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IPUMS-DHS Tip #2. Variable names [message #15091]

Thu, 31 May 2018 14:33

boyle014
Messages: 78
Registered: December 2015
Location: Minneapolis

Senior Member

When you're using IPUMS-DHS, it is sometimes useful to see the original DHS variable names. For example, you might be interested in applying information from a discussion on The DHS Program User Forum that uses an original DHS variable name.

The easiest way to see the original DHS variable names is to change the option at the top of the data discovery page to "Original DHS Variable Names":

index.php?t=getfile&id=890&private=0

Another method is to search for the original DHS variable name by clicking on the Search button on the top left of the data discovery page:

index.php?t=getfile&id=889&private=0

Finally, the original DHS variable names are shown at the top of all the data documentation pages. Here's an example of the header from the urban/rural status variable:

index.php?t=getfile&id=892&private=0

The variable V025 in the original DHS is called URBAN in IPUMS-DHS.

Some variables in IPUMS-DHS were constructed by the IPUMS team and therefore do not have a DHS equivalent. For example, IDHSSTRATA provides a unique cross-sample sampling strata identifier. This is a variable that users pooling the original DHS data files must construct themselves. We've constructed it for them.

Look for more information on constructed variables in future posts.