2024 Users Conference On-site Information

  • Check in: Beginning at 8:00AM on June 17th, you can sign in at the registration desk to receive your name badge and conference materials. The registration desk is located in Loudermilk Hall outside of the Magnolia room.
  • Location: The Users Conference is being held at the Rizzo Center, located at 150 DuBose Home Lane, Chapel Hill 27517. The conference will take place in the Magnolia room inside Loudermilk Hall. Loudermilk Hall is located directly to the left of the hotel.
  • Parking: Self-parking is available to the right when you enter the property and is indicated with a sign that states Event Parking. You can access Loudermilk Hall by following the sidewalk nearest the handicap accessible parking spaces, as indicated on the property map below.
  • Start & End Times: The conference will involve two days of presentations. On Monday June 17th, registration will open at 8:00 a.m., and welcoming remarks will begin at 9:00 a.m. On Tuesday, June 18th, the first session will begin at 8:30 a.m. The conference will conclude by 3:00 p.m. on June 18th. The conference agenda is available below.
  • Internet: Wi-Fi will be available throughout the conference. The network is “rizzoroadrunner” and no password is required.
  • Dining: Snacks will be available outside the Magnolia room for attendees throughout the day. Lunch will be served daily outside the Magnolia room and attendees may eat in the conference room, outdoors on the Rand terrace, or in the west lobby.
  • Reception: Add Health will host a reception on Monday evening from 5:30PM to 7:00PM on the Terrace and Lobby of Loudermilk Hall. Join Add Health Investigators and Staff for heavy hors d’oeuvres, complimentary drink, and refreshments. A cash bar will also be available.

Contact addhealth_conference@unc.edu with any questions.

Conference Materials

New Data Release – Wave V Contextual Despair

The following data are now available to Add Health contract researchers. 

Wave V Contextual Despair

This contextual data set focuses on the social, political, and resource environment of Add Health respondents at the tract, county, and state level that are relevant to the prevailing causes of death in midlife – namely alcohol-related diseases, drug overdoses and accidental poisonings, and suicide and self-inflicted harm. Most measures are specific to Wave V residential location, though several measures span multiple waves. Measures include the sociodemographic and segregation context, proximity to firearms distributors and alcohol outlets, opioid dispensing, and policies related to alcohol, drugs, and firearms. N=20,745, v=266s  Current Add Health investigators can log in to the CPC Data Portal and use the “Request More Data” button to order these datasets. 

For more information on the CPC Data Portal, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page

New Data Release

Woman cheering in front of laptop

The following data are now available to Add Health contract researchers. 

Wave V Baroreflex Sensitivity and Hemodynamic Recovery 

This file contains constructed measures for baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate recovery, and systolic blood pressure recovery for the Wave V respondents. N=5,381

Wave V Measures of Inflammation and Immune Function 

This file contains additional measures of inflammation and immune function based on venous blood collected via phlebotomy at the Wave V home exam and then assayed for several cytokines (IL-1β; IL-6; IL-8; IL-10; TNF-α) and anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG. N=5,381

Wave V Neurodegeneration 

This file contains two measures of neurodegeneration based on venous blood collected via phlebotomy at the Wave V home exam and then assayed for neurofilament light (NfL) and tau. N=5,381

Current Add Health investigators can log in to the CPC Data Portal and use the “Request More Data” button to order these datasets. 

For more information on the CPC Data Portal, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page

Add Health at PAA 2024

Add Health is excited to attend the PAA 2024 annual meeting from April 17 to 20, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. Add Health Director, Dr. Robert Hummer and other members of the team will present during the conference. Also, be sure to stop by our booth #408 to discover more about Add Health, speak with project staff, and learn about our valuable data resources.

View a list of PAA presentations using Add Health data here. Additional information can be found on the PAA Conference website. We can’t wait to see you there!

Job Opening at Add Health

The Carolina Population Center is seeking a highly skilled and motivated individual to join our team as a Research Scientist in the population sciences. This position will involve working on the NIH-funded National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), a critical project in understanding health trajectories from adolescence into adulthood.

