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An introduction to Young Lives' data
We recommend starting with the Young Lives Cohort Profile papers, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, which provide a comprehensive overview of the study design, sampling, and key findings:
- Cohort Profile (2013): The Young Lives Study Rounds 1-3
- Cohort Profile Update (2022): The Young Lives Study Rounds 1-6
- Cohort Profile Update (2026): Forthcoming
We also release a constructed dataset for each of the four study countries, exploiting the longitudinal nature of the data. These are presented in a panel format and contain approximately 200 original and constructed variables, with the majority comparable across all seven rounds. A companion technical note is also included for information. We recently released an updated version of the constructed dataset covering rounds 1-7.
- Young Lives: an International Study of Childhood Poverty: Rounds 1-7 Constructed Files, 2002-2026 (SN 9543)
Finally, our Data Inventories give a useful overview of the data collected across topics and rounds.
Young Lives Quantitative Researcher, Patricia Espinoza Revollo presents a short guide to Young Lives data for beginners and new users.
More information is available via the drop-down list below:
Study structure and observation units
Young Lives follows two cohorts across four study countries. This design allows researchers to compare life trajectories across generations, geographies and policy contexts. Data files are structured at the individual, household and community level. Individual and household datasets can be linked across rounds using the unique participant identifiers (childid and CHILDCODE). To link individual and community datasets, check unique community identifiers (commid/ placeid), present in both datasets. We also provide this variable across rounds in the constructed version of the datasets.
Key thematic areas covered across rounds:
- Poverty and wealth — wealth index, household assets, consumption
- Health and nutrition — anthropometric measures, morbidity, food security
- Cognitive development — vocabulary, maths, executive function, and literacy assessments
- Education — enrolment, attendance, attainment, school quality
- Employment and livelihoods — child work, adult employment transitions, income
- Family and social life — household composition, caregiving, marriage, parenthood
- Gender and inequalities — gender attitudes, discrimination, reproductive health
- Mental health and well-being — subjective well-being, stress, life satisfaction (Round 7 onwards)
- Shocks and crises — exposure to COVID-19, climate events, conflict
Data Documentation
Good documentation is essential for using longitudinal data well. Young Lives provides a full suite of resources to support researchers at every level of experience. Available documentation includes:
- Survey questionnaires for each round, in English and local languages
- Survey design and sampling factsheets
- Technical notes on specific measures (e.g. cognitive assessments, wealth indices) [link Tech notes in publications]
- Fieldwork and attrition reports
- Ethics protocols and consent documentation [UKDS]
- Variable lists and codebooks [UKDS]
All documentation is available on the relevant round pages and through the UK Data Service catalogue.
Restricted and unpublished data
Young Lives delays public archiving of data for a period to allow project staff and partners in the UK and study countries exclusive access for analysis, in recognition of their contribution to survey design, data gathering and data management.
As part of our ethical commitments, we have guaranteed to protect the anonymity and confidentiality of our study sites and respondents so we only make geographical identifiers available at region level in Ethiopia, district level in India, province level in Peru and Vietnam. We do not release any location data on a lower level.
The teachers professional knowledge from the school survey data is also not released as part of our commitment to protecting the confidentiality of our respondents.
Citing Young Lives data
If you use the Young Lives data in any publication, please follow the UKDS guidelines for citing data. Please cite the relevant archived dataset via the UKDS DOI, as well as the appropriate Cohort Profile paper and use the following acknowledgement:
'The data used in this publication come from Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty and transitions to adulthood in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam (www.younglives.org.uk). Young Lives is funded by UK aid from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and a number of further funders. The views expressed here are those of the author(s). They are not necessarily those of Young Lives, the University of Oxford, FCDO or other funders.'
As an example, our latest Round 7 data should be cited as follows:
Favara, M., Sanchez, A., Molina, M. de los Angeles, Pankhurst, A., Woldehanna, T., Gebresilassie, M., Singh, R., Revathi, E., Sunder, S., Campos, A., Cueto, S., Lizama, M., Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) (India), Instituto de Investigacion Nutricional (IIN) (Peru). (2026). Young Lives: An International Study of Childhood Poverty: Round 7, 2023-2024. [data collection]. UK Data Service. SN: 9538, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-9538-1
Publications using Young Lives data
The Young Lives team has used the survey's data in over 900 papers. An extensive bibliography of all these publications, including external publications using the public archive, is available on our Publications page.
