Overview
Dataset Summary
The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), originally known as the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, is a nationally representative longitudinal study of more than 20,000 U.S. individuals first surveyed in grades 7–12 during 1994–1995 and followed into adulthood.
Add Health links rich social, behavioral, environmental, and biological data across multiple waves, allowing researchers to examine how adolescent experiences shape adult health and life-course outcomes. The dataset includes information on physical and mental health, family and peer relationships, social networks, educational attainment, economic outcomes, and biomarker and genetic data.
Caveats
- Access requires submission of a data request form and a Data Use Agreement (DUA).
- The approval process may take weeks to several months, particularly for restricted-use data.
- Some sensitive variables (e.g., geographic, genetic) are available only through restricted-use agreements.
- Longitudinal design requires attention to attrition and appropriate weighting.
Examples of Outcomes Examined
- Physical and mental health trajectories
- Substance use and health risk behaviors
- Social networks and peer influences
- Educational attainment and socioeconomic mobility
- Chronic disease development
- Genetic and biomarker-based analyses
Topic
Population Health, Social Determinants of Health, Substance Use & Behavior
Resource Type
Dataset
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