st: RE: st: Merging 2 Tricky Panel Datasets

["Clifton Chow" <clifton_chow@post.harvard.edu>]

I am trying to merge two panel datasets completed through in-person interviews on identiical sample of individuals, but there is one challenging component.  My time variable is not easily matched.  I have two such variables I can use to relate the two datasets in addition to system generated person ID:

A. Interview date - This is matched identically on both datasets, but the format for dataset 1 = mo/day/year and for  dataset 2 = month, day and year are broken out into separate variables. 

dataset 1                                  dataset 2

obs 1  04 12 09                      obs 1   04/12/2009
obs 2  12 14 10                      obs 2   12/14/2010

B.  Interview sequence:  This is the tricky part.  Dataset 1 has a variable denoting interview sequence from 1- 9, but dataset 2 has interview sequence variable from 1 - 10, with 10 being the final interview conducted before discharge that can map on to the final interview recorded in dataset 1.  

Dataset 1                              Dataset 2

ID        Seq             ID        Seq
obs 1     1               obs 1      1
obs 1     2               obs 1      2
obs 2     1               obs 2      1
obs 2     2               obs 2      2
OBS 2    3               OBS2     10

This means for individuals from dataset 2 without a sequence number 10, everything lines up perfectly between the two datasets (1-9).  But for those with a sequence number 10, it can map on to any possible datapoint in dataset 1, depending on which is the individual's final interview as recorded in dataset 1.

Does anyone have a program (either forloop or if statement) that can handle datapoint 10 from dataset 2 so I can still successfully merge both datasets without losing significant data from individuals who were discharged (those with datapoint 10)?

Many Thanks!
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