Innovations in Household Surveys. Kathleen Beegle Poverty And Inequality Course Module 1: Multi-Topic Household Surveys January 28, 2010

Transcription

1 Innovations in Household Surveys Kathleen Beegle Poverty And Inequality Course Module 1: Multi-Topic Household Surveys January 28,

2 Overview of some new directions for LSMS/IS surveys Measuring ability through tests: Cambodia example Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) Geo-referencing New health measures Other new areas. 2

3 What is CAPI? Interviewing and data entry are brought together. No paper questionnaires PDAs, mini-pcs (ultra mobile PCs) Software Off-the-shelf products designed for linear questionnaires On-going development of software for complicated questionnaire structures (like LSMS) Hardware can come with built in cameras, sound recording, CPS, external keyboard, finger scanner etc.. Models that allow internet access through cell phone network 3

4 Why CAPI? Interviewing and data entry are brought together Faster data: data are available as soon as transferred (same day) More accurate data: quality improved through validation checks during/immediately after interview Other advantages Flexible questionnaire design Can embed listing, sampling, past data (panels), multilanguages, instructions from manual 4

5 An example: UMPCs in Tanzania Ultra Mobile Personal Computer Large touch Screen Runs standard desktop operating systems Multiple ports just like a desktop

6 Large screen allows you to see the whole picture Whole sections are displayed and flow maintained

7 Rapid click navigation to other sections You are about to finish an interview when a child walks in that the respondent had not mentioned before. With a UMPC layout you can get to the census/ roster section in one click to add the details and continue your interview 7

8 Respondent says a bunch of bananas. With a large UMPC screen and storage you can display different sizes to choose from, calculate the correct energy value and therefore obtain accurate data (food, medication, amount of production, size of asset...) Display of picture options for greater accuracy

9 CAPI Experience Adapting DE software is complicated. Through some new surveys, we are gaining experience on practicalities of this technology: security, remote support, battery life, etc Challenges of developing questionnaire UMPCs have some advantages over PDA: Maintaining the best features of a well-laid out questionnaire: screen size and segueing to the next screen. 9

10 Geo-referencing Recording longitude and latitude of households (or other salient locations plots, community centers, schools, health centers). Uses: linking data with other geo-referenced data sources, using to back-track households in a panel, supervision (?). Machines are: inexpensive (can be used for multiple surveys) easy to use (but easy to mis-use) See: Gibson and McKenzie (2007) Using the global positioning system in household surveys for better economics and better policy. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper

11 Collecting New Health Measures in LSMS/IS Surveys Health measures collected multi-topic surveys to measure outcomes that are not reliably self-reported. Anthropometrics BP/pulse Observed physical ability Arm circumference Hemoglobin (anemia) HIV/AIDS Malaria Avian flu STDs In the latter group, testing in a number of ways: laboratory testing of blood samples in-home testing (small blood sample from finger pin-prick in case of Hemoglobin, saliva for HIV) physical examination. 11

12 Collecting New Health Measures: Challenges Staffing. May require a trained nurse (VCT) to be added to the field team. Cost/Management implications Human Subjects Protocols. Internal Review Board (IRB) process: both within country and with other institutions Consent processes: verbal consent replaced with signed forms. Data security: both within field teams and once electronic. Informing respondents of the test result. Obligations for follow-up (ability to provide, implications for research). 12

13 Extending an LSMS to other new areas New methods to extend the range of topics in an LSMS and improve the quality of data. Expectations of the future. Using stones/beans to illicit expected probabilities of respondents E.g. Pastoralists with little formal education asked about expectations of rainfall in the coming season, allocating stones across three different piles for above normal, normal and below normal Validity discussed in Measuring Subjective Expectations in Developing Countries Delavande et al. Policy Research Working Paper

14 Extending an LSMS to other new areas Subjective reporting of health, welfare, satisfaction of life, etc Problem of different scales across people. A person s standard of good health may be different from another person s standard. Hypothetical vignettes: Respondents score a set of vignettes describing different scenarios related to the topic (such as health status) for a hypothetical person. These vignettes can help reveal the respondents own scale. King at al (2004) and King and Wand (2007). 14

15 Extending an LSMS to other new areas These new areas imply new costs: Piloting to ensure they work in different context Time to administer questionnaire Training interviewers appropriately 15