Official name of the survey/data source:
Aanvullend Voorzieningengebruik Onderzoek 1987 (AVO 1987)
Additional Enquiry on the Use of (Public) Services 1987

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 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. The principal users of the data collected in the AVO 87 are the Social and Cultural Planning Office, 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 survey was conducted was 1979, and was first made available as microdata in 1979.

The main purpose of the AVO 87 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 first wave of LIS data was begun in September 1983 and completed 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 1987 data is provided in Section M. Also included in the bibliography in Section M is a list of the user documentation for the AVO 87.

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 or military installations2 were included in the sampling frame. Those living in 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 10.1 (Non-participation rates).

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

2 In principle they were sampled. Following the prescribed procedures everyone with such an address had to be surveyed. There is no "household" with hundreds of members, so these households are not really present.

Table 10.1:
Non-participation rates

1. The Sample Design

The AVO 87 sample design was based on a random selection of addresses. In the large cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Haarlem) an 1,093 extra addresses were selected due to a higher expected nonresponse rate.

3 The selection is based on post-delivery- points. A subsample with addresses where households live is available by the interviewing institute NSS. Of this subsample a random selection was taken (with extra addresses for the big cities).

was comprised of 10,059 addresses. Thus a total sample of 11,152 addresses (10,059 + 1,093) was selected. Of these, 6,766 delivered usable interviews for 6,771 households (at 5 addresses there were 2 housholds). When weighted this amounts to 5,609,415 cases. The same sample size was made available for the LIS database, of which LIS was able to make available to its users all cases.

There were 4,386 sample units in the AVO 87 sample which were not interviewed. 475 sample units were not occupied, 2,986 sample units refused, and there was incomplete information from 923 sample units.

No information is available concerning housholds 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.

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 10.1):

The overall response rate to the survey was 60.7%, which represents a total of 6,771 households residing at 6,766 addresses.

2. Reporting and Under-Reporting and Income Data Quality

An evaluation of the quality of the demographic and income data has been made by comparing the survey data with population and income statistics. (See the publication "AVO 87," reference in the bibliography in Section M.) Internal edits, and checks for consistency errors or for data items have been performed.

3. Data Corrections and Adjustments

Simulations, estimations, or imputations for income or tax values were made in the following cases: Rental value for home owners, children's allowances, taxes, contributions for social security system, and unreported net income. These were calculated using the official rates prevailing in 1987. No other adjustments have been made to the original survey data.

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 fill out.

4. After a week these questionnaires were checked on the spot by the interviewer.

Participation in the survey was voluntary.

2. Structure of the Survey Instrument

One household schedule was used for the AVO 87, and an individual schedule for all other household members.

3. Survey Respondent Rules

Each household member was not required to answer the questions for himself/herself. Parents could provide answers 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. These weights were assigned in order to:

1. adjust for miscoverage of various age groups, which were weighted up or down

2. adjust for overrepresentation of married couples

Weights were calculated using age of head of household, source of income of the head, source of income of the partner, number of partners (0 or 1), and whether rural or urban. Weighting procedures also took into account the employment status of heads.

The weighting procedures did help adjust for missing data and other nonsampling errors related to the income data. An additional uniform weighting factor (x828) was used to make the sample size equal to the population (5,609,000). Estimates derived from the sample are sometimes representative of the total population as defined by the sampling frame. However, ethnic minorities are underreported. In addition, there are too few (even after weighting) selfemployed and social security recipients (unemployment, disability), and too many pensioners.

F. DETERMINATION OF SURVEY UNIT MEMBERSHIP back 

Persons living and eating together form a household. At the same address there can be more than one household. A person sleeping regulary on another address (e.g. drafted soldiers, students) is not considered 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 member; this is left to the discretion of the interviewer to decide.

Two basic units of aggregation were used in the AVO 87:

1. Parents with all children living at home.

2. Parents with children between 0 and 17 years.

The overall sampling unit can be divided into subgroups in those situations where several households share the same housing unit. The household head was identified by the respondents. That person should be over 18 years. If the respondents could not decide, the interviewer successively suggested the rent payer or home owner, the person with the highest income, or the oldest person.

Individuals other than the sampling unit head which can be identified in the original files are all person over 5 years.

G. CHILDREN AND SPOUSES back 

In the AVO 87 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, or grandchildren.

In this survey partners or spouse are identified by the interviewer.

Other than children and spouses, it is also possible to identify father/mother in law, other family of the head of household, and persons unrelated to the head of household.

H. AVAILABILITY OF BASIC SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION back

In Table 10.2 is summarized the basic social and demographic information which is available in the AVO 87.

Table 10.2
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 87. 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 10.3.

Table 10.3
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

Direct taxes have been estimated for the AVO 87.

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.