Gambia

Title: 2003 Integrates Households Survey

GENERAL INFORMATION AND BASIC DEFINITIONS

1. Background

Further information is available from Central Statistics Department of 1-2 Ecowas Avenue, Banjul the Gambia, phone: (+220)228327; 782035, fax: (+220) 229683; 228903, e-mail: laminfatty@hotmail.com.
Data have been collected by household survey since 1968.

2. Purpose and coverage

The following purposes are considered to be very important or of some importance:

to obtain weights for consumer price index
to estimate household expenditure for national accounts
to study the general structure of household incomes/expenditures
to study income/expenditure patterns of disadvantaged groups, including pensioner households, single parent households, etc
to study income/expenditure disparities among socio-economic groups
to study consumer behaviour among socio-economic groups
for general poverty and/or income distribution studies
to study effects on income and expenditure of policy changes, especially tax changes

Lesser importance is attached to:

for market research purposes

Geographic coverage: National without any specific geographic areas excluded.

Population coverage:
The following types of household are included in the data collection:

one person private households
private households with more than one person
non-resident households of nationals (households of nationals located abroad)
diplomatic households in the country
households of other foreigners in the country
armed forces residing in private housing outside military base

The following types of household are excluded in the data collection:

those in collective housing (such as long term hospitals, prisons, monasteries, military quarters)
armed forces residing in private housing within military base

Units: Dwelling units are not used in the sample selection.

Data are recorded for the household unit which is characterised by:

one person units
two or more people living together:
- sharing meals
- sharing a common budget for (at least) food and housing expenditures
- pooling their income to some extent

Unit members: ¹Usual residents temporarily living away from the dwelling are not included as unit members. Domestic staff living in same dwelling/compound are included in the unit. Boarders living in same dwelling/compound are included in the unit.

Head of unit:
The concept of head of household/other unit is used in this survey and is characterised by:

acknowledged as such by other household/unit members
responsible for financial maintenance of household/unit
main income earner
responsible for decisions on main expenditures
oldest person

3. Reference periods

This survey is conducted irregularly/occasionally. The statistics are published irregularly/occasionally.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

4. Sample design

The Primary, Secondary and Ultimate Sampling Units are enumeration area/district, none and household respectively.

Stratification:
Areas/districts were stratified using the following criteria:

geographical regions
rural/urban

The sampling frames for the Primary Sampling Unit (PSU) and Ultimate Sampling Unit (USU) were the list of Census enumeration areas and a separate listing exercise respectively. Primary Sampling Units (PSU) were selected using probability proportional to size and Ultimate Sampling Units (USU) were selected using replicated circular systematic sampling. The sample size was 2400 households or other units. Errors/biases were minimized by using close supervision.

Enumeration procedure: Enumeration uses a single round survey design in which each reporting unit is enumerated only once. No action is taken to select a smaller set of reporting units for more detailed questioning.

About 4800 households are earmarked for the survey for which a detailed/ general questionnaire (part one) is completed. Questionnaire for expen- diture and consumption (part two) and the daily diary are administered for 2400 households only..

DATA COLLECTION, CONCEPTS, DEFINITIONS AND CLASSIFICATIONS

5. Income data

Income data are collected. Receipts do not have to be regular and recurring to be considered as income. Income includes receipts resulting from the sale or reduction of assets and/or from incurring liabilities are included in income. Income excludes receipts that are not currently available to the unit.

The following receipts are collected separately:

wages and salaries
remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
profit/loss from unincorporated enterprises (mixed income)
drawing for own use from unincorporated enterprises
goods produced for own consumption
services produced for own consumption
stock consumed from unincorporated enterprise
interest received
dividends
regular pensions/annuities from schemes to which employee does not contribute
retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
other pensions

The following receipts are collected but not separately:

cash bonuses and gratuities
commissions and tips
termination and redundancy payments
employer social security contributions
employee social security contributions
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: housing
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: meals
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: car/transportation
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services
goods produced for barter
services produced for barter
services from owner-occupied dwellings
services from other consumer durables (net)
rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
rents (payment received for un-produced assets e.g. land)
royalties
education-related allowances
housing allowances
free government dwelling
subsidized government dwelling
food subsidies
medical reimbursements
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: free dwelling
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: subsidized dwelling
regular inter-household transfers received from: family, e.g. alimony, child/parental support
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular inheritances or trusts
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular cash gifts
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular in-kind gifts
regular inter-household transfers received from: free dwelling
regular inter-household transfers received from: subsidized dwelling
social transfers in kind: medical services
social transfers in kind: public education
social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services

