Abstract

The General Household Survey-Panel (GHS-Panel) is implemented in collaboration with the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) team as part of the Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (ISA) program. The objectives of the GHS-Panel include the development of an innovative model for collecting agricultural data, interinstitutional collaboration, and comprehensive analysis of welfare indicators and socio-economic characteristics. The GHS-Panel is a nationally representative survey of approximately 5,000 households, which are also representative of the six geopolitical zones. The 2023/24 GHS-Panel is the fifth round of the survey with prior rounds conducted in 2010/11, 2012/13, 2015/16 and 2018/19. The GHS-Panel households were visited twice: during post-planting period (July - September 2023) and during post-harvest period (January - March 2024).

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Households • Individuals • Agricultural plots • Communities

Universe

The survey covered all de jure households excluding prisons, hospitals, military barracks, and school dormitories.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The original GHS‑Panel sample was fully integrated with the 2010 GHS sample. The GHS sample consisted of 60 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) or Enumeration Areas (EAs), chosen from each of the 37 states in Nigeria. This resulted in a total of 2,220 EAs nationally. Each EA contributed 10 households to the GHS sample, resulting in a sample size of 22,200 households. Out of these 22,200 households, 5,000 households from 500 EAs were selected for the panel component, and 4,916 households completed their interviews in the first wave.

After nearly a decade of visiting the same households, a partial refresh of the GHS‑Panel sample was implemented in Wave 4 and maintained for Wave 5. The refresh was conducted to maintain the integrity and representativeness of the sample. The refresh EAs were selected from the same sampling frame as the original GHS‑Panel sample in 2010. A listing of households was conducted in the 360 EAs, and 10 households were randomly selected in each EA, resulting in a total refresh sample of approximately 3,600 households.

In addition to these 3,600 refresh households, a subsample of the original 5,000 GHS‑Panel households from 2010 were selected to be included in the new sample. This “long panel” sample of 1,590 households was designed to be nationally representative to enable continued longitudinal analysis for the sample going back to 2010. The long panel sample consisted of 159 EAs systematically selected across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The combined sample of refresh and long panel EAs in Wave 5 that were eligible for inclusion consisted of 518 EAs based on the EAs selected in Wave 4. The combined sample generally maintains both the national and zonal representativeness of the original GHS‑Panel sample.

Sampling deviation

Although 518 EAs were identified for the post-planting visit, conflict events prevented interviewers from visiting eight EAs in the North West zone of the country. The EAs were located in the states of Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto. Therefore, the final number of EAs visited both post-planting and post-harvest comprised 157 long panel EAs and 354 refresh EAs. The combined sample is also roughly equally distributed across the six geopolitical zones.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

The GHS-Panel Wave 5 consisted of three questionnaires for each of the two visits. The Household Questionnaire was administered to all households in the sample. The Agriculture Questionnaire was administered to all households engaged in agricultural activities such as crop farming, livestock rearing, and other agricultural and related activities. The Community Questionnaire was administered to the community to collect information on the socio-economic indicators of the enumeration areas where the sample households reside.

GHS-Panel Household Questionnaire: The Household Questionnaire provided information on demographics; education; health; labour; childcare; early child development; food and non-food expenditure; household nonfarm enterprises; food security and shocks; safety nets; housing conditions; assets; information and communication technology; economic shocks; and other sources of household income. Household location was geo-referenced in order to be able to later link the GHS-Panel data to other available geographic data sets (forthcoming).

GHS-Panel Agriculture Questionnaire: The Agriculture Questionnaire solicited information on land ownership and use; farm labour; inputs use; GPS land area measurement and coordinates of household plots; agricultural capital; irrigation; crop harvest and utilization; animal holdings and costs; household fishing activities; and digital farming information. Some information is collected at the crop level to allow for detailed analysis for individual crops.

GHS-Panel Community Questionnaire: The Community Questionnaire solicited information on access to infrastructure and transportation; community organizations; resource management; changes in the community; key events; community needs, actions, and achievements; social norms; and local retail price information.