Position: Research Scientist
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Duration: Full-time

The selected candidate will play a pivotal role in understanding the complex design of Add Health, developing weights for analytic files, preparing and documenting data sets for public release, addressing analytic questions from users, assisting with data analysis and presentations, writing analytic user’s guides, conducting workshops on effectively using Add Health data, and contributing to grant applications and publications.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent); for candidates demonstrating comparable independent research productivity, will accept a relevant bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and 3 or more years of relevant experience in substitution. May require terminal degree and licensure.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:

  • Degree in Demography, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Sociology, or related field.
  • Experience in data analysis.
  • Familiarity with large-scale complex population-based surveys, including design, weighting, and analysis.
  • Demonstrated experience in academic analysis and writing, public speaking and presentation, and quantitative research methodologies.
  • Substantial experience using SAS and/or Stata.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:

  • Experience in population-based data analysis.
  • Familiarity with large-scale complex population-based surveys, including design, weighting, and analysis.
  • Experience working on NIH grant proposals.
  • Experience working with data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health).

Job posting open until April 3, 2024. To apply, please use this link: https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/276009

Exploring the Impact of Parental Incarceration on Children’s Aspirations and Expectations

In recent decades, the pervasive issue of mass incarceration in the United States has cast a long shadow, affecting not only those imprisoned but also their families. However, little attention has been given to how parental incarceration impacts the hopes and ambitions of children. In response, a study by Baker (2023) used Add Health’s parental incarceration data from Wave I and Wave IV to analyze the effects of this adversity on children’s expectations and aspirations.

Baker’s study revealed a strong association between paternal incarceration and a notable decline in youth expectations and aspirations, shedding light on a critical pathway through which mass incarceration perpetuates intergenerational inequality. Despite controlling for variables, the research found that children whose fathers had been in prison reported feeling significantly worse about their future and the things they think they can achieve.

As paternal incarceration remains prevalent, particularly among marginalized communities, policymakers should look into targeted interventions that address the systemic challenges underlying the issue and provide support and resources for affected children to encourage positive aspirations and break the cycle of inequality.

Author(s)

Garrett Baker, PhD Candidate

Citation

Baker, Garrett (2023). Shattered Dreams: Paternal Incarceration, Youth Expectations, and the Intergenerational Transmission of Disadvantage. Sociological Science. vol. 10 (20). https://doi.org/10.15195/v10.a20

Abstracts due February 29 for 2024 Add Health Users Conference

The abstract submission deadline for the 2024 Add Health Users Conference is fast approaching. While any papers using Add Health data including both substantive and methodological topics are welcome, we strongly encourage abstracts that:

  • Use Wave V data
  • Examine health disparities and/or focus on racial/ethnic minoritized populations
  • Study genetic and environmental influences on health and behavior
  • Use biomarker data
  • Use longitudinal social, behavioral, and environmental data
  • Use cognitive data
  • Study life course trajectories of health, family, education, and labor force participation
  • Use data from the Add Health Parent Study

Abstracts must be submitted by Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Please use the abstract submission form on the Users Conference Website here. For more information, view the full Call for Papers.

Conference registration is free and open until May 31, 2024. Click here to register.

Dr. Kathleen Mullan Harris Awarded Infrastructure Prize for Sociology 2023 by the Kohli Foundation

The Kohli Foundation for Sociology awarded Dr. Kathleen Mullan Harris the prestigious Infrastructure Prize for Sociology 2023 for her work on Add Health.

The Kohli Foundation, known for its commitment to recognizing and promoting excellence in sociology and its interdisciplinary connections, acknowledged Dr. Harris’s exceptional efforts in shaping the infrastructure of sociological research. The Infrastructure Prize for Sociology not only celebrates her past achievements but also reflects confidence in her continued leadership and contributions to sociology. The award ceremony took place at the European University Institute in Fiesole, Italy.

Dr. Harris has made outstanding contributions to the field of sociology and has been an integral part of Add Health, having served as its director from 2004 to 2021. She is the James E. Haar Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Adjunct Professor of Public Policy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

To read the full announcement, visit the Kohli Foundation’s website.

Submit Your Abstract for the 2024 Add Health Users Conference

Add Health is now accepting abstracts for the 2024 Users Conference. Any papers using Add Health data are welcome, include both substantive & methodological topics. We strongly urge abstracts that:

  • Use Wave V data
  • Examine health disparities and/or focus on racial/ethnic minority populations
  • Study genetic and environmental influences on health and behavior
  • Use biomarker data
  • Use longitudinal social, behavioral, and environmental data
  • Use cognitive data
  • Study life course trajectories of health, family, education, and labor force participation
  • Use data from the Add Health Parent Study

Abstracts must be submitted by Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. Please use the abstract submission form on the Users Conference Website here. For more information, view the full Call for Papers.

Conference registration is also open until May 31, 2024. Click here to register.