The following receipts are not collected:

old age benefits
unemployment benefits
family-related allowances
sickness benefits
invalidity benefits
survivors benefits
other social insurance benefits
other social assistance benefits
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular free services

The following receipts are classified as income from paid employment:

wages and salaries
remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: housing
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: meals
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: car/transportation
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services

The following receipts are classified as property income:

rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
rents (payment received for un-produced assets e.g. land)

The following receipts are classified as transfer income but not employment-related:

interest received
dividends
royalties
education-related allowances
housing allowances
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: cash, e.g. scholarships
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: goods and services
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: free dwelling
regular support received from non-profit institutions serving households: subsidized dwelling
regular inter-household transfers received from: family, e.g. alimony, child/parental support
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular inheritances or trusts
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular cash gifts
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular in-kind gifts
regular inter-household transfers received from: free dwelling
regular inter-household transfers received from: subsidized dwelling
social transfers in kind: medical services
social transfers in kind: public education
social transfers in kind: transport subsidies
social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services

The following receipts are classified as other employment-related income:

cash bonuses and gratuities
commissions and tips
termination and redundancy payments
employer social security contributions
employee social security contributions
profit/loss from unincorporated enterprises (mixed income)
regular pensions/annuities from schemes to which employee does not contribute
retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
other pensions

The following receipts are classified as other income but not employment-related:

drawing for own use from unincorporated enterprises
goods produced for own consumption
services produced for own consumption
goods produced for barter
services produced for barter
stock consumed from unincorporated enterprise
services from owner-occupied dwellings
services from other consumer durables (net)
free government dwelling
subsidized government dwelling
food subsidies
medical reimbursements

The following receipts are collected using the last month as the reference period:

wages and salaries
cash bonuses and gratuities
commissions and tips
remuneration for time not worked, e.g. leave pay
termination and redundancy payments
employer social security contributions
employee social security contributions
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: housing
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: meals
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: car/transportation
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: goods or services produced by employer
employee income in-kind provided free or subsidized: other goods or services
profit/loss from unincorporated enterprises (mixed income)
drawing for own use from unincorporated enterprises
goods produced for own consumption
services produced for own consumption
goods produced for barter
services produced for barter
stock consumed from unincorporated enterprise
services from owner-occupied dwellings
services from other consumer durables (net)
interest received
dividends
rentals (payment received for produced assets e.g. house)
rents (payment received for un-produced assets e.g. land)
royalties
social transfers in kind: cultural and recreational services

The following receipts are collected using the last 3 months as the reference period:

social transfers in kind: medical services
social transfers in kind: public education
social transfers in kind: transport subsidies

The following receipts are collected using the last 12 months as the reference period:

regular pensions/annuities from schemes to which employee does not contribute
retirement pensions from compulsory social security schemes
other pensions
regular inter-household transfers received from: family, e.g. alimony, child/parental support
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular inheritances or trusts
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular cash gifts
regular inter-household transfers received from: regular in-kind gifts

The reference period for:

regular inter-household transfers received from: free dwelling
regular inter-household transfers received from: subsidized dwelling

Income data were collected separately for each person receiving income. Components of income for an individual were collected directly from each individual or from one person reporting for all individuals. Negative values (business losses) were excluded when computing self-employment income, because most reporting of business losses are treated causiously.

6. Expenditure data

Data collection method:
Diaries are used to collect expenditure data and are maintained for one month.

Diaries are used to collect expenditure on the following items:

food
alcohol, tobacco
other household non-durables (such as newspapers, batteries)
clothing, footwear
other personal non-durables (such as perfumes)
household services (such as plumber)
personal services (such as driving lessons, haircuts)
but it is mainly to capture purchase and consum ption of food items

Interviews are used to collect expenditure data with the respondent completing the interview by a mix of recall and using documentation.

Data for the following expenditure items are collected by referring:

to expenditures in last 3 months:
- other household non-durable goods
- clothing, footwear
- housing
- other items: health and education

to expenditures in last 12 months:
- other personal non-durable goods
- other durable goods
- households services
- personal services

Data for the following expenditure items are not collected by interview because they are collected by diary:

food

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Household consumption expenditure':

non-durable goods purchased
durable goods purchased (except housing)
services of owner-occupied housing
major repairs, conversions and extensions to owner-occupied housing
own produced non-durable goods
own-produced durable goods
own-produced services
services from durables owned (except housing)
in-kind goods received from other households
in-kind services received from other households
social transfers in-kind of goods and services from government and non-profit institutions serving households
out of pocket health expenditure
out of pocket education expenditures
out of pocket transport expenditures
housing maintenance, minor repairs
second hand goods purchased

