Official name of the survey/data source:
Aanvullend Voorzieningengebruik Onderzoek 1983 (AVO 1983)
Additional Enquiry on the Use of (Public) Services 1983

Administrative unit responsible for survey:

The SCP is an institution established by the state of The Netherlands. The work of the SCP focusses on problems coming under the responsibility of five ministries: Social Affairs and Employment; Housing; Country-planing and Environment; Wellbeing; Health & Culture; Education and Sciences; and Law.

Funding for the survey is provided by Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP).

The data are currently stored at:

Copies of the original codebook and other documentation can be obtained from the Social and Cultural Planning office at the above address.

The primary research group which has analyzed the data is the Social and Cultural Planning Office. Other principal users of the data collected in the AVO 83 are The Central Bureau of Statistics, universities and students.

The Additional Enquiry on the Use of (Public) Services is conducted every 4 years. The first year in which the Additional Enquiry on the Use of (Public) Services was conducted was 1979, and was first made available as microdata in 1979.

The main purpose of the AVO 83 is to measure income, household composition, and the use of the following public services: education, health care, housing and social and cultural activities. Services such as public transport are not included.

The process of data collection (i.e. field work) for the LIS data was begun in September 1983 and completed (see note 1) in November 1983, and the second wave of LIS data was begun in October 1987 and completed in December 1987.

The public has access to the data only under the condition that authors mention that source property rights remain with the SCP, and that no unauthorized copies of publications be distributed.

A bibliography of the most important publications based on the Additional Enquiry on the Use of (Public) Services 1983 data is provided in Section M. Also included in the bibliography in Section M is a list of the user documentation for the AVO 83.

Note:

1. This time period does not include data processing or other survey operations.

B POPULATION AND SAMPLE SIZE, SAMPLING METHODS back 

The sampling frame for the survey consists of post office adresses of private housing units. The sampling frame includes the total population of household heads.

People living in institutions or other group situations such as prisons, military installations (see note 2) were included in the sampling frame. Other institutions, such as nursing homes for the aged and psychiatric wards were excluded.

Once the sample was selected from the sampling frame, all sampling units were eligible for interview.

A breakdown of the initial sample is provided in Table 9.1

Note:

2.  Although these institutions were included in the sample frame, none were actually selected. In principle, everyone at such an address would have been surveyed. However, there is no "household" with hundreds of members; consequently, these households are not present in the survey.

Table 9.1:
Non-participation rates

1. The Sample Design

The AVO 83 sample design was based on a random selection of ddresses taken from a sampling frame of postal delivery points. In the large cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Haarlem) extra addresses were selected due to a higher expected nonresponse rate. The total sample was comprised of 10,510 addresses. 6,780 interviews were completed from the 10,510 addresses which were sampled.

When weighted these amount to 5,573,000 cases. The sample that was made available for the LIS database was comprised of 4,833 cases, of which LIS was able to make available to its users all 4,833 cases.

There were 4,736 sample units in the sampling frame of the AVO 83 which were not interviewed because they were found to be ineligible at the time of the interview. 314 sample units were unoccupied, 3,476 refused, and for 946 sample units there was insufficient information.

No information is available regarding households or individuals which were not interviewed.

All geographic areas in the country were included in the sample design.

Estimates of sampling variability (standard errors) have not been published.

Note:

3. 202 of these 402 interviews were included in the survey.

 

C. MEASURES OF DATA QUALITY back

1. Item and Group Nonresponse Rates

The following information is available concerning those households or individuals which were sampled but which were not interviewed because they could not be located or because they refused to participate in the survey: (see also table 9.1):

The overall response rate to the survey was 56.7 %, which represents a total of 5,780 households, residing at 5,774 addresses.

2. Reporting and Under-Reporting and Income Data Quality

An evaluation of the quality of the demographic and the income data has been made by comparing the survey data with population and income statistics. (See the publication "AVO 83")

An evaluation of the quality of tax, demographic, wealth, expenditure and other data has not been made.

Internal edits, and checks for consistency errors or for data items have been performed.

3. Data Corrections and Adjustments

No corrections have been made to adjust the original survey data. No techniques were used to reduce error, or correct for item non-response. None of the original responses have been altered .

Simulations, estimations, or imputations for income or tax values were made in the following cases: Rental value for home owners; childrens allowances; taxes; and contributions to the social security system.

4. General Assessment of Income Data Quality

Users of this data should be aware of the following problems regarding the quality of the income data collected in this survey.

