Americans' Changing Lives: Waves I, II, III, IV, and V, 1986, 1989, 1994, 2002, and 2011

These data are being released in BETA version to facilitate early access to the study for research purposes. This collection has not been processed by NACDA or ICPSR at this time; the data are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection. As the study is further processed and given enhanced features by ICPSR, users will be able to access the updated versions of the study. Please report any data errors or problems to user support and we will work with you to resolve any data related issues.
The Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) survey series is an ongoing nationally representative longitudinal study focusing especially on differences between Black and White Americans in middle and late life. These data constitute the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth waves in a panel survey covering a wide range of sociological, psychological, mental, and physical health items.
Wave I of the study began in 1986 with a nation face-to-face survey of 3,617 adults ages 25 and up, with Black Americans and people aged 60 and over over-sampled at twice the rate of the others. Wave II constitutes face-to-face re-interviews in 1989 of those still alive. Survivors have been re-interviewed by telephone, and when necessary face-to-face, in 1994, 2001/02, and 2011, making up Waves III, IV, and V of the data.

ACL was designed and sought out to investigate the following: (1) the ways in which a wide range of activities and social relationships that people engage in are broadly "productive," (2) how individuals adapt to acute life events and chronic stresses that threaten the maintenance of health, effective functioning, and productive activity, and (3) sociocultural variations in the nature, meaning, determinants, and consequences of productive activity and relationships. Among the topics covered are interpersonal relationships (spouse/partner, children, parents, friends), sources and levels of satisfaction, social interactions and leisure activities, traumatic life events (physical assault, serious illness, divorce, death of a loved one, financial or legal problems), perceptions of retirement, health behaviors (smoking, alcohol
consumption, overweight, rest), and utilization of health care services (doctor visits, hospitalization, nursing home institutionalization, bed days). Also included are measures of physical health, psychological well-being, and indices referring to cognitive functioning.

Demographic information provided for individuals includes household composition, number of children and grandchildren, employment status, occupation and work history, income, family financial situation, religious beliefs and practices, ethnicity, race, education, sex, and region of residence.

本数据集以测试版（BETA）形式发布，旨在方便研究人员提前获取该研究数据以开展相关研究。目前本数据集尚未经过NACDA或ICPSR的处理，将按照数据提交者提供的原始格式进行分发。用户可参阅随附的自述文件，了解本数据集包含的各类文件的简要说明。待ICPSR对本研究进行进一步处理并优化功能后，用户将可获取该研究的更新版本。若发现数据错误或相关问题，请联系用户支持团队，我们将与您共同解决所有与数据相关的问题。

《美国人生活变迁》（Americans' Changing Lives，简称ACL）调查系列是一项持续进行的全国代表性纵向研究，尤其聚焦美国黑人和白人在中年及老年阶段的差异。本次发布的数据涵盖该追踪调查的第1至第5波次，内容涉及社会学、心理学、精神健康与身体健康等诸多领域的多项指标。

该研究的第一波次始于1986年，针对3617名25岁及以上的成年人开展全国性面对面调查，其中美国黑人和60岁及以上人群的抽样比例为其他群体的两倍。1989年，研究人员对仍在世的受访者开展面对面回访，即第二波次调查。后续在1994年、2001/2002年及2011年，研究人员通过电话对存活受访者进行回访，必要时采用面对面访谈形式，由此形成本次数据集的第三、第四及第五波次数据。

ACL的设计初衷为探究以下三大主题：其一，人们参与的各类活动与社会关系在何种层面上具有广泛的“生产性”；其二，个体如何应对威胁健康、有效机能与生产性活动的突发生活事件与长期压力；其三，生产性活动与社会关系的本质、内涵、决定因素及结果存在哪些社会文化差异。本次调查涵盖的主题包括：人际关系（配偶/伴侣、子女、父母、朋友）、满意度的来源与程度、社会互动与休闲活动、创伤性生活事件（人身攻击、重大疾病、离婚、亲人离世、财务或法律纠纷）、退休认知、健康行为（吸烟、饮酒、超重、休息情况）以及医疗服务使用情况（就诊次数、住院情况、养老院入住情况、卧床天数）。此外，数据集还包含身体健康、心理健康以及认知功能相关的指标测量数据。

为受访者提供的人口统计信息包括：家庭构成、子女与孙子女数量、就业状况、职业与工作经历、收入水平、家庭财务状况、宗教信仰与仪式行为、族群、种族、教育程度、性别以及居住地区。