Household Budget Survey 1996
Latvia, 1996
Identification
LVA_1996_HBS_v01_M
Household Budget Survey 1996
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Latvia | LVA |
Income/Expenditure/Household Survey [hh/ies]
The new Household Budget Survey was initiated in September 1995. It is a continuous survey with information from households obtained every month. During a year it is planned to survey 7992 households (666 households per month). (In 1996 actual full survey information was obtained for 7524 households)
The new Household Budget Survey did not start on an empty spot. In a period between World War I and World War II the Central Statistical Board of Latvia conducted two surveys similar in nature. The first took place in 1926/1927, the second in 1936/1937. Of course, the sample size for these surveys was small and the results could only be used by scientific researchers. At that time the sampling was done based solely on the applications of volunteers. In the survey of 1926/1927, 62 to 101 households were surveyed each month, but in the survey of 1936/1937 some 241 households were questioned each period.
In the post-war period household budget surveys were started in 1952 within the system of the former Central Statistical Board of the USSR (later renamed Goskomstat). While the territorial sampling was used worldwide, this survey was based on the so called "sectoral" sampling principle. First, the quotas for the different sectors of the economy were determined (number of households in each sector of the economy). Then in each sector specific companies were selected from the list of all companies in that sector. In those companies, a list of all full-time employees was used for further selection. The family (household) of the selected person was finally surveyed.
As the survey was continuous, observation of each household was not limited by time, or rather, observation of each household was encouraged for as long as possible. These conditions were satisfactory only in a planned economy when the changes with regard to the living standard of the population were small, real unemployment did not exist, and private initiative and entrepreneurship were practically impossible. The data of the survey was used only marginally since the secrecy of this kind of information was very important and only a limited number of users had access to it. As the years passed by, the number of surveyed households changed, and finally reaching 1300.
In conditions of rapid social change, the sample for the survey could not follow the developments taking place in society (increase of unemployment, development of private entrepreneurial activity, rapid increase of the share of poor people in the society). Under these conditions it was necessary to work on the preparation of a new survey while continuing to use the old one. It was necessary to build a new survey that would correspond to the requirements of international statistical organizations and that would be based on completely new data processing technologies, using personal computers.
The main purpose of the data collection is to address and analyze issues related to total income, expenditure and consumption levels and structures of both households and the main socio-economic groups. The Household Budget Survey (HBS) provides a source of information on qualitative and quantitative indicators of standard of livings in Latvia. The household is the basic unit of the survey. It is defined as a person or group of persons tied by relationship or other personal relations, having common subsistence expenditures and inhabiting the same living unit (house, flat, etc.), maintenance of which is covered by such persons jointly.
The survey comprises information on the structure of the households, their revenue and consumer expenditures, employment of the household members, living conditions, possession of consumer durables, access to health care, culture, education, as well as subjective assessments of the households' level of welfare.
The HBS data will allow us to address the following issues:
- Information on income and consumption, characteristics of consumption in relation to different social layers, number of household members, children etc.;
- Information for calculation of consumer price index;
- Linkages between different components of material welfare, e.g., revenue and living area conditions, revenue and access to consumer durable in households, etc.;
- Information for various statistical purposes, e.g., for calculation of gross domestic product for the national account statistics;
- Level of consumption of food products, components of nutritive and calorie consumption in different groups of households;
- Indicators of poverty, to investigate the spread of poverty into different layers of society.
In the context of the envisaged reform of the social security system, the survey shall enable monitoring and evaluation of social policies with respect to:
- Improvement of social aid to different socially vulnerable groups
- Reform of social security system;
- Poverty problems in the state.
The survey is multi-functional. This means, that even during the preparatory phase of the survey the scope of issues included can be changed or amplified if necessary by adding or substituting relevant sets of the survey. The HBS is organized with the expectation that the results will be used by a wide spectrum of users. The CSB will publish the data of the survey in the form of tables, and prepare analytical reports and statistical bulletins. It is foreseen to make the basic data files available on magnetic information carriers to a range of users. These microfiles will contain the basic data of the survey on a quarterly basis, having discarded any identification signs that would allow the identification of individual households.
