SAS User File for H36U22 Data
This file contains information and sample SAS programs to create a permanent
SAS dataset for users who want to use SAS in processing the MEPS data
provided in this PUF release.
There are two ways to create a permanent SAS dataset, using either the SAS
transport data file (H36U22.SSP) or the ASCII data file (H36U22.DAT)
supplied in this PUF release. Section A provides a sample SAS program for the
first alternative, which is to convert the SAS transport data file to a
regular SAS dataset using the SAS PROCedure: CIMPORT. Section B provides a
sample SAS program for the second alternative, which is to read data from the
ASCII data file using a SAS DATA step with INFILE, INPUT, and LABEL
statements. Section C explains format-related SAS statements that a user may
optionally use when working with the SAS dataset. Examples of SAS programs
(DATA step or PROC) are provided in all three sections, primarily for the
benefit of inexperienced users. Section D contains complete SAS statements
that must be used in the programs described in Sections B and C.
INCLUDED BELOW ARE NOTES APPLICABLE TO USERS OF SAS VERSION 8 OR HIGHER.
******************************************************************************
The sample SAS programs provided in Sections A and B show how to create a
permanent SAS dataset from the data files provided in this PUF release.
A. A Sample SAS Program for Converting the SAS Transport File to a
Permanent SAS Dataset
The SAS Procedure CIMPORT will read a SAS transport file and convert the
data to regular SAS format, storing the output in a permanent SAS dataset.
This permanent SAS dataset can then be used for all future processing and
analyses.
Below is a sample SAS program that can be used to convert the SAS transport
file to a permanent SAS dataset (in a Windows environment, with SAS V8 or
higher).
LIBNAME PUFLIB 'C:\MEPS\SASDATA';
FILENAME IN1 'C:\MEPS\DOWNLOAD\H36U22.SSP';
PROC CIMPORT DATA=PUFLIB.H36U22 INFILE=IN1;
RUN;
SAS transport files, SAS data files, and SAS program files each should be
stored in separate locations (directory names). Storing different types of
SAS files in one location can cause errors with converting
or retrieving data.
Below are SAS statements to print a list of variables and a few sample records
from the permanent SAS dataset:
PROC CONTENTS DATA=PUFLIB.H36U22;
TITLE 'List of Variables in MEPS H36U22 SAS Dataset';
RUN;
PROC PRINT DATA=PUFLIB.H36U22 (OBS=20);
TITLE 'First 20 Observations in MEPS H36U22 SAS Dataset';
RUN;
The LIBNAME statement tells SAS the location (directory name) to store the
permanent SAS dataset which is output by PROC CIMPORT. The FILENAME statement
tells SAS the location (complete directory and file name) of the input SAS
transport data file.
NOTES:
1) If you have an error reading a SAS data file you created, the problem
may be a result of where you are storing and/or how you are retrieving
the data. First check the data library for multiple releases of SAS
files (e.g., V8 or higher with file extensions of '.SAS7BDAT' and V6
with file extensions of '.SD2') stored in the same location.
a) You can avoid errors when reading these files by including
the SAS release within the LIBNAME statement - e.g.,
LIBNAME PUFLIB V8 'C:\MEPS\SASDATA';
or
b) Store SAS data files with different file extensions such as .SD2
and .SAS7BDAT, in separate folders (do not co-mingle V8 and V6
files in the same folder);
or
c) When importing transport files, output the SAS dataset to
a different library than the one which contains the downloaded
SAS transport file - e.g.,
LIBNAME PUFLIB 'C:\MEPS\SASDATA';
FILENAME IN1 'C:\MEPS\DOWNLOAD\Hxxx.SSP';
PROC CIMPORT DATA=PUFLIB.H36U22 INFILE=IN1;
RUN;
2) The names used in the LIBNAME and FILENAME statements shown
above (i.e., PUFLIB, IN1) are arbitrary; they are only temporary
aliases.
3) The directory and file names used in the LIBNAME and FILENAME
statements shown above are Windows syntax and may need to be
modified for other operating systems such as UNIX, MAC/OS, VMS, or
OS/2.