The Household Questionnaire was slightly different for the two visits. Some information was collected only in the post-planting visit, some only in the post-harvest visit, and some in both visits.

The Agriculture Questionnaire collected different information during each visit, but for the same plots and crops.

The Community Questionnaire collected prices during both visits, and different community level information during the two visits.

Cleaning operations

CAPI: Wave five exercise was conducted using Computer Assisted Person Interview (CAPI) techniques. All the questionnaires (household, agriculture, and community questionnaires) were implemented in both the post-planting and post-harvest visits of Wave 5 using the CAPI software, Survey Solutions. The Survey Solutions software was developed and maintained by the Living Standards Measurement Unit within the Development Economics Data Group (DECDG) at the World Bank. Each enumerator was given a tablet which they used to conduct the interviews. Overall, implementation of survey using Survey Solutions CAPI was highly successful, as it allowed for timely availability of the data from completed interviews.

DATA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM: The data communication system used in Wave 5 was highly automated. Each field team was given a mobile modem which allowed for internet connectivity and daily synchronization of their tablets. This ensured that head office in Abuja had access to the data in real-time. Once the interview was completed and uploaded to the server, the data was first reviewed by the Data Editors. The data was also downloaded from the server, and Stata dofile was run on the downloaded data to check for additional errors that were not captured by the Survey Solutions application. An excel error file was generated following the running of the Stata dofile on the raw dataset. Information contained in the excel error files were then communicated back to respective field interviewers for their action. This monitoring activity was done on a daily basis throughout the duration of the survey, both in the post-planting and post-harvest.

DATA CLEANING: The data cleaning process was done in three main stages. The first stage was to ensure proper quality control during the fieldwork. This was achieved in part by incorporating validation and consistency checks into the Survey Solutions application used for the data collection and designed to highlight many of the errors that occurred during the fieldwork.

The second stage cleaning involved the use of Data Editors and Data Assistants (Headquarters in Survey Solutions). As indicated above, once the interview is completed and uploaded to the server, the Data Editors review completed interview for inconsistencies and extreme values. Depending on the outcome, they can either approve or reject the case. If rejected, the case goes back to the respective interviewer’s tablet upon synchronization. Special care was taken to see that the households included in the data matched with the selected sample and where there were differences, these were properly assessed and documented. The agriculture data were also checked to ensure that the plots identified in the main sections merged with the plot information identified in the other sections. Additional errors observed were compiled into error reports that were regularly sent to the teams. These errors were then corrected based on re-visits to the household on the instruction of the supervisor. The data that had gone through this first stage of cleaning was then approved by the Data Editor. After the Data Editor’s approval of the interview on Survey Solutions server, the Headquarters also reviews and depending on the outcome, can either reject or approve.

The third stage of cleaning involved a comprehensive review of the final raw data following the first and second stage cleaning. Every variable was examined individually for (1) consistency with other sections and variables, (2) out of range responses, and (3) outliers. However, special care was taken to avoid making strong assumptions when resolving potential errors. Some minor errors remain in the data where the diagnosis and/or solution were unclear to the data cleaning team.

Response

The General Household Survey (GHS) is a continuous national survey of people living in private households conducted on an annual basis, by the Social Survey Division of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The main aim of the survey is to collect data on a range of core topics, covering household, family and individual information. This information is used by government departments and other organisations for planning, policy and monitoring purposes, and to present a picture of house holds, family and people in Great Britain. From 2008, the General Household Survey became a module of the Integrated Household Survey (IHS). In recognition, the survey was renamed the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF/GLS). The GHS started in 1971 and has been carried out continuously since then, except for breaks in 1997-1998 when the survey was reviewed, and 1999-2000 when the survey was redeveloped. Following the 1997 review, the survey was relaunched from April 2000 with a different design. The relevant development work and the changes made are fully described in the Living in Britain report for the 2000-2001 survey. Following its review, the GHS was changed to comprise two elements: the continuous survey and extra modules, or 'trailers'. The continuous survey remained unchanged from 2000 to 2004, apart from essential adjustments to take account of, for example, changes in benefits and pensions. The GHS retained its modular structure and this allowed a number of different trailers to be included for each of those years, to a plan agreed by sponsoring government departments. Further changes to the GHS methodology from 2005: From April 1994 to 2005, the GHS was conducted on a financial year basis, with fieldwork spread evenly from April of one year to March the following year. However, in 2005 the survey period reverted to a calendar year and the whole of the annual sample was surveyed in the nine months from April to December 2005. Future surveys will run from January to December each year, hence the title date change to single year from 2005 onwards. Since the 2005 GHS (held under SN 5640) does not cover the January-March quarter, this affects annual estimates for topics which are subject to seasonal variation. To rectify this, where the questions were the same in 2005 as in 2004-2005, the final quarter of the latter survey was added (weighted in the correct proportion) to the nine months of the 2005 survey. Furthermore, in 2005, the European Union (EU) made a legal obligation (EU-SILC) for member states to collect additional statistics on income and living conditions. In addition to this the EU-SILC data cover poverty and social exclusion. These statistics are used to help plan and monitor European social policy by comparing poverty indicators and changes over time across the EU. The EU-SILC requirement has been integrated into the GHS, leading to large-scale changes in the 2005 survey questionnaire. The trailers on 'Views of your Local Area' and 'Dental Health' have been removed. Other changes have been made to many of the standard questionnaire sections, details of which may be found in the GHS 2005 documentation. Further changes to the GLF/GHS methodology from 2008 As noted above, the General Household Survey (GHS) was renamed the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF/GLS) in 2008. The sample design of the GLF/GLS is the same as the GHS before, and the questionnaire remains largely the same. The main change is that the GLF now includes the IHS core questions, which are common to all of the separate modules that together comprise the IHS. Some of these core questions are simpl y questions that were previously asked in the same or a similar format on all of the IHS component surveys (including the GLF/GLS). The core questions cover employment, smoking prevalence, general health, ethnicity, citizenship and national identity. These questions are asked by proxy if an interview is not possible with the selected respondent (that is a member of the household can answer on behalf of other respondents in the household). This is a departure from the GHS which did not ask smoking prevalence and general health questions by proxy, whereas the GLF/GLS does from 2008. For details on other changes to the GLF/GLS questionnaire, please see the GLF/GLS 2008: Special Licence Access documentation held with SN 6414. Currently, the UK Data Archive holds only the SL (and not the EUL) version of the GLF/GLS for 2008. Changes to the drinking section There have been a number of revisions to the methodology that is used to produce the alcohol consumption estimates. In 2006, the average number of units assigned to the different drink types and the assumption around the average size of a wine glass was updated, resulting in significantly increased consumption estimates. In addition to the revised method, a new question about wine glass size was included in the survey in 2008. Respondents were asked whether they have consumed small (125 ml), standard (175 ml) or large (250 ml) glasses of wine. The data from this question are used when calculating the number of units of alcohol consumed by the respondent. It is assumed that a small glass contains 1.5 units, a standard glass contains 2 units and a large glass contains 3 units. (In 2006 and 2007 it was assumed that all respondents drank from a standard 175 ml glass containing 2 units.) The datasets contain the original set of variables based on the original methodology, as well as those based on the revised and (for 2008 onwards) updated methodologies. Further details on these changes are provided in the Guidelines documents held in SN 5804 - GHS 2006; and SN 6414 - GLF/GLS 2008: Special Licence Access. Special Licence GHS/GLF/GLS Special Licence (SL) versions of the GHS/GLF/GLS are available from 1998-1999 onwards. The SL versions include all variables held in the standard 'End User Licence' (EUL) version, plus extra variables covering cigarette codes and descriptions, and some birthdate information for respondents and household members. Prospective SL users will need to complete an extra application form and demonstrate to the data owners exactly why they need access to t he extra variables, in order to get permission to use the SL version. Therefore, most users should order the EUL version of the data. In order to help users choose the correct dataset, 'Special Licence Access' has been added to the dataset titles for the SL versions of the data. A list of all GHS/GLF/GLS studies available from the UK Data Archive may be found on the GHS/GLF/GLS major studies web page. See below for details of SL datasets for the corresponding GHS/GLF/GLS year (1998-1999 onwards only). UK Data Archive data holdings and formats The UK Data Archive GHS/GLF/GLS holdings begin with the 1971 study for EUL data, and from 1998-1999 for SL versions (see above). Users should note that data for the 1971 study are currently only available as ASCII files without accompanying SPSS set-up files. SPSS files for the 1972 study were created by John Simister, and redeposited at the Archive in 2000. Currently, the UK Data Archive holds only the SL versions of the GHS/GLF/GLS for 2007 and 2008. Reformatted Data 1973 to 1982 - Surrey SPSS Files SPSS files have been created by the University of Surrey for all study years from 1973 to 1982 inclusive. These early files were restructured and the case changed from the household to the individual with all of the household information duplicated for each individual. The Surrey SPSS files contain all the original variabl es as well as some extra derived variables (a few variables were omitted from the data files for 1973-76). In 1973 only, the section on leisure was not included in the Surrey SPSS files. This has subsequently been made available, however, and is now held in a separate study, General Household Survey, 1973: Leisure Questions (held under SN 3982). Records for the original GHS 1973-1982 ASCII files have been removed from the UK Data Archive catalogue, but the data are still preserved and available upon request. Users should note that GHS/GLF/GLS data are also available in formats other than SPSS.