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Social Statistics Department | Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| World Bank | Technical Support |
| United Nations Development Program | Technical Support |
Sampling
Sampling Frame
The target population of the HBS consists of all households in Latvia. Persons living in institutional households (elderly people boarding house, disabled children boarding house, student hostels, hotels, barracks, hospitals, sanatoriums, penal institutions, etc.) and homeless people are excluded from the current survey.
During the preparation stage of the survey it was decided to use the population register formed in the early 90s. At the beginning of 1995, it included more than 99% of the Latvian population.
In the pre-pilot survey in 1995 we found out that due to the different mistakes in the population register, several households were not found in the given addresses. Almost 10% of the entries of the register were outdated. Some respondents were dead. Other deficiencies were found with the addresses, physically non-existing addresses were also ascertained as well as other mistakes with the register. One should admit that the usage of the population register to form the sample of HBS makes the data processing procedures more difficult. However, in towns the population register was the only available register which allowed to create the HBS sample.
It could mean that the principal survey should consider non-response, the amount of which could seriously impair the representativeness of the survey.
Alternatives for the sampling frame were, therefore, sought out. One of the alternatives turned out to be the complete list of households of the local governments -- the civil parish. Of 32 parishes included in the first phase of HBS, 11 parishes already had a full list of households due to a previous agricultural survey. Therefore, it was necessary to prepare the identical lists only for the remaining 21 parishes.
Sample Size and Sample Rotation
The total annual sample size of the new HBS is equal to approximately 7992 households (666 per month with a complete monthly renewal till December 1996). Half of the monthly samples of the 1996 will form a panel in the sample of the corresponding months during the coming 3 years.
Samples for the HBS have been selected separately for the following domains:
• Riga and 6 large cities;
• middle and small towns, and
• rural areas.
The monthly sample size is distributed across the major strata in the following way: 222 households in Riga; 116 in the six other large cities; 90 in middle-sized towns (over 7,000 inhabitants); 33 in small towns; 205 households in rural areas. In Riga, the large cities and the middle and small towns, the population register was used to create the sample. In the rural areas, however, the list of parishes and list of households in the parish was used. It is necessary to rememeber that the sampling procedures are different in different territories, therefore the probability for an individual household to be included in the survey should be calculated differently in different territories. The allocation of the sample (distribution of the sampling community) between towns and countryside as well as among 5 large regions of Latvia (Kurzeme, Zemgale, Vidzeme, Latgale and Riga region) is described inTable 1 on page 15 of the user manual.
Sample Design (Rural and Urban Areas)
Rural Areas
In order to obtain the sample in rural areas, a two-stage stratified random sampling of households is applied. The administrations of the parishes provided the data. There were 59 parishes, where the number of households was less than 300. 54 of them were added to the neighboring parish. Therefore, 47 primary sampling units (PSU) consist of 2 or 3 parishes. All other 419 parishes form separate PSU. The total number of PSU in rural areas equals 466. These PSU are distributed among 5 strata (geographical regions of Latvia) according to their location. This is shown in table 2. At the first stage, the PSU were selected within each stratum with probabilities proportional to the number of households of PSU. The total number of selected PSU is 29 and 3 of them consist of 2 parishes each. For all of the 32 parishes selected , a complete list of households was prepared. These lists of households are used to obtain the sample of households at the second stage.
Urban Areas
The Population Register is used to obtain the sample of households in urban areas. The 6 administrative districts of the capital Riga and each of the 6 other large towns of Latvia (Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jsrmala, Liepâja, Rèzekne, Ventspils) form 12 separate strata. Simple random sampling of persons (of age 15 years and more) is applied within each stratum. The sample size per strata is proportional to the population size. All other towns of Latvia are distributed into 10 strata according to their size (more than 7000 inhabitants or less than or equal to 7000 inhabitants) and their location (5 geographical regions). Two stage stratified random sampling is used to obtain the sample. The PSU are the towns of strata and the selection of PSU is conditional to the probabilities proportional to the total number of inhabitants in PSU. At the second stage simple random sampling of persons (of age 15 years and more) is applied within each selected PSU. In urban areas the households of the sampled persons are surveyed. The total number of PSU per strata, and the number of PSU included in the HBS in each strata are shown in tables 3 and 4.
