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Finding Data: Data on Sexual Attitudes, Orientation & Behavior

ACCESS TO THESE DATA FILES ARE RESTRICTED TO CURRENTLY ENROLLED/EMPLOYED MEMBERS OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.

• AIDS/STD Data Archive at Sociometrics
  Consists of original research data and instruments from 11 premier studies on AIDS/HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Also available are 8 studies from the Archive of Behavioral and Social Research on HIV/AIDS, which provide descriptive and comparative data on the behavioral and social antecedents and consequences of HIV, AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases. Part of Sociometrics.

• Chinese Health and Family Life Survey (1999-2000)
  Focuses on sexual behavior in contemporary Chinese society. There are 18 sections: Demography; Health; Attitudes toward Marriage and Sex; Marital Status; Current Spouse/Sex Partner; Sex Partners; Other Long Term Partner; Short Term Partner; Initial Partner; Sexual Dysfunction; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Childhood Sexual Experience; Sexual Harassment and Unwanted Sex; Sexual Consumption; Masturbation and Homosexuality; Conclusion; and Interviewer Comments.

• Cultural Context of Youth Suicide: Identity, Gender and Sexuality, 2006
  Explores how young people think about suicide and self-harm. Considered how young people's understandings of how distress relating to gender identity or sexuality could lead to suicide. Also focused on struggles young people may experience around sexuality and gender identity and how these struggles may lead to suicidal behavior. Involved 11 focus groups and 13 interviews with participants aged 16-25 years. The fieldwork took place in the North West of England and South Wales. 3 focus groups were made up of young people who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. 7 interviewees identified themselves lesbian, gay or bisexual. To obtain a free account please register with the UKDA.

• Data Archive on Adolescent Pregnancy and Pregnancy Prevention (DAAPPP)
  In 1994, the scope of DAAPPP was expanded to include studies that focus more broadly on adolescent sexual health issues, thereby including studies examining behavioral factors related to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in addition to pregnancy.

• European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Information Portal
  Provides access to relevant information and data in the fields of fundamental rights in context of the European Union and its Member States. At the moment the Infoportal holds a sizeable collection of writing on racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and related intolerances.

• General Social Survey (1972-2008) (GSS)
  Produced biennially since 1994, the GSS is a long running survey of social, cultural and political indicators. In addition to the GSS, topic modules, designed to investigate new issues or to expand the coverage of an existing subject, are administered. Examples of topic modules include computer and Internet, racial and ethnic prejudice, and child mental-health stigma. The GSS has participated since 1985 in the International Social Survey Program. A listing of modules performed through 2008 is available. For quick crosstabs and correlations use the SDA version which is available for free through University of California at Berkeley. For more information, see the NORC website.

  Sample Size: Over the life of the survey, more than 43,000 respondents, with about 3,000 added biennially.

• General Social Survey Topical Module 1988, 1994, 2002: Sexual Behavior
  

• Growth of American Families, 1955-1960
  Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, opinions on childbearing and childrearing, expectation of further children, etc. Background information such as marital history, education, income, religion, social characteristics, and place of residence was also collected. Also available through ICPSR.

• Money Management in Lesbian and Gay Couples, 2004-2006
  Investigates how same-sex couples manage their finances; potential links between money management practices and relationship beliefs; how money management in same-sex couples compares with heterosexual couples; and views on civil partnership legislation. To obtain a free account please register with the UKDA.

  Sample Size: 386 cases who had a current partner; 132 cases who were single.

• Murray Research Archive - Sexuality datasets
  Has a number of studies valuable for researching sexual attitudes, orientations and behavior.

  Some useful datasets include:

  • Family Life and Sexual Learning
  • National Lesbian Health Care Survey
  • Study of Gay Fathers
  • Familial Communication and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

  Application may need to be made directly to the Murray Research Archive for permission to use the data.

• National Couples Survey, 2005-2006 (Married and Cohabitating Couples Study and the Dating Couples Study)
  Examined couples' contraceptive decision making (but not consistency of use). Completed interviews were obtained from both partners of 413 married couples, 261 cohabiting couples and 335 dating non-cohabiting heterosexual couples (2,018 individuals), where the female is 20 to 35 years old and the male is 18 or older. Other eligibility criteria are that the female is not currently pregnant, postpartum, or trying to get pregnant, and where both partners are neither medically nor surgically sterile (for whom consistency of contraceptive use is of limited interest). Used computer-assisted self interviewing to collect data from an area probability sample of household residents in 4 cities and their adjacent county subdivisions: Baltimore, MD; Durham, NC; St. Louis, MO; and Seattle, WA. Obtained separate, parallel reports from both partners, providing unique and detailed data on the power relations, birth desires, and method-related expectancies, values, perceptions, preferences, and behaviors of men and women making contraceptive and disease prevention choices within the context of an intimate heterosexual relationship.

• National Fertility Survey, 1965, 1970, 1975
  Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, opinions on childbearing and childrearing, desired family size, future childbearing intentions and expectation of further children. Questions about coital frequency at the time of interview were asked. Marital history, some labor force participation history, and background information such as education, income, religion, social characteristics, and place of residence was also collected. Also available through ICPSR.

• National Survey of Family Growth (1973+)
  Women were asked questions about fertility and contraception, including contraceptive use and pregnancy histories, desired family size, and expectation of further children. Also reports background information about the respondent and her husband, such as education, religion, ethnic origin, occupation, and earnings.

• Population Research Center at NORC and The University of Chicago
  Makes available data from some of the Population Research Center's projects. Interesting datasets include the National Health and Social Life Survey, the Chicago Health and Social Life Survey, and the Chinese Health and Family Life Survey. Profiles sexual behavior, demography and health.