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Actual Household consumption':

income in-kind receipts of goods
income in-kind receipts of services

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Non-consumption household expenditure':

non-life insurance premiums (e.g. vehicle, housing, other property, medical)
life insurance premiums
licences and fees (e.g. driver's licence, hunting licence, vehicle registration)
compulsory transfers to governments (e.g. contributions to government old age and disability insurance program, taxes)
occupational expenditures

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Non-household expenditure':

financial services (including fees for financial advice, brokerage fees)
regular cash payments to others outside the household
non-regular cash payments to others outside the household
purchase of gifts of goods and services given to others outside the household
expenditure abroad
investment-related expenditures (e.g. purchase of shares/stocks)
other business-related expenditures

The following types of expenditure items are classified as 'Investment/liability expenditure':

mortgage repayments, including interest
interest payments (excluding mortgage interest payments)

The following types of expenditure items are excluded due to measurement problems:

gambling expenditure

The following types of expenditure items are collected on an 'acquisitions' basis:

income in-kind receipts of goods
income in-kind receipts of services
in-kind goods received from other households
in-kind services received from other households

The following types of expenditure items are collected on a 'use' basis:

own produced non-durable goods
own-produced durable goods
own-produced services
services from durables owned (except housing)

The following types of expenditure items are collected on a 'payments' basis:

non-durable goods purchased
durable goods purchased (except housing)
mortgage repayments, including interest
major repairs, conversions and extensions to owner-occupied housing
interest payments (excluding mortgage interest payments)
financial services (including fees for financial advice, brokerage fees)
non-life insurance premiums (e.g. vehicle, housing, other property, medical)
life insurance premiums
licences and fees (e.g. driver's licence, hunting licence, vehicle registration)
out of pocket health expenditure
out of pocket education expenditures
out of pocket transport expenditures
housing maintenance, minor repairs
regular cash payments to others outside the household
non-regular cash payments to others outside the household
purchase of gifts of goods and services given to others outside the household
second hand goods purchased
expenditure abroad
compulsory transfers to governments (e.g. contributions to government old age and disability insurance program, taxes)
investment-related expenditures (e.g. purchase of shares/stocks)
occupational expenditures
other business-related expenditures

The following types of expenditure items are collected on a mixed basis:

services of owner-occupied housing
social transfers in-kind of goods and services from government and non-profit institutions serving households

Classification: COICOP is used for classifying expenditure and has 24 separate categories at the finest level.

7. Other Data Collection Issues

The following other topics are covered:

demographic characteristics
education attainment of members
employment status of members
occupation of members
ownership of selected durable goods
housing characteristics
savings
indebtedness

Households are not requested to indicate whether durable goods are new or second-hand when their acquisition is recorded.

Non-response: Non-response households (refusals and non-contacts) are substituted.

Non-response is reduced using more than one repeat visits.

Reporting errors are reduced using the following measures:

careful instrument design
adequate cues or props for prompting

DATA PROCESSING, ANALYSIS AND DISSEMINATION

Answers are pre-coded on data collection forms to the extent possible.²

The responses are edited by the following:

interviewers, data collectors
field supervisors
office staff
co-ordinators

Extreme values are amended. ³ In-kind receipts and consumption of own production are included in the estimates. In-kind receipts are valued using: the respondent's estimate. Consumption of own production is valued using: the respondent's estimate.

Treatment of owner-occupied housing: Values of owner-occupied housing are not included in the total income/expenditure estimates.

Treatment of selected groups/values in analysis: Some households/units are excluded from analysis because of incomplete response. Missing values are imputed only on some occasions . Supplementary sources are not used to adjust estimates for under- or over-reporting. No groups are excluded from data analysis.

Weighting:
Weighting factors are used to adjust for:

sampling
non-response
bench-marking

Sampling errors: Sampling errors are computed for major aggregates and these sampling errors are available on request.

Tabulation and Analysis: Statistics are presented showing averages per month and statistics are analysed and tabulated for households and for individuals separately.

The following classifications are used for tabulation and analysis of income statistics:

sex of reference person or head of household
occupation of reference person or head of household
income percentiles
absolute income groups
principal source of household income
household size
structure of household

The following classifications are used for tabulation and analysis of expenditure statistics:

occupation of reference person or head of household
absolute income groups
expenditure percentiles
expenditure classes in monetary terms
household size
structure of household

Documentation and Dissemination:

Additional statistics (or special tables on request) are available for public use, free of charge (no policy in place yet for charges for additional statistics).

Separate tables are published for the following special population groups:

households with wages/salaries as main source of income
low income households

(1) Boarders are included as unit members if staying for more than 6 months. (2) The following relates to what is planned for the data processing aspects of the survey. (3) Extreme values are amended depending on what results are to be obtained or the nature of the variables.