Non Response and Replacenment Procedure
In a multi-functional survey as the HBS, it is exceptionally important to receive responses as complete as possible. Households that refuse to participate in the survey or respond to the questions of the survey, or households that are not found at the given address, may have an impact on the precision of the acquired results that should not be neglected.
In order to limit the effects of non-response or refusal on the survey results, a sequential sampling approach is applied. A refusing or non-responding household is replaced by another from a reserve list and surveyed. According to the survey procedure, households for replacement are taken in strict order. Considering that the reserve list has been made on a random selection basis, the households from the reserve list have the same probability of being selected.
For this reason the supervisor of the field-work has two sampling lists at his disposal:
i) basic list: Sampling list with household addresses to be surveyed during a month's time. Every month, a new list is given to both supervisor and interviewer. The total number of households equals 666;
ii) reserve list: This list is given to supervisors only. The reserve list contains households in random order. This list is used upon the decision of the supervisor in the case that a sampled household does not participate in the survey. Then, the supervisor assigns a new household, keeping strictly to the sequence of the list. The reserve list is used until all households included are being surveyed. Afterwards the supervisor receives the next reserve list.
According to the regulations of the survey, the term for replacement of the household is limited. The latest possible date is the 5th day of the survey month. In case the interviewer fails to replace a household from the basic list by the one from the reserve list and to start the interview, the household shall be excluded from the survey.
The interviewer states the reasons if a household included in the survey (from the basic list or reserve list) is not surveyed in the respective month, filling in a REPORT ON REASONS OF NON-RESPONSE . On the basis of these reports the analysis on non-response is made.
Since the beginning of the survey the number of households replaced by the reserve list reached 30% from the total number of households included in the sampling list.
Table 5 in the Data Users Manual shows non-response levels by reasons of nonresponse.
Response rates were as follows:
Q4 (1995) - 73.5%
Q1 (1996) - 74.4%
Q2 (1996) - 70.5%
Q3 (1996) - 68.9%
Q4 (1996) - 71.8%
Survey instrument
Three types of documents (questionnaires) have been prepared for the preparation of the survey:
- The Household Questionnaire
- The Household Diary
- Report on Reasons of Non-Response
These survey documents will be used during the whole period of the survey, which according to this model will last at least 4 years. The Household Questionnaire is completed by the interviewer, but the Household Diary is filled in by the household itself during two times, each time over a period of two weeks. This combination of interviewing and self-registering is approved as acceptable for similar surveys in developed countries.
In order to obtain the full amount of information envisaged by the survey program, the interviewer will visit the household several times. The number of such visits is not limited, but contains at least three:
- Preliminary interview
- Replacement of the first diary for the second
- Final interview.
Actually, the interviewer must visit the household in-between the above-mentioned visits in order to ascertain the manner in which the household fills in the diary, whether it needs any assistance and/or additional explanations. Quite often, the diaries are not filled in on a sufficiently regular basis, and an additional inquiry on purchases made in between the visits proves to be necessary. Such assistance is often necessary for older people, as well as to those with poor eye-sight or other handicaps.
Section 2.2 of the Data User Manual (available under external resources) provides explanations and definitions of terms used in the survey questionnaires.
Data collection
| Start |
|---|
| 1996 |
For the purpose of the survey an interview team has been formed and trained, consisting of the following field-work personnel:
- Supervisor- Performs work with organizations, carries responsibility for the quality of acquired data through the survey, supervises work of interviewers and entry of data;
- Interviewer- Responsible for performance of the survey at the given sampling unit;
- Data entry operator- (this function, depending on the amount of work, is also performed by the supervisor). Performs data entry and examination of indicators.