1. There are too few self-employed receiving low incomes.
2. Recipients of unemployment and disabled benefits, social assistance, and old age pensions are underrepresented.
3. Income was recorded for weekly, monthly, and annual periods; in some cases these may be incorrect.

D. DATA COLLECTION AND ACQUISITION back

1. Method of Data Collection

The following describes the interview procedure:

1. A letter of introduction was sent to all addresses
2. The household questionnaire was administered by an interviewer (questions asked to head or partner)
3. A questionnaire was given to every household member 6 years or older to complete.
4. After a week these questionnaires were checked by the interviewer.

Participation in the survey was voluntary.

2. Structure of the Survey Instrument

Two schedules were used for the AVO 83: one household schedule, and a schedule which was administered to all individuals 6 years of age and over.

3. Survey Respondent Rules

Each household member was not required to answer the questions for himself or herself. Answers could be provided by parents for their children.

Respondents were not asked to consult or use pay records, tax returns, or other documents. However, it was noted if they did so, and nearly all of the respondents used records to help them answer the income questions. Only 18% of respondents relied completely on quessing; 33% consulted bank accounts; 36% pay slips; 8% the yearly wage statement, and 4% their tax documents.

E. WEIGHTING PROCEDURES back

Survey weights have been assigned to each sample case. The weighting procedures helped adjust for missing data and other nonsampling errors related to the income data.

F. DETERMINATION OF SURVEY UNIT MEMBERSHIP back 

A household is comprised of persons living and eating together. At the same address there can be more than one household. A person sleeping regulary at another address (e.g. drafted soldiers, students) is not considered to be part of his or her family. There are no rules governing the number of nights one has to be at home to be considered a household member; this is left up to the discretion of the interviewer.

Two basic units of aggregation were used in the AVO 83:

1. Parents with all children living at home.
2. Parents with children from 0 to 17 years of age.

The overall sampling unit can be divided into subgroups in those situations where several household share the same housing unit (see note 4). The household head was identified by the respondents.

That person should be over 18 years. If the respondent could not decide, the interviewer suggested the rent payer or home owner, the person with the highest income, or the oldest person successively.

Individuals other than the sampling unit head which can be identified in the original files are every person over 6 years who was surveyed.

Note:

4. Only 5 cases.

G. CHILDREN AND SPOUSES back 

In the AVO 83 children are defined as all persons under the age of 18 years.

The survey provides information to distinguish between children of the unit head or partner, son/daughter in law, and grandchildren.

In this survey partners or spouses are initially identified

H. AVAILABILITY OF BASIC SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION back

In Table 9.2 is summarized the basic social and demographic information which is available in the AVO 83.

Table 9.2
Basic Social and Demographic Information

* All people are insured against disability in The Netherlands.

I. AVAILABILITY OF LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION back 

Labor force status information is available for the AVO 83. No groups were excluded at the time of interview through filter questions relating to employment status of the respondent. Available labor market information is summarized in Table 9.3.

Table 9.3
Labor Market Information  

J. AVAILABILITY OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION back

It is possible to identify the geographic location of the sampling units in this survey. The geographic categories which are used in this survey are province (there are 12 provinces) and whether rural or urban.

K. SOURCES AND AMOUNTS OF CASH INCOME back

Sources and amounts of income are recorded for weekly, monthly, and annual periods. The amounts recorded were the actual amounts received. Income sources and amounts are recorded for persons 18 years or older, who responded to a full series of income questions. Only heads were questioned about rental subsidies, mortgage interest, number of children for which child allowances were received, and grants for their childen. These were considered the income of the head.

L. TAXES back

Taxation information is not available for the survey AVO 83.

M. BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MAIN PUBLICATIONS back

Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP): Social and Cultural Report 1988-1990 .(English)

Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP): Distribution of public expenditure.

Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP): Cumulation of public expenditure.

Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP): AVO '87.(Dutch)

Amstel, R.J. van; en K.C.P. Slootman; 1980: Het PTT- afgiftepuntenbestand. in: Het 1980 Jaarboek van de Nederlandse Vereniging van Marktonderzoekers.

CBS; 1987: De statistieken van het CBS. Inhoud, samenhang en perspectieven, meerjarenprogramma 1987-1990, Voorburg/ Heerlen, p.6

Bethlehem, J.G.; 1986: Het wegen van huishoudsteekproeven met persoonskenmerken, CBS.

NSS Marktonderzoek BV; april 1988: Onderzoeksverantwoording Aanvullend Voorzieningen Onderzoek, rapport B3511 (vertrouwelijk), 's-Gravenhage.

Werkprogramma 1988-1989; 1988: Rijswijk: Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau.