The Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) is a longitudinal study since 1968 of a representative sample of U.S. individuals and the family units in which they reside. The study?s long-term span, innovative genealogical design, and comprehensive content have been critical to the fundamental understanding of a wide variety of key social science issues, including those involving life course effects. The main goal of this supplement is to use the data collected in the PSID to inform decision-making on economic and policy issues involving food, with a particular emphasis on assessing the impact of various aspects of food assistance programs on the well-being of U.S. families.
We propose to carry out the following activities related to the USDA – ERS mission of serving as a source of economic information to inform public and private decision-making on economic and policy issues involving food, including:
1) Involving ERS staff in an expert review of the questions being used to collect data in the PSID related to food and food assistance programs;
2) Continuing to collect and disseminate data related to food and food assistance programs in the main PSID survey. PSID data are collected biennially, with the most recent wave of data collection in the spring of 2009. Funding has been secured for the next wave of data collection for 2011;
3) Disseminating and actively promoting the food-related data on the PSID website by featuring the topic in special materials that can be obtained on the website or distributed at professional meetings. Note that a tutorial on the use of food stamp data to track changes in food stamp program participation between 1994 and 1999 has been developed to enhance user awareness and facilitate use of these data. The tutorial is currently posted on the website, here: http://psidonline.isr.umich.edu/Guide/tutorials/tutorials_home.html similar future tutorials based on food-related themes could be developed;
4) Increasing awareness of the food-related data in the scientific user community by advertising the content in the programs of relevant professional workshops and conferences such as the American Economic Association; and
5) Providing the ERS staff with information about and possible opportunities to collaborate in local summer research institute programs.
Funding:
National Science Foundation
Funding Period:
09/20/2010 to 02/29/2012