Abstract

Panel data possess several advantages over conventional cross-sectional and time-series data, including their power to isolate the effects of specific actions, treatments, and general policies often at the core of large-scale econometric development studies. While the concept of panel data alone provides the capacity for modeling the complexities of human behavior, the notion of universal panel data – in which time- and situation-driven variances leading to variations in tools, and thus results, are mitigated – can further enhance exploitation of the richness of panel information.

The Basic Information Document (BID) provides a brief overview of the Nigerian General Household Survey (GHS) but focuses primarily on the theoretical development and application of panel data, as well as key elements of the universal panel survey instrument and datasets generated by the four rounds of the GHS. As the BID does not describe in detail the background, development, or use of the GHS itself, the wave-specific GHS BIDs should supplement the information provided here.

The Nigeria Universal Panel Data (NUPD) consists of both survey instruments and datasets from the two survey visits of the GHS - Post-Planting (PP) and Post-Harvest (PH) - meticulously aligned and engineered with the aim of facilitating the use of and improving access to the wealth of panel data offered by the GHS. The NUPD provides a consistent and straightforward means of conducting user-driven analyses using convenient, standardized tools.

The design of the NUPD combines the four completed Waves of the GHS Household Post-Planting and Post-Harvest Surveys – Wave 1 (2010/11), Wave 2 (2012/13), Wave 3 (2015/16), and Wave 4 (2018/19) – into pooled, module-specific survey instruments and datasets. The panel survey instruments offer the ease of comparability over time, with modifications and variances easily identifiable as well as those aspects of the questionnaire which have remained identical and offer consistent information. By providing all module-specific data over time within compact, pooled datasets, panel datasets eliminate the need for user-generated merges between rounds and present data in a clear, logical format, increasing both the usability and comprehension of complex data.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Households
• Individuals

Universe

The survey covered all de jure households excluding prisons, hospitals, military barracks, and school dormitories.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Please see the GHS BIDs for each round for detailed descriptions of the sample design used in each round and their respective implementation efforts as this is a compilation of datasets from all previous waves.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The larger GHS-Panel project consists of three questionnaires (Household Questionnaire, Agriculture Questionnaire, Community Questionnaire) for each of the two visits (Post-Planting and Post-Harvest). The GHS-NUPD only consists of the Household Questionnaire.