At the moment the interview teams consist of 79 interviewers and 20 supervisors (organizers of the survey at locations).
The selected households have been divided into supervision zones where the supervisor organizes the work in the relevant territory. Each supervisor supervises and inspects a specific number of interviewers. The supervisor has a PC for data entry on magnetic information carriers. This provides the testing devices for the data enty and allows to perform elimination of errors. In cases of errors, the supervisor contacts the interviewer who visits the household in order to inquire about the discovered inaccuracies and probable errors.
In some cases supervisors perform work in two or three adjacent territories of administrative regions. In other cases, the supervisors do their work in addition to their main job, e.g. when the work-load related to supervision is lower due to a small number of interviewers to be supervised. At the moment 3 supervisors are employed for the survey who connect their duties at the statistical department of the region with the supervisory work, 5 are part time employees and 12 are full-time supervisors.
The supervisor is also the link between the organizers of the survey and the interviewers. His duties are rather wide and they have a significant role in the survey. Supervisors divide the work tasks between interviewers, supply the necessary material, collect and inspect survey documentation, perform survey quality control functions by listening to interviews, performing repeated interviews, ensure that the interviewers act according to the regulations on the survey, control compliance with the individual data confidentiality of the survey, and maintain contact with PSU municipalities. Supervisors simultaneously train the interviewers and assist in their work.
Supervisors also perform activities that upgrade the quality of the survey results, they are responsible for testing of the entry data for correctness, eliminate discovered errors with the help of interviewers and surveyed households, and perform other management tasks related with the survey.
Data processing
Data entry and primary data control is performed at the supervisor's office which is located in the administrative region of the regional state statistical office. For this purpose each supervisor has a PC with a printer. This equipment provides all data entry procedures and print-out of all errors and logical misappropriations discovered during the entry. Operators perform data entry in the supervision areas with a larger number of interviewers (at least 5), whereas the supervisor himself will perform this function in the areas with a smaller number of interviewers. The only exception is Riga, where data entry is organized with the help of professional data entry operators. Data is entered and examined at the location in 15 areas with the DOS program system 'ARIEL-DE'.
Control (discovery) and correction of the mistakes in Households' Questionnaires and Households' Diaries is done with the data entry program. The following operations take place during data entry:
- entry of the data indicators;
- double launching of the control program, which ensures the control of the accuracy of the data entered. The control program looks for "true" mistakes as well as for "possible" mistakes in the questionnaires.
When the data completeness and accuracy control program was developed, a set of events was placed into the memory of the computer (including instructions relating to the coding of data and list of codes). Data that does not correspond to these conditions was regarded as a mistake and classified as a "real" or "true" mistake. Each mistake found or any mismatch of the logical type provokes of a warning on the screen and is simultaneously printed. Thus the supervisor has the possibility to control how the mentioned warnings have been taken into account or ignored by the data entry operator.
The original data entry program creates a separate file for each household containing all the information for this household. This procedure facilitates the detection of errors and the correction procedure. After completion of data entry and correction of discovered mistakes, the data set is copied on diskette. On the respective date of the month, it is sent over electronic cable, using special communication channels of the Post of Latvia to the file server of the Unit of the HBS data processing. Household data files from regions are combined monthly in the theme ASCII- in files with utility program from ARIEL-DE system and SPSS for Windows 6.1.3.
Data Access
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Statistics Department | Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia | http://www.csb.gov.lv/ | evaskis@csb.lv |
Use of the dataset must be acknowledged using a citation which would include:
- the Identification of the Primary Investigator
- the title of the survey (including country, acronym and year of implementation)
- the survey reference number
- the source and date of download
Disclaimer and copyrights
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Statistics Department | Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia | info@csb.gov.lv | http://www.csb.gov.lv/ |
| Microdata Library | World Bank | microdatalib@worldbank.org |
Metadata production
DDI_LVA_1996_HBS_v01_M_WB
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Development Economics Data Group | The World Bank | Documentation of the DDI |
2013-10-04
Metadata version
Version 01 (October 2013)