Data transformation
I have a wide formatted data set (each row is an individual measured
over time) containing 15 measurements beginning at 1981 and ending at
2006 (example: m81, m82, m85, m86… m2006). At the initial year of
measure (1981) the age range of individuals spanned 16 to 24yrs-old.
The age of each individual at each measurement occasion is in 15 age
variables (example: a81, a82, a85, a86… a2006).
What I want to do is restructure the dataset so age (in years) is the
variable with the measurement value listed for each individual.
Here is an example of what I think this would look like:
Current dataset:
Id m81 m82 m85 a81 a82 a85
1 1.5 1.75 2 16
17 20
2 2.3 2.5 2.6 17
18 21
3 1.8 2 2.3 24
25 28
Restructured dataset
Id y16 y17 y18 …. Y20
y21 y22 y23 y24 y25 …
y28
1 1.5 1.75 2
2 2.3 2.5
2.6
3
1.8
2 2.3
I've attempted to use "reshape" but this does not seem to give me the
data structure I am after. I also attempted to write some code using
"gen y16 = m81 if a81==16", but this cumbersome and subject to error.
Is there an easier set of commands to restructure the data as
indicated above?
Thanks.
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