The Guttmacher Institute collects a wide range of data on sexual and reproductive health. Although Guttmacher researchers publish extensively from the data collected, resource constraints limit the ability to explore and analyze much of these data. As a result, many such datasets are underutilized. At the same time, other scholars and students could benefit from access to the data Guttmacher has collected. The purpose of the proposed project will be to create new public-use datasets and make them freely available to the wider research community, providing new resources for researchers and students (especially graduate students) to examine a wide range of fertility and reproductive health topics not covered by other publicly available national data, for use in analyses, dissertations, theses and other academic publications, as well as classroom exercises. Guttmacher will produce a total of four public-use datasets using R03 funds. The datasets will include data collected in both the U.S. and in developing countries. These datasets will include nationally representative surveys of family planning providers and the patients they serve, as well as population-based surveys of women and men of reproductive age on reproductive health knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. All datasets will be cleaned, deidentified and thoroughly documented to ensure ease of use. Datasets will be housed at the Data Sharing for Demographic Research (DSDR) archive at the University of Michigan. A parallel index will be maintained on the website of Guttmacher's population center to facilitate access by different audiences. The availability of these datasets will be publicized broadly at professional meetings such as PAA and IUSSP, electronically via listserves and social media, and through other channels. In sum, the proposed project will enable researchers around the globe to benefit from access to data not previously available in order to answer questions across the domain of fertility and reproductive health, with the ultimate goal of improving the health of women, men and families worldwide.
The Guttmacher Institute collects more data on reproductive health than we can analyze. By creating public-use datasets from these data and making them freely available to scholars, students and other researchers, we will enable them to answer questions that will help improve reproductive health worldwide.
