Using SAMHDA
- Overview
- Terms, formats, and statistical vocabulary
- Searching and finding the data you need
- Accessing data
- Downloading data
- Analyzing data using statistical software
- Online data analysis using SDA
- Producing Quick Tables
- More information
Downloading data
To download the data for a study, you must first select either the download tab on the Study Description page or the Download link for a study that appears on a search results page. If you have not already logged in, selecting the Download link/tab will take you to a MyData login screen. You can login as a Guest/Anonymously or as a Returning User.
To login as a returning user, you will need to create a MyData account. Individuals who plan to frequently access/download data from the SAMHDA archives will want to consider creating a MyData account. This service offers users of SAMHDA data additional functionality.
Note: You must set your browser to accept cookies in order for login to succeed. Your login session will last until you close your browser or log out. Our FAQ section provides solutions to common technical problems.
Once you have logged in, you will be directed to the Download page for the study.
The sample Download screen shown below in Example 3 (e.g., 2006 NSDUH - this link requires login) walks you through a series of steps to download files. Step 1 lists the available data formats, while Step 2 lists the datasets in the study. Select your preferences for download, and then click the button in Step 3 to add the files to your Data Cart. You may use Step 4 to review the contents of your cart. When you are ready, simply click on the button in Step 5. When you click the Download Data Cart button, you will be redirected to a Terms of Use statement. Before being allowed to continue with the download, you will need to click on the I Agree button to verify that you have read and agree with the Terms of Use. Then you can download a zipped folder that contains all your files.
If you are uncertain whether the study fits your needs, we recommend first browsing the codebook or other documentation files, which can be accessed by clicking on the Browse Documentation tab. Viewing the description is good practice when preparing to download data. The description contains a general description of the study, and sometimes supplies important information about file formats and other unique characteristics of the data. Alternatively, you may explore the study content by analyzing data online.
Example 3: Download Screen
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