Session 2: The BHPS Dataset - Handling panel data

• The BHPS necessarily has a complex structure:
  • individual-level and household-level data
  • everything repeats annually
  • inter-wave histories
  • specialised questionnaires and sampling information
  • Over 150 data files as of wave 14
• But despite this complexity a fairly rational, easy-to-use structure
  • Consistent file structure across waves
  • Consistent variable naming (more so than GSOEP, ECHP)
  • Detailed online documentation

BHPS Database Structure

Wave 1

Wave 2

Wave 3

Wave 4

...

...

Wave 14

ahhresp

bhhresp

chhresp

dhhresp

...

...

nhhresp

aindresp

bindresp

cindresp

dindresp

...

...

nindresp

ahhsamp

bhhsamp

chhsamp

dhhsamp

...

...

nhhsamp

bindsamp

cindsamp

dindsamp

...

...

nindsamp

aegoalt

begoalt

cegoalt

degoalt

...

...

negoalt

aindall

bindall

cindall

dindall

...

...

nindall

aincome

bincome

cincome

dincome

...

...

nincome

ajobhist

bjobhist

cjobhist

djobhist

...

...

njobhist

dyouth

...

...

nyouth

blifemst

wlifemst

bmarriag

wmarriag

bcohabit

wcohabit

bchildad

wchildad

bchildnt

wchildnt

clifejob

wlifejob

Cross-wave:

xwaveid, xwavedat, xwlsten