GHS-Panel Household Questionnaire: The Household Questionnaire provides information on demographics; education; health (including anthropometric measurement for children); labor; food and non-food expenditure; household nonfarm income-generating activities; food security and shocks; safety nets; housing conditions; assets; information and communication technology; and other sources of household income.

The Household Questionnaire is slightly different for the two visits. Some information was collected only in the post-planting visit, some only in the post-harvest visit, and some in both visits.

Cleaning operations

Please see the GHS BIDs for each round for detailed descriptions of data editing and additional data processing efforts as this is a compilation of datasets from all previous waves.

Abstract

The GHS is an annual household survey which measures the living circumstances of South African households. The GHS collects data on education, health, and social development, housing, access to services and facilities, food security, and agriculture.

Geographic coverage

The General Household Survey has national coverage.

Analysis unit

Households and individuals

Universe

The survey covers all de jure household members (usual residents) of households in the nine provinces of South Africa, and residents in workers' hostels. The survey does not cover collective living quarters such as student hostels, old age homes, hospitals, prisons, and military barracks.

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

From 2015 the General Household Survey (GHS) uses a Master Sample (MS) frame developed in 2013 as a general-purpose sampling frame to be used for all Stats SA household-based surveys. This MS has design requirements that are reasonably compatible with the GHS. The 2013 Master Sample is based on information collected during the 2011 Census conducted by Stats SA. In preparation for Census 2011, the country was divided into 103 576 enumeration areas (EAs). The census EAs, together with the auxiliary information for the EAs, were used as the frame units or building blocks for the formation of primary sampling units (PSUs) for the Master Sample, since they covered the entire country, and had other information that is crucial for stratification and creation of PSUs. There are 3 324 primary sampling units (PSUs) in the Master Sample, with an expected sample of approximately 33 000 dwelling units (DUs). The number of PSUs in the current Master Sample (3 324) reflect an 8,0% increase in the size of the Master Sample compared to the previous (2008) Master Sample (which had 3 080 PSUs). The larger Master Sample of PSUs was selected to improve the precision (smaller coefficients of variation, known as CVs) of the GHS estimates. The Master Sample is designed to be representative at provincial level and within provinces at metro/non-metro levels. Within the metros, the sample is further distributed by geographical type. The three geography types are Urban, Tribal and Farms. This implies, for example, that within a metropolitan area, the sample is representative of the different geography types that may exist within that metro.

The sample for the GHS is based on a stratified two-stage design with probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling of PSUs in the first stage, and sampling of dwelling units (DUs) with systematic sampling in the second stage.After allocating the sample to the provinces, the sample was further stratified by geography (primary stratification), and by population attributes using Census 2011 data (secondary stratification).

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview

Research instrument

Data was collected with a household questionnaire and a questionnaire administered to a household member to elicit information on household members.

Data appraisal

Since 2019, the questionnaire for the GHS series changed and the variables were also renamed. For correspondence between old names (GHS pre-2019) and new name (GHS post-2019), see the document ghs-2019-variables-renamed.

The General Household Survey (GHS), ran from 1971-2011 (the UKDS holds data from 1972-2011). It was a continuous annual national survey of people living in private households, conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The main aim of the survey was to collect data on a range of core topics, covering household, family and individual information. This information was used by government departments and other organisations for planning, policy and monitoring purposes, and to present a picture of households, families and people in Great Britain. In 2008, the GHS became a module of the Integrated Household Survey (IHS). In recognition, the survey was renamed the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF). The GLF closed in January 2012. The 2011 GLF is therefore the last in the series. A limited number of questions previously run on the GLF were subsequently included in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).

Secure Access GHS/GLF
The UKDS holds standard access End User Licence (EUL) data for 1972-2006. A Secure Access version is available, covering the years 2000-2011 - see SN 6716 General Lifestyle Survey, 2000-2011: Secure Access.