5) The SAS transport file H36U22.SSP was created from a SAS V9
data file, using PROC CPORT. This file has been tested for use with
SAS V8 or higher. This file may work with earlier versions of
SAS, although it has not been tested with those versions. Users who are
unable to use this SAS transport file should instead convert the ASCII
data file H36U22.DAT to a SAS dataset as described in Section B.
B. A Sample SAS Program for Converting the ASCII Data File to a Permanent
SAS Dataset
The complete SAS statements (INPUT and LABEL) included in Section D are
intended to save time for those users wishing to create a permanent SAS
dataset from the H36U22.DAT ASCII data file. These statements must be used
in combination with other SAS statements to create the appropriate SAS
program, as shown below. To use the statements provided in Section D to
create a SAS program, you will need an ASCII text editor. If you are using an
interactive form of SAS (Windows, UNIX, OS2, etc.), use the editor provided as
part of the SAS software.
Following is a sample SAS program that will convert the ASCII data file to SAS
format:
LIBNAME PUFLIB 'C:\MEPS\SASDATA';
FILENAME IN1 'C:\MEPS\DOWNLOAD\H36U22.DAT';
DATA PUFLIB.H36U22;
INFILE IN1 LRECL=54;
INPUT .....; * to user: insert the complete INPUT statement that is
provided in Section D;
LABEL .....; * to user: insert the complete LABEL statement that is
provided in Section D;
RUN;
Here is an explanation of the SAS statements used in the program above.
LIBNAME statement: This tells SAS the location (directory name) of the
permanent SAS dataset.
FILENAME statement: This tells SAS the location of the input ASCII data file.
DATA statement: This signifies the beginning of a SAS DATA step and specifies
the output SAS dataset, referencing the LIBNAME entry (PUFLIB) and assigning
an internal SAS dataset name (H36U22). In the example, after the successful
completion of the DATA step, a PC file named H36U22.SAS7BDAT would have
been created in the C:\MEPS\SASDATA directory.
INFILE statement: This tells SAS the location (directory and file name) of the
input ASCII data file. Also provided is the logical record length (54
bytes), with the default of RECFM=V implied when this parameter is omitted.
LRECL and RECFM are optional parameters in the INFILE statement. With regard
to these options, please note the following: the ASCII data file H36U22.DAT
contains a 2-byte carriage return/line feed at the end of each record. When
converting to a PC-SAS file, the LRECL option should be used to specify the
record length to avoid use of a default record length by PC-SAS. If the
RECFM=V option is used, the LRECL option must be specified as the logical
record length (e.g., 54 for H36U22.DAT). If RECFM=F is used, then the
LRECL value must be specified as the logical record length plus 2 (56 for
H36U22.DAT). Note that if the RECFM option is omitted, then the default
option of RECFM=V is automatically used, and LRECL should be specified as the
logical record (54 for H36U22.DAT).
INPUT statement: This specifies the input record layout, giving names and the
beginning and ending column positions for data items (which become SAS
variables) in the ASCII data file (H36U22.DAT). Variable type (numeric or
character) is also defined via the INPUT statement.
LABEL statement: This associates descriptive names with the SAS variables.
RUN statement: This tells SAS to execute all commands up to this point.
See Section A.1 above for tips on retrieving and storing the permanent SAS
data files.
C. Optional Format-related SAS Statements
If a user wants to use formats for the SAS variables, a SAS format library
must first be created. Below is a SAS program that will accomplish this:
LIBNAME PUFLIB 'C:\MEPS\SASDATA';
PROC FORMAT LIBRARY=PUFLIB;
VALUE .....; * to user: insert the complete set of VALUE statements found
in Section D;
VALUE .....;
.......... ;
RUN;
Below is an example of how to use the SAS formats defined by the PROC FORMAT
procedure:
LIBNAME PUFLIB 'C:\MEPS\SASDATA';
OPTIONS FMTSEARCH=(PUFLIB);
PROC FREQ DATA=PUFLIB.H36U22;
TABLES .... / LIST MISSING;
FORMAT varnam1 fmtnam1. Varnam2 fmtnam2. .... ;
* to user: substitute varnam1 and fmtnam1 with actual variable names and
format names;
* Insert the FORMAT statement provided in Section D, if you are using
all the variables in the TABLES statement;
TITLE 'Frequency Distributions ....';
RUN;
Here is an explanation of the SAS statements used above.
