Household Surveys and Measurement of Living Standards

Household surveys are one of the main sources of socioeconomic data for countries. Not only do they provide indicators to measure specific economic and social issues, but they also provide information that makes it possible to know and explain the determinant or causal factors behind the behavior of such issues, a major element in the design and monitoring of public policy outcomes.

 

Therefore, the Team for Statistical Development has included –among its work goals- the quality enhancement of the household surveys information within the countries of the region.  To achieve this goal, the technical capacity of the national institutions responsible for the implementation of surveys needs to be continuously strengthened to ensure that the processes of the whole production cycle of household surveys are properly performed.

 

Supporting the Development of Household Surveys

 

At the onset of the MECOVI program (1996), the household surveys’ activity was immersed in a vicious cycle: low quality of the information, low utilization, lack of credibility, inadequate budgets, etc.  All these led to a high degree of statistical errors, an incomplete thematic and geographical coverage, delays in the dissemination of data results, and a limited access to the information for research and policy decision-making purposes.

 

Faced with this situation, the MECOVI program made it its goal to improve the quality, relevance and timeliness of the household survey information on living standards and poverty, as well as to expand access to such information, and to promote research and analysis on poverty.

 

To reach these goals, the MECOVI program developed the following strategy:

 

1. Implementation of a multi-year program instead of a short term, special purpose project;
2. The vision to build or strengthen sustainable institutional capacities based on existing capabilities;
3. Targeted interventions in problem areas;
4. A specifically designed program based on the profile of the existing in-country statistical system capacities;
5. Financial support to sponsors and donors in accordance with the capacities and comparative advantages of their respective countries;
6. Allocation of enough resources to guarantee the proper supervision and coordination of the Program’s activities;
7. Close coordination among sponsoring agencies.

During the last few years, the activities conducted by MECOVI have improved the design, implementation and use of household surveys in the region.  As per an external evaluation¹ , the impact of the surveys’ improvement initiatives undertaken by MECOVI has extended, not only to other agencies within the Statistical Institutes, but also to other governmental and non-governmental institutions.  However, an ample margin of work still has to be done to consolidate the improvement of household surveys in the region.

Challenges to the Measurement of Living Standards and Poverty

 

The conceptual design of the study on living standards and poverty, and the requirements related to the design, formulation and follow-up of public policies, demand statistical information on new subjects, as well as a more detailed and specific format.  This –in turn- poses new challenges to the generation of data through household surveys.  The design of these kinds of surveys should be viewed from a more integral standpoint within the framework of strengthening the national statistical systems.

 

The household surveys activities in the Latin American and Caribbean region face the following challenges:

• To satisfy new and greater demands for statistical information at household level, and in a more detailed and specific manner at the thematic and geographical level;
• To develop appropriate and flexible implementation strategies in order to produce the required information;
• To overcome the restrictions posed by increasingly scarce financial resources;
• To enhance the thematic and conceptual coherence with other statistical operations;
• To improve the capacity to measure the evolution of variables, and to incorporate panel components to the samples;
• To expand its interaction with monitoring and evaluation processes;
• To guide the empirical research related to the methodological aspects of measurement;
• To continue strengthening the producers and users training component;
• To improve the organization and documentation of databases;
• To further strengthen the relationship between users and producers;
• To promote the implementation of qualitative studies.

* Main periodic surveys on labor forces and living conditions.  Other periodic surveys conducted by the NSOs are: household surveys on income and family expenses, and demographic and health surveys.