History
The GHS was conducted annually until 2011, except for breaks in 1997-1998 when the survey was reviewed, and 1999-2000 when the survey was redeveloped. Further information may be found in the ONS document An overview of 40 years of data (General Lifestyle Survey Overview - a report on the 2011 General Lifestyle Survey) (PDF). Details of changes each year may be found in the individual study documentation.

EU-SILC
In 2005, the European Union (EU) made a legal obligation (EU-SILC) for member states to collect additional statistics on income and living conditions. In addition, the EU-SILC data cover poverty and social exclusion. These statistics are used to help plan and monitor European social policy by comparing poverty indicators and changes over time across the EU. The EU-SILC requirement was integrated into the GHS/GLF in 2005. After the closure of the GLF, EU-SILC was collected via the Family Resources Survey (FRS) until the UK left the EU in 2020.

Reformatted GHS data 1973-1982 - Surrey SPSS Files
SPSS files were created by the University of Surrey for all GHS years from 1973 to 1982 inclusive. The early files were restructured and the case changed from the household to the individual with all of the household information duplicated for each individual. The Surrey SPSS files contain all the original variables as well as some extra derived variables (a few variables were omitted from the data files for 1973-76). In 1973 only, the section on leisure was not included in the Surrey SPSS files. This has subsequently been made available, however, and is now held in a separate study, General Household Survey, 1973: Leisure Questions (SN 3982). Records for the original GHS 1973-1982 ASCII files have been removed from the UK Data Archive catalogue, but the data are still preserved and available upon request.

Abstract

The General Household Survey-Panel (GHS-Panel) is implemented in collaboration with the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) team as part of the Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (ISA) program. The objectives of the GHS-Panel include the development of an innovative model for collecting agricultural data, interinstitutional collaboration, and comprehensive analysis of welfare indicators and socio-economic characteristics. The GHS-Panel is a nationally representative survey of approximately 5,000 households, which are also representative of the six geopolitical zones. The 2018/19 is the fourth round of the survey with prior rounds conducted in 2010/11, 2012/13, and 2015/16. GHS-Panel households were visited twice: first after the planting season (post-planting) between July and September 2018 and second after the harvest season (post-harvest) between January and February 2019.

Geographic coverage

National, the survey covered all the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Analysis unit

Households, Individuals, Agricultural plots, Communites

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The original GHS-Panel sample of 5,000 households across 500 enumeration areas (EAs) and was designed to be representative at the national level as well as at the zonal level. The complete sampling information for the GHS-Panel is described in the Basic Information Document for GHS-Panel 2010/2011. However, after a nearly a decade of visiting the same households, a partial refresh of the GHS-Panel sample was implemented in Wave 4. For the partial refresh of the sample, a new set of 360 EAs were randomly selected which consisted of 60 EAs per zone. The refresh EAs were selected from the same sampling frame as the original GHS-Panel sample in 2010 (the "master frame").

A listing of all households was conducted in the 360 EAs and 10 households were randomly selected in each EA, resulting in a total refresh sample of approximated 3,600 households. In addition to these 3,600 refresh households, a subsample of the original 5,000 GHS-Panel households from 2010 were selected to be included in the new sample. This "long panel" sample was designed to be nationally representative to enable continued longitudinal analysis for the sample going back to 2010. The long panel sample consisted of 159 EAs systematically selected across the 6 geopolitical Zones. The systematic selection ensured that the distribution of EAs across the 6 Zones (and urban and rural areas within) is proportional to the original GHS-Panel sample.

Interviewers attempted to interview all households that originally resided in the 159 EAs and were successfully interviewed in the previous visit in 2016. This includes households that had moved away from their original location in 2010. In all, interviewers attempted to interview 1,507 households from the original panel sample. The combined sample of refresh and long panel EAs consisted of 519 EAs. The total number of households that were successfully interviewed in both visits was 4,976.

