The Rocky Mountain Research Data Center Advancing the Frontiers of Social Science: Opportunities and Challenges Jani Little, Executive Director Katie Genadek, Expected Administrator The Rocky Mountain Research Data Center A local and limitless data resource Jani Little, Executive Director jani.little@colorado.edu https://www.colorado.edu/rocky-mountain-research-data-center/ The Rocky Mountain Federal Statistical Research Data Center (RMRDC) Jani Little Executive Director

What is a Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC)? --RMRDC is one of many FSRDCs --A secure computing lab where restricted data, collected by federal statistical agencies, can be accessed FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES ONLY --FSRDCs are managed by an on-site Census employee—the administrator— who guides researchers on proposal development, enforces security guidelines, and serves as liaison with the research community.

9 in 2009 and 24 in 2016

The RMRDC Consortium Full Members: Supporting Members: UC Colorado Springs Colorado State Government University of Northern Colorado

CSPH (Anschutz and CSU) Advantages to Faculty, Grad Students, and Affiliated Researchers: --Free access to RMRDC services and secure laboratory --NCHS Data Fees Paid for first three proposals before July 1, 2020 --Researchers with continued use are expected to write grant proposals and include lab fees

RMRDC: The Physical Facility Opened: August, 2017 Location: IBS Building on CU Boulder Campus --10 thin client workstations to access FSRDC servers --Secure communications that tunnel over campus internet --Contains the Administrator’s office --Badge Reader at Entrance --24/7 Security System with camera --no electronic devices allowed --NOTHING leaves the secure lab without approval

RMRDC: The Physical Facility

Advantages of FSRDC Research: --Microdata not available publicly firms and establishments children --Variables not available in public versions of data sets (e.g., low level geography, precise income) --Full censuses and samples microdata (Decennial Census, ACS, CPS) better estimates of rare events, small populations, small areas

Some Types of Health Data Census Business data Health Insurance Census and Population Surveys Food security and Health Local Context Individual Health Data Suicide and Deaths of despair Child Mortality Education and Health Immigrant Health

Neighborhood context used in studies to show effects on: Neighborhood Data (Census microdata aggregated to tract or block group)—used to characterize residential context Neighborhood context used in studies to show effects on: Physical and Mental Health Newly Released data—Moving to Opportunity (MTO) --a 10-year research demonstration that combines tenant-based rental assistance with housing counseling to help very low-income families move from poverty-stricken urban areas to low-poverty neighborhoods in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City  --improved health effects have been found

Census Individual/Household Data—Food Security and Health Current Population Survey Food Security Supplements Annual 1995-2016, state representative, lowest geography is county, general health question American Community Survey Annual 2005-2016, largest Census survey, 1.5% of U.S. population Lowest geography is block group Free and reduced lunch question Health insurance question Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS) 2012-2013 N=4826 nationally representative households  Detailed information was collected about foods purchased at home and away from home Includes Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households, Includes low-income households not participating in SNAP, Includes higher income households.

Individual Health Data National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) Data Release and Access Policy National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) linked with National Death Index (1993-2016) Annual Sample that is Nationally and Regionally Representative Family, Household and Person Self-Report Data Extensive Health and Social Psychological Measures including Depression, anxiety Other Mental Health Conditions Other Emotional or Behavioral Problems Used to study child deaths suicides and deaths of despair

Individual Health Data National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Health data comes from Medical exams Provides prevalence data on selected diseases and risk factors Monitors trends in diseases, behaviors, and environmental exposures Mental Health Disorders, Depression, Sexual Behavior Used to study education and health health of immigrants Youth -- Alcohol and Drug Use, ADHD, STDs,

National Survey of Children’s Health National telephone survey of households with at least 1 child, N= 91,642 Demographics, Health and Functioning, Home Environment, Early Childhood Care, Developmental Screening, Adolescent School, Exercise, Emotional Difficulties Family Functioning and Parental Health Neighborhood and Community All variables restricted County and zip code geography available Established differences between married and non-married and child health; Married; cohabiting step families; single parent, extended kin families Linked with public data on state-level family and welfare policies

RMRDC: Health Projects Approved as of April, 2018 Patrick Krueger and Melanie Tran (UC Denver) “Small Businesses and Employer- Sponsored Health Insurance” Chloe East (UC Denver) "The Effect of SNAP on Children's Health: Evidence from Immigrants' Changing Eligibility" Richard Rogers (CU Boulder)  "Early Life Mortality in the United States" Fernando Riosmena (CU Boulder) "The Role of Local Context on the Hispanic Health Paradox and Immigrant Health Adaptation Processes“ Gina Li and Colleen Reid (CU Boulder) “Forecasting Daily Heat-Related Deaths in U.S. Counties“  

Useful Websites Restricted NCHS Data https://www.cdc.gov/rdc/b1datatype/dt122.htm Restricted AHRQ Data https://meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/onsite_datacenter.jsp

Requirements for Any FSRDC Project: --Research projects must undergo a formal approval process with the agency that owns the data, e.g., Census, NCHS, AHRQ --Researchers must go through a background investigation that qualifies them for “Special Sworn Status (SSS)” which makes them an unpaid Census Bureau employee. --Results must be formally reviewed for disclosure violation before they leave the secure facility. Currently 260 active projects, 50% are Census