LIBNAME statement: This tells SAS the location (directory name) of the SAS
format library. Please note that SAS datasets (file name extension is
'SAS7BDAT' for SAS V8 or higher and 'SD2' for SAS V6) and format libraries
(file name extension is 'SAS7BCAT' for SAS V8 or higher and 'SC2' for SAS
V6) can be stored under the same directory.
OPTIONS FMTSEARCH=...: This specifies the SAS format library.
PROC FORMAT statement: This identifies the SAS procedure that will make SAS
formats according to VALUE statements. Formats will be stored in a file named
FORMATS.SAS7BCAT. Please note that the option 'LIBRARY=...' can be omitted
if the user does not want to create a permanent SAS format library. When simply
'PROC FORMAT;' is used, the formats are defined only for the duration of the
batch SAS program or an interactive SAS session.
VALUE statement: This gives a) names to formats; and b) descriptive labels for
individual values, or range of values. The format names can then be invoked
using a FORMAT statement if desired.
PROC FREQ statement: This identifies the SAS procedure that generates
frequency distributions of variables specified in the TABLES statement,
formatted if a FORMAT statement is used. The input SAS dataset is specified
in the 'DATA=' option.
FORMAT statement: This associates existing formats with variables. When using
this statement, the formats must have already been created with a PROC FORMAT
procedure.
RUN statement: This tells SAS to execute all commands up to this point.
NOTES:
1) Use of formats is entirely optional, and depends on the types
of analyses that you are doing. It is recommended that you create
and use them as appropriate.
2) The names used in the LIBNAME and FILENAME statements shown
above (i.e., PUFLIB, IN1) are arbitrary; they are only temporary
aliases.
3) You only create the permanent SAS dataset once. Additional
analyses can be run using this permanent dataset.
4) The file and directory specifications in the LIBNAME and
FILENAME statements are Windows syntax and may need to be modified
for other operating systems such as UNIX, MAC/OS, VMS, or OS/2.
D. SAS Statements
This section contains SAS INPUT, LABEL, FORMAT, and VALUE statements for use in
converting the ASCII H36U22.DAT file into a SAS dataset, and for creating
SAS formats.
* INPUT STATEMENTS;
INFILE IN LRECL=54;
INPUT @1 DUID 7.0
@8 PID 3.0
@11 DUPERSID $10.0
@21 PANEL 2.0
@23 INH12 1.0
@24 INH20 1.0
@25 INH28 1.0
@26 INH38 1.0
@27 INH50 1.0
@28 INH60 1.0
@29 INH70 1.0
@30 INH79 1.0
@31 INH89 1.0
@32 INH97 1.0
@33 INH105 1.0
@34 INH113 1.0
@35 INH121 1.0
@36 INH129 1.0
@37 INH138 1.0
@38 INH147 1.0
@39 INH155 1.0
@40 INH163 1.0
@41 INH171 1.0
@42 INH181 1.0
@43 INH192 1.0
@44 INH201 1.0
@45 INH209 1.0
@46 INH216 1.0
@47 INH224 1.0
@48 INH233 1.0
@49 INH243 1.0
@50 STRA9622 4.0
@54 PSU9622 1.0
;
* FORMAT STATEMENTS;
FORMAT DUID DUID.
PID PID.
DUPERSID $DUPERID.
PANEL PANEL.
INH12 YESNO.
INH20 YESNO.
INH28 YESNO.
INH38 YESNO.
INH50 YESNO.
INH60 YESNO.
INH70 YESNO.
INH79 YESNO.
INH89 YESNO.
INH97 YESNO.
INH105 YESNO.
INH113 YESNO.
INH121 YESNO.
INH129 YESNO.