Accessing our data
Important information about using our data
An introduction to Young Lives' data
We recommend starting with the Young Lives Cohort Profile papers, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, which provide a comprehensive overview of the study design, sampling, and key findings:
- Cohort Profile (2013): The Young Lives Study Rounds 1-3
- Cohort Profile Update (2022): The Young Lives Study Rounds 1-6
- Cohort Profile Update (2026): Forthcoming
We also release a constructed dataset for each of the four study countries, exploiting the longitudinal nature of the data. These are presented in a panel format and contain approximately 200 original and constructed variables, with the majority comparable across all seven rounds. A companion technical note is also included for information. We recently released an updated version of the constructed dataset covering rounds 1-7.
- Young Lives: an International Study of Childhood Poverty: Rounds 1-7 Constructed Files, 2002-2026 (SN 9543)
Finally, our Data Inventories give a useful overview of the data collected across topics and rounds.
Young Lives Quantitative Researcher, Patricia Espinoza Revollo presents a short guide to Young Lives data for beginners and new users.
More information is available via the drop-down list below:
Study structure and observation units
Young Lives follows two cohorts across four study countries. This design allows researchers to compare life trajectories across generations, geographies and policy contexts. Data files are structured at the individual, household and community level. Individual and household datasets can be linked across rounds using the unique participant identifiers (childid and CHILDCODE). To link individual and community datasets, check unique community identifiers (commid/ placeid), present in both datasets. We also provide this variable across rounds in the constructed version of the datasets.
Key thematic areas covered across rounds:
- Poverty and wealth — wealth index, household assets, consumption
- Health and nutrition — anthropometric measures, morbidity, food security
- Cognitive development — vocabulary, maths, executive function, and literacy assessments
- Education — enrolment, attendance, attainment, school quality
- Employment and livelihoods — child work, adult employment transitions, income
- Family and social life — household composition, caregiving, marriage, parenthood
- Gender and inequalities — gender attitudes, discrimination, reproductive health
- Mental health and well-being — subjective well-being, stress, life satisfaction (Round 7 onwards)
- Shocks and crises — exposure to COVID-19, climate events, conflict
Data Documentation
Good documentation is essential for using longitudinal data well. Young Lives provides a full suite of resources to support researchers at every level of experience. Available documentation includes:
- Survey questionnaires for each round, in English and local languages
- Survey design and sampling factsheets
- Technical notes on specific measures (e.g. cognitive assessments, wealth indices) [link Tech notes in publications]
- Fieldwork and attrition reports
- Ethics protocols and consent documentation [UKDS]
- Variable lists and codebooks [UKDS]
All documentation is available on the relevant round pages and through the UK Data Service catalogue.
Restricted and unpublished data
Young Lives delays public archiving of data for a period to allow project staff and partners in the UK and study countries exclusive access for analysis, in recognition of their contribution to survey design, data gathering and data management.
As part of our ethical commitments, we have guaranteed to protect the anonymity and confidentiality of our study sites and respondents so we only make geographical identifiers available at region level in Ethiopia, district level in India, province level in Peru and Vietnam. We do not release any location data on a lower level.
The teachers professional knowledge from the school survey data is also not released as part of our commitment to protecting the confidentiality of our respondents.
Citing Young Lives data
If you use the Young Lives data in any publication, please follow the UKDS guidelines for citing data. Please cite the relevant archived dataset via the UKDS DOI, as well as the appropriate Cohort Profile paper and use the following acknowledgement:
'The data used in this publication come from Young Lives, a longitudinal study of childhood poverty and transitions to adulthood in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam (www.younglives.org.uk). Young Lives is funded by UK aid from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and a number of further funders. The views expressed here are those of the author(s). They are not necessarily those of Young Lives, the University of Oxford, FCDO or other funders.'
As an example, our latest Round 7 data should be cited as follows:
Favara, M., Sanchez, A., Molina, M. de los Angeles, Pankhurst, A., Woldehanna, T., Gebresilassie, M., Singh, R., Revathi, E., Sunder, S., Campos, A., Cueto, S., Lizama, M., Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) (India), Instituto de Investigacion Nutricional (IIN) (Peru). (2026). Young Lives: An International Study of Childhood Poverty: Round 7, 2023-2024. [data collection]. UK Data Service. SN: 9538, DOI: http://doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-9538-1
Publications using Young Lives data
The Young Lives team has used the survey's data in over 900 papers. An extensive bibliography of all these publications, including external publications using the public archive, is available on our Publications page.
Accessing our data
Important information about using our data
Share