Poverty Analysis and Survey Methods

The act of comparing poverty levels over time or across different groups, focusing on both whether poverty has decreased (qualitative) and by how much (quantitative).

A detailed plan outlining a country's long-term strategy to reduce poverty, based on data and analysis, and guided by the World Bank.

The process of measuring poverty involves collecting and analyzing data to understand the extent and characteristics of poverty in a country.

Analyzing poverty encompasses understanding the various factors contributing to poverty, like income inequality, lack of access to education or healthcare, and economic instability.

The process of developing a PRSP should be led by people within the country itself, ensuring local ownership and commitment to the plan.

The World Bank encourages countries to implement the PRSP process, providing guidance and support, but emphasizing a locally led approach.

The goal of poverty reduction initiatives is to improve the lives of poor people, focusing on their well-being and providing opportunities to escape poverty.

Beyond simply measuring poverty, it's essential to develop systematic approaches and actions to improve the lives of the poor, rooted in understanding the causes and dimensions of poverty.

A way to measure poverty that involves three steps: defining a welfare indicator, establishing a poverty line, and generating a summary statistic.

A measure of well-being, such as income or consumption, used to define and measure poverty.

A specific threshold value of a welfare indicator, separating those considered 'poor' from those considered 'non-poor.'

A statistic summarizing the distribution of a welfare indicator relative to the poverty line, showing the overall extent of poverty.

Surveys are essential in poverty analysis, but they come with limitations, like potential sampling biases, response errors, and data quality issues.

Using a smaller representative sample of a population to estimate characteristics of the entire population.

A method to adjust income or consumption values to account for differences in household size and composition, recognizing that different households need different resources to achieve the same standard of living.

The total value of all goods and services consumed by a household over a specific period, often used as a measure of welfare in poverty analysis.

A type of survey where the same individuals or households are interviewed repeatedly over time, providing valuable insights into changes in living standards.

Data collected from longitudinal surveys, allowing researchers to study changes and trends over time.

Household consumption expenditure and income are commonly used indicators to assess living standards, as they reflect spending patterns and earnings.

Researchers may collect data on either income or expenditure due to budget limitations, leading to trade-offs in data depth and sample size.

Detailed questionnaires take more time to administer, resulting in smaller sample sizes and potentially less precise statistics.

Due to budget constraints, researchers may have to sacrifice data depth or sample size, influencing the precision of the analysis results.

Smaller sample sizes limit the ability to analyze data at finer levels of detail, such as by specific regions or demographics.

Trade-offs between questionnaire length, sample size, and data precision are common in research, influencing the overall quality and feasibility of studies.

The average income of all individuals in a population, calculated by dividing the total income by the total number of people.

A statistical method used to represent a large population by studying a smaller, representative sample.

A survey that collects data from a specific group within a larger population, often with distinct characteristics.

Values assigned to different observations to reflect their relative importance or size in the overall population.

A type of survey that aims to collect data from a random selection of households in a population.

The total value of goods and services consumed by a household over a specific period.

Calculating statistics based on sample data that reflects the true characteristics of the overall population.

The assumption that individuals, given enough income, know best how to use resources to maximize their well-being.

A measure of well-being that focuses on the amount of goods and services consumed by a household.

Things that contribute to well-being but are not captured by income or consumption, such as public services or leisure time.

An approach to assessing well-being that emphasizes achieving minimum levels of essential needs like nutrition or health.

Measures of well-being that assess the outcomes of resource utilization, such as infant mortality rates or educational attainment.

A multidimensional approach to poverty measurement that considers various aspects of well-being, beyond just income.

The ethical dilemma of whether people who have enough income to meet basic needs, but choose not to, are truly a concern.

A philosophical approach to assessing well-being that emphasizes individual preferences and choices.

The total amount of resources an individual or household has access to during a specific period, including income, assets, and changes in assets.

The time frame used to assess income for poverty measurement can significantly affect the result. A short period might miss long-term patterns, while a long period might be too late for immediate assistance.

The difficulty of accurately measuring all income sources, especially non-wage income, can lead to an underestimate of true income, affecting poverty calculations.

Income data in developing countries with large agricultural or self-employed populations is often significantly understated. This is due to the difficulty in measuring income from these sectors.

A fifth of a population sample, used to categorize individuals by income level, with Quintile 1 representing the poorest fifth. Data from these quintiles can be used to analyze income distribution and poverty.

The change in the value of assets over time, representing a source of income. For example, the increase in value of livestock or real estate.

The difficulties in properly measuring income lead to unreliable poverty estimates, making interventions less effective. The goal is to find better ways to capture true income.