Wave III Sexual Minority Policy Documentation

This contextual database further expands the collection of contextual data currently available to users of The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) through the provision of several state-level measures reported by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). This database includes indicators of the policy context for sexual minorities (a population typically defined on the basis of co-residence with a same-sex partner or self-identification as gay, lesbian, or bisexual) in Wave III of Add Health. These data will enable researchers to examine how state -level policies in young adulthood are associated with a wide range of indicators of health and well-being among sexual minorities. The variables included in this contextual database measure context at the state level. Wave III measures correspond to the time period following Wave II through to Wave III (1997-2002). For instance, if a state implemented hate crime statutory provisions based on sexual orientation prior to or during 2002, then respondents are classified as having this provision at the time of the Wave III interview.