 |
Notes on Tables MW2A and MW2B: Tables MW2A and MW2B present age distributions for the Mature Women. In order to construct the most accurate ages possible, ages were created using the most recent date of birth information available. That is, information from the 2003 interview was used first, then 2001 data, then 1999, etc.
In some cases, the date of birth was incomplete. If the respondent did not report a year of birth in any of the three interview years, then no age was calculated. There are two respondents for whom this applies. If no month of birth was recorded for a respondent, then the respondent was assigned a birth month of June. If no day of birth was recorded, then the respondent was assigned to be born on the 30th of the month. This method of calculating ages places a number of respondents out of range for the age requirements for the sample. Respondents should have been aged 30 to 44 as of March 31, 1967. Calculating ages as of this date indicates that 16 of the respondents were younger than 30 and 44 of the respondents were over the age of 44.
Table MW2A. Ages of Interviewed Respondents by Survey Year: 1967-2003
Survey Year | ||||||||||
Age1 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 74 | 76 | 77 | 79 | 81 |
<= 29 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
30 | 241 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
31 | 302 | 233 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
32 | 352 | 293 | 223 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
33 | 310 | 343 | 282 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- |
34 | 311 | 298 | 324 | 222 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- |
35 | 265 | 299 | 288 | 270 | 215 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- |
36 | 295 | 257 | 291 | 313 | 262 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- |
37 | 331 | 287 | 248 | 279 | 311 | 208 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- |
38 | 352 | 324 | 277 | 282 | 270 | 249 | 8 | -- | 1 | 2 |
39 | 357 | 342 | 308 | 243 | 273 | 301 | 207 | 7 | 1 | -- |
40 | 353 | 343 | 330 | 269 | 239 | 259 | 249 | 195 | 1 | 1 |
41 | 350 | 335 | 326 | 300 | 266 | 265 | 296 | 242 | 7 | -- |
42 | 365 | 336 | 317 | 315 | 294 | 232 | 247 | 284 | 188 | 1 |
43 | 378 | 353 | 326 | 311 | 313 | 254 | 261 | 239 | 236 | 7 |
44 | 373 | 365 | 333 | 316 | 305 | 284 | 223 | 243 | 275 | 186 |
45 | 97 | 357 | 354 | 316 | 306 | 306 | 246 | 214 | 231 | 229 |
46 | 9 | 94 | 344 | 326 | 310 | 301 | 273 | 228 | 239 | 266 |
47 | 11 | 9 | 91 | 345 | 317 | 293 | 287 | 257 | 202 | 225 |
48 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 332 | 338 | 300 | 286 | 278 | 219 | 231 |
49 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 88 | 316 | 303 | 282 | 280 | 248 | 194 |
50 | -- | 1 | 7 | 8 | 88 | 323 | 282 | 266 | 267 | 210 |
51 | 2 | -- | 1 | 11 | 9 | 308 | 298 | 274 | 270 | 238 |
52 | 1 | 2 | -- | 7 | 10 | 86 | 304 | 284 | 256 | 262 |
53 | -- | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 298 | 276 | 260 | 261 |
54 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 11 | 84 | 279 | 272 | 246 |
55 | 1 | -- | -- | 2 | -- | 7 | 9 | 79 | 261 | 245 |
56 | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 9 | 266 | 260 |
57 | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | 7 | 11 | 76 | 252 |
58 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 255 |
59 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 11 | 74 |
60 | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 2 | -- | 6 | 9 |
61 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
62 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | 6 |
63 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 2 | 1 |
64 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | -- |
65 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | 2 |
66 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
67 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | -- |
68 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- |
69 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 |
70 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 |
71 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
72 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- |
73 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
74 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
Total Int'd | 5083 | 4910 | 4712 | 4575 | 4471 | 4322 | 4172 | 3964 | 3812 | 3677 |
Not Int'd | -- | 173 | 371 | 508 | 612 | 761 | 911 | 1119 | 1271 | 1406 |
Birth Year n/a |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
Note: This table is based on R00022.01-R00022.03 (1967), R04916.00-R04916.20 (1981), R08171.00-R08173.00 (1987), R09205.00-R09207.00 (1989), R16068.00-R16070.00 (1995), R35041.00-R35043.00 (1997), R42763.00-R42766.00 (1999), R54450.00-R54453.00 (2001), and R65133.00-R65136.00 (2003), with the most recent date of birth variables used when available. | ||||||||||
1 Age of respondent is calculated as of June 30 of the interview year. |
Table MW2B. Ages of Interviewed Respondents by Survey Year: 1967-2003
Survey Year | |||||||||||
Age1 | 82 | 84 | 86 | 87 | 89 | 92 | 95 | 97 | 99 | 01 | 03 |
39 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
40 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
41 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
42 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
43 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
44 | 7 | 1 | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
45 | 179 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
46 | 221 | 7 | 1 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
47 | 256 | 172 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
48 | 216 | 215 | 7 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
49 | 218 | 245 | 163 | 6 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
50 | 186 | 211 | 210 | 162 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