INH138 YESNO.
INH147 YESNO.
INH155 YESNO.
INH163 YESNO.
INH171 YESNO.
INH181 YESNO.
INH192 YESNO.
INH201 YESNO.
INH209 YESNO.
INH216 YESNO.
INH224 YESNO.
INH233 YESNO.
INH243 YESNO.
STRA9622 STR9622X.
PSU9622 PSU9622X.
;
* LABEL STATEMENTS;
LABEL DUID ='DWELLING UNIT ID'
PID ='PERSON NUMBER'
DUPERSID ='PERSON ID (DUID + PID)'
PANEL ='PANEL NUMBER'
INH12 ='IN H12 POPULATION (1996 FY)'
INH20 ='IN H20 POPULATION (1997 FY)'
INH28 ='IN H28 POPULATION (1998 FY)'
INH38 ='IN H38 POPULATION (1999 FY)'
INH50 ='IN H50 POPULATION (2000 FY)'
INH60 ='IN H60 POPULATION (2001 FY)'
INH70 ='IN H70 POPULATION (2002 FY)'
INH79 ='IN H79 POPULATION (2003 FY)'
INH89 ='IN H89 POPULATION (2004 FY)'
INH97 ='IN H97 POPULATION (2005 FY)'
INH105 ='IN H105 POPULATION (2006 FY)'
INH113 ='IN H113 POPULATION (2007 FY)'
INH121 ='IN H121 POPULATION (2008 FY)'
INH129 ='IN H129 POPULATION (2009 FY)'
INH138 ='IN H138 POPULATION (2010 FY)'
INH147 ='IN H147 POPULATION (2011 FY)'
INH155 ='IN H155 POPULATION (2012 FY)'
INH163 ='IN H163 POPULATION (2013 FY)'
INH171 ='IN H171 POPULATION (2014 FY)'
INH181 ='IN H181 POPULATION (2015 FY)'
INH192 ='IN H192 POPULATION (2016 FY)'
INH201 ='IN H201 POPULATION (2017 FY)'
INH209 ='IN H209 POPULATION (2018 FY)'
INH216 ='IN H216 POPULATION (2019 FY)'
INH224 ='IN H224 POPULATION (2020 FY)'
INH233 ='IN H233 POPULATION (2021 FY)'
INH243 ='IN H243 POPULATION (2022 FY)'
STRA9622 ='COMBINED VARIANCE STRATUM: 1996-2022'
PSU9622 ='COMBINED VARIANCE PSU: 1996-2022'
;
* VALUE STATEMENTS;
VALUE DUID
1 - 9999999 = 'VALID ID'
;
VALUE $DUPERID
'00000001' - '99999999' = 'VALID ID'
;
VALUE PANEL
1 = '1 PANEL 1'
2 = '2 PANEL 2'
3 = '3 PANEL 3'
4 = '4 PANEL 4'
5 = '5 PANEL 5'
6 = '6 PANEL 6'
7 = '7 PANEL 7'
8 = '8 PANEL 8'
9 = '9 PANEL 9'
10 = '10 PANEL 10'
11 = '11 PANEL 11'
12 = '12 PANEL 12'
13 = '13 PANEL 13'
14 = '14 PANEL 14'
15 = '15 PANEL 15'
16 = '16 PANEL 16'
17 = '17 PANEL 17'
18 = '18 PANEL 18'
19 = '19 PANEL 19'
20 = '20 PANEL 20'
21 = '21 PANEL 21'
22 = '22 PANEL 22'
23 = '23 PANEL 23'
24 = '24 PANEL 24'
25 = '25 PANEL 25'
26 = '26 PANEL 26'
27 = '27 PANEL 27'
;
VALUE PID
1 - 999 = 'VALID ID'
;
VALUE PSU9622X
1 - 8 = '1 - 8'
;
VALUE STR9622X
1 - 125 = '1-125'
1001 - 1165 = '1001-1165'
2001 - 2117 = '2001-2117'
;
VALUE YESNO
1 = '1 YES'
2 = '2 NO'
;