# Is the HLDID variable available for the Netherlands 2005 MTUS data?

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/is-the-hldid-variable-available-for-the-netherlands-2005-mtus-data/2365>\
**Category:** TIME USE\
**Created:** [June 1, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/is-the-hldid-variable-available-for-the-netherlands-2005-mtus-data/2365 "2018-06-01T17:59:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jmmeyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@jmmeyer](https://forum.ipums.org/u/jmmeyer)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/is-the-hldid-variable-available-for-the-netherlands-2005-mtus-data/2365/1 "2018-06-01T17:59:00Z")

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According to the variable information online, it seems that HLDID should be available for the Netherlands 2005 data. However, when I download the data, all HLDID values for the Netherlands 2005 data are “0.” Is this a coding/data error? If not, is there an alternate way to connect members of the same household in the 2005 Netherlands data?

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**Author:** ![JeffBloem](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/jeffbloem/32/40_2.png) [@JeffBloem](https://forum.ipums.org/u/JeffBloem)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/is-the-hldid-variable-available-for-the-netherlands-2005-mtus-data/2365/2 "2018-06-12T16:38:00Z")

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The [HLDID variable description](https://www.mtusdata.org/mtus-action/variables/HLDID#description_section) mentions that all records receive and HLDID value of 0 if the original files do not include unique household identifiers. Furthermore, in all of the Netherlands samples ([see details here](https://www.mtusdata.org/mtus/samples.shtml)) there is only one respondent per household. This explains why there is no way to link various members of the same household.

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**Author:** ![jmmeyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@jmmeyer](https://forum.ipums.org/u/jmmeyer)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/is-the-hldid-variable-available-for-the-netherlands-2005-mtus-data/2365/3 "2018-06-12T17:46:00Z")

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Thanks, Jeff Bloem, for that answer. My confusion derived from the fact that the NL 2005 information suggests that multiple respondents/household were interviewed. (“All persons aged 12+ in sampled households were asked to completed one week diaries”–[https://www.mtusdata.org/mtus/nl2005a…](https://www.mtusdata.org/mtus/nl2005a.shtml)) Perhaps only one person per household was included in the MTUS sample, even if additional respondents were included in the original NL 2005 data?

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**Author:** ![JeffBloem](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/jeffbloem/32/40_2.png) [@JeffBloem](https://forum.ipums.org/u/JeffBloem)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/is-the-hldid-variable-available-for-the-netherlands-2005-mtus-data/2365/4 "2018-06-12T18:48:00Z")

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This is a good point! It is indeed a bit of a confusing detail in the documentation. The IPUMS Time Use team is aware of this detail and will aim to have a clarification on the website in the next few months.

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**Author:** ![jmmeyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@jmmeyer](https://forum.ipums.org/u/jmmeyer)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/is-the-hldid-variable-available-for-the-netherlands-2005-mtus-data/2365/5 "2018-06-12T19:00:00Z")

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Okay, many thanks!