51 | 203 | 212 | 248 | 201 | 7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
52 | 234 | 177 | 204 | 237 | 163 | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
53 | 257 | 197 | 207 | 198 | 191 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
54 | 249 | 230 | 178 | 203 | 236 | 6 | 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- |
55 | 235 | 248 | 186 | 172 | 192 | 155 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
56 | 234 | 241 | 224 | 181 | 199 | 187 | 1 | -- | 2 | -- | -- |
57 | 248 | 226 | 241 | 222 | 163 | 225 | 6 | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
58 | 249 | 228 | 239 | 236 | 168 | 185 | 143 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- |
59 | 244 | 238 | 224 | 238 | 201 | 192 | 160 | 6 | 1 | -- | 1 |
60 | 72 | 232 | 221 | 217 | 226 | 163 | 207 | 135 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
61 | 8 | 240 | 227 | 212 | 223 | 166 | 169 | 158 | 5 | 1 | -- |
62 | 11 | 70 | 223 | 218 | 213 | 190 | 176 | 211 | 129 | 1 | 1 |
63 | 5 | 7 | 229 | 214 | 193 | 213 | 159 | 163 | 153 | 5 | -- |
64 | 1 | 11 | 70 | 224 | 213 | 219 | 148 | 178 | 201 | 122 | 1 |
65 | -- | 5 | 7 | 68 | 203 | 198 | 175 | 150 | 155 | 149 | 4 |
66 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 210 | 181 | 197 | 148 | 158 | 196 | 119 |
67 | -- | -- | 5 | 10 | 62 | 202 | 197 | 175 | 143 | 149 | 145 |
68 | -- | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 188 | 188 | 184 | 146 | 162 | 193 |
69 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 11 | 196 | 177 | 190 | 163 | 133 | 148 |
70 | 1 | -- | 2 | -- | 5 | 57 | 181 | 176 | 180 | 138 | 156 |
71 | 1 | -- | -- | 2 | 1 | 6 | 172 | 162 | 173 | 156 | 124 |
72 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 10 | 175 | 172 | 171 | 161 | 130 |
73 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 2 | 5 | 54 | 151 | 157 | 166 | 157 |
74 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | 6 | 173 | 167 | 154 | 159 |
75 | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | -- | -- | 10 | 51 | 140 | 143 | 164 |
76 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 2 | 5 | 5 | 157 | 152 | 140 |
77 | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 9 | 47 | 124 | 135 |
78 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | 5 | 3 | 139 | 146 |
79 | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 9 | 47 | 125 |
80 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 3 | 129 |
81 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | 1 | 1 | 8 | 44 |
82 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 2 |
83 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 7 |
84 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 |
85 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
Total Int'd | 3542 | 3422 | 3335 | 3241 | 3094 | 2953 | 2711 | 2608 | 2467 | 2318 | 2237 |
Not Int'd | 1541 | 1661 | 1748 | 1842 | 1989 | 2130 | 2372 | 2475 | 2616 | 2765 | 2846 |
Birth Year n/a |
-- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Note: This table is based on R00022.01-R00022.03 (1967), R04916.00-R04916.20 (1981), R08171.00-R08173.00 (1987), R09205.00-R09207.00 (1989), R16068.00-R16070.00 (1995), R35041.00-R35043.00 (1997), R42763.00-R42766.00 (1999), R54450.00-R54453.00 (2001), and R65133.00-R65136.00 (2003), with the most recent date of birth variables used when available. | |||||||||||
1 Age of respondent is calculated as of June 30 of the interview year. |
Related Variables: In addition to the information collected on the respondent, most surveys have also collected age data on household members. See the Household Composition section of this guide for more information.
Survey Instruments: The respondent's age and date of birth were derived from the 1966 Household Screener. The respondent's age or date of birth was subsequently collected in the "Household Roster" section of the questionnaire. If the respondent's age or birth date is asked in a particular survey year, an open coded answer box for the respondent will be found in the "Household Roster."
User Notes
Users are encouraged to carefully examine all age and birth date variables when performing any age-related analysis. Birth data collected at the time of screening may have been provided by a family member, giving rise to possible inconsistencies when comparing a respondent's reported age with age calculated from date of birth. In cases where age was unknown, interviewers were directed to obtain a "best estimate" of a respondent's "exact age" at the time of screening and to make corrections later if possible. Furthermore, a respondent may be inconsistent in different interviews in reporting her age. The date of birth inconsistencies are documented in the codebook. Birth date corrections were made in 1981. The birth date corrections should be used carefully and users are advised to make any additional corrections on a case-by-case basis.
There are varying numbers of out-of-scope cases in the Mature Women cohort for two reasons: (1) the birth date variables in a handful of cases are inconsistent with the stated age of the respondent and (2) some borderline cases that may actually be in scope for the calendar year of the survey are not necessarily in scope at the time the interview took place. CHRR has investigated causes of birth date inconsistencies and has discovered that they arise from birth data originally provided by the Census Bureau. Unfortunately, these data are generally not recoverable because many of the affected respondents have since attrited. An additional difficulty is that the date of birth for some cases is not reported.
It may be to the user's advantage to calculate his or her own variable for age based on the reported date of birth. When birth date variables are either unavailable or out of scope, the user may wish to investigate other age-related variables, such as schooling information, in order to establish age.