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**Research    Data CenterNCHS Research Data Center Opens | Details| OperationsRDC Facilities | Data**
 
**NCHS Research Data Center Opens**The    continuing demand for analyses that require restricted data with lower levels of geography    such as States, counties, and smaller areas, but without confidential identifiers, such as    names or social security numbers, has been the impetus for the creation of the Research    Data Center (RDC) located at the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) headquarters    in Hyattsville, Maryland. Designed for the researcher outside of NCHS, the RDC allows    access to data that would not be permissible to analyze because of **confidentiality/disclosure rules and    regulations**. 
Prospective researchers must submit a research proposal that will be reviewed and    approved by a committee whose judgment is based upon the availability of RDC resources,    consistency with the mission of NCHS, and the feasibility of the project. It is expected    that the user will develop the research proposal with the RDC staff to minimize the time    required. Although researchers will sign confidentiality agreements, strict    confidentiality protocols require that researchers with approved projects must complete    their work using the facilities located within the RDC. Researchers can supply their own    data to be merged with NCHS data sets. Completed by the RDC staff, the merged files will    be only available to the originating researcher unless written permission is given to    allow access to others. 

Two access methods are    available for researchers to accomplish their tasks: Onsite and remote. 

Onsite researchers have    the ability to use the full capabilities of the SAS system with the only caveat being a    disclosure review. However, major restrictions limit the analysis capabilities of the    remote access system. Totally scanned and screened, printed output using SAS procedures    and functions adhere to strict minimal disclosure limits and are suppressed if the    minimums are not met.

Another analysis option    for researchers with large, complex analytic projects may be to subcontract with the NCHS    RDC to perform the tasks necessary for the research project.

Regardless of the option    chosen, each has an associated cost that includes capital and labor expenses involved in    setting up and monitoring each project. Cost estimations both in terms of time and money,    can only be as accurate as the degree of specificity of the research. Again, with the help    of the staff of the RDC at an early stage, the estimates should reasonably approximate    reality.

**DetailsResearch Proposal**Suggest to make a trip early in the application    process to RDCBest to develop in conjunction with RDC staffPortions of doctoral proposals or grant    applications may sufficeDetailed summary of proposed research including    why publicly available data are not sufficientFull personal and institutional affiliation    requiredDates of proposed visits to the RDCAn estimation of the total hours expected to be    working in the RDCSpecific NCHS data requested including year or    years and variablesDetails of the user-supplied data to be merged    with NCHS dataSoftware requirements including language - SAS    for Windows and Stata are availableRequired to sign Agreement Regarding Conditions    of Access to Confidential Data in the Research Data Center of the National Center for    Health StatisticsRequired to sign the Researcher Affidavit of    ConfidentialityAcceptability based on availability of RDC    resources, consistency with the NCHS mission, and the feasibility of the project

**OperationsGuest Researcher (on site)RDC staff constructs necessary    data files including merged user dataPC SAS, SUDAAN, STATA, FORTRAN and HLM  availableOther statistical packages available with    sufficient lead timeOutput subject to disclosure reviewDisclosure review guidelines published in NCHS    Staff Manual on ConfidentialityAnalyses (paper output) passing disclosure    review can be taken off siteCenter requires staff oversightOnly open during normal working hours**Remote Access**RDC staff constructs necessary data files    including merged user dataAbility to submit analytical computer programs    via e-mailOutput returned by e-mail to user’s    registered addressSAS programs only, certain procedures and    functions not allowed       PROC TABULATE and PROC IML not allowed       LIST and PRINT not allowed - no listing of    individual cases       R_, FIRST., LAST., not allowed - no selection of    individual          cases       No cell fewer than five observations; if found,    other cells also          suppressed       Job log scanned for conditions that spawn case    listings       Manual disclosure limitation review where    necessary**Staff Programming**Subcontract with the RDC staff to perform    programming tasksSpecifications from researcher with input from    RDC staff**Costs**Estimated for each research projectIncludes equipment and space rental, staff    overhead and setupKnowledge of research necessary to estimate    costs        **Specific    costs:**           On site researcher cost    $1,000 per week           Remote access    for National Survey of Family Growth              contextual data files $500 per year           Remote access    for any one data set $500 per month           File    construction and setup $500 per day of effort
**RDC Facilities**Multiple workstationsHigh speed Pentium computersAll have    Windows 95All have SAS for WindowsNo removable mediaSecured printerServer for RDC private network

**DataNCHS Data**Matched    Twins File****National    Health Insurance Survey data file**National    Health Interview (NHIS) - State and County level identifiers1995 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) -    contextual data filesThird National Health and Nutrition Examination    Survey (NHANES III) -County level identifiersNational Hospital Discharge Survey - State    identifiersDetailed Mortality, 1968-PresentOther data from NCHS can be made available such    as vital statistics or the Longitudinal Study on Aging with restricted data such as lower    levels of geography, sample design information, etc., included**User-Supplied Data**Can be proprietary data collected and    "owned" by the userCan be other publicly available information such as census data**Consulting with RDC staff necessary**To ensure data can be merged with NCHS dataFormat of the data must be consistent with NCHS    dataMerge is done before the arrival of the    researcherFiles and information used in linking that will    be destroyed after the merged file is created and will not be made available to the    researcher**Any merged data set created belongs to the researcher**Researcher can give access to others with    written consent only**Periodic backup files created and maintained by RDC staff**Contain user-supplied data and merged filesStored in secure areaOnly destroyed upon written request of the user
**For    complete details and application form contact:**    John Horm    Research Data Center    6525 Belcrest Road, Suite 100    Hyattsville, Maryland  20782-2003    Voice Mail: (301) 458-4277Fax: (301) 458-4039    E-mail: **[email protected]**

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This page last reviewed July 24, 2000

**U.S.    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES****Centers    for Disease Control and Prevention**    National Center for Health Statistics    Division of Data Services     Hyattsville, MD    20782-2003    (301) 458-4636
  

  

  

  

  

  

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