Sampling deviation

While the combined sample generally maintains both national and Zonal representativeness of the original GHS-Panel sample, the security situation in the North East of Nigeria prevented full coverage of the Zone. Due to security concerns, rural areas of Borno state were fully excluded from the refresh sample and some inaccessible urban areas were also excluded. Security concerns also prevented interviewers from visiting some communities in other parts of the country where conflict events were occurring. Refresh EAs that could not be accessed were replaced with another randomly selected EA in the Zone so as not to compromise the sample size. As a result, the combined sample is representative of areas of Nigeria that were accessible during 2018/19. The sample will not reflect conditions in areas that were undergoing conflict during that period. This compromise was necessary to ensure the safety of interviewers.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Cleaning operations

CAPI: For the first time in GHS-Panel, the Wave four exercise was conducted using Computer Assisted Person Interview (CAPI) techniques. All the questionnaires, household, agriculture and community questionnaires were implemented in both the post-planting and post-harvest visits of Wave 4 using the CAPI software, Survey Solutions. The Survey Solutions software was developed and maintained by the Survey Unit within the Development Economics Data Group (DECDG) at the World Bank. Each enumerator was given tablets which they used to conduct the interviews. Overall, implementation of survey using Survey Solutions CAPI was highly successful, as it allowed for timely availability of the data from completed interviews. DATA COMMUNICATION SYSTEM: The data communication system used in Wave 4 was highly automated. Each field team was given a mobile modem allow for internet connectivity and daily synchronization of their tablet. This ensured that head office in Abuja has access to the data in real-time. Once the interview is completed and uploaded to the server, the data is first reviewed by the Data Editors.

The data is also downloaded from the server, and Stata dofile was run on the downloaded data to check for additional errors that were not captured by the Survey Solutions application. An excel error file is generated following the running of the Stata dofile on the raw dataset. Information contained in the excel error files are communicated back to respective field interviewers for action by the interviewers. This action is done on a daily basis throughout the duration of the survey, both in the post-planting and post-harvest. DATA CLEANING: The data cleaning process was done in three main stages. The first stage was to ensure proper quality control during the fieldwork. This was achieved in part by incorporating validation and consistency checks into the Survey Solutions application used for the data collection and designed to highlight many of the errors that occurred during the fieldwork. The second stage cleaning involved the use of Data Editors and Data Assistants (Headquarters in Survey Solutions). As indicated above, once the interview is completed and uploaded to the server, the Data Editors review completed interview for inconsistencies and extreme values. Depending on the outcome, they can either approve or reject the case. If rejected, the case goes back to the respective interviewer's tablet upon synchronization. Special care was taken to see that the households included in the data matched with the selected sample and where there were differences, these were properly assessed and documented.

The agriculture data were also checked to ensure that the plots identified in the main sections merged with the plot information identified in the other sections. Additional errors observed were compiled into error reports that were regularly sent to the teams. These errors were then corrected based on re-visits to the household on the instruction of the supervisor. The data that had gone through this first stage of cleaning was then approved by the Data Editor. After the Data Editor's approval of the interview on Survey Solutions server, the Headquarters also reviews and depending on the outcome, can either reject or approve. The third stage of cleaning involved a comprehensive review of the final raw data following the first and second stage cleaning. Every variable was examined individually for (1) consistency with other sections and variables, (2) out of range responses, and (3) outliers. However, special care was taken to avoid making strong assumptions when resolving potential errors. Some minor errors remain in the data where the diagnosis and/or solution were unclear to the data cleaning team.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

households/individuals

Kind of data

survey

Frequency of data collection

Yearly

Sampling procedure

Sample size:

Abstract

The General Household Survey (GHS) has been used as an instrument to track the progress of development since 2002 when it was first introduced . It is an annual household survey specifically designed to measure the living circumstances of South African households. The GHS collects data on education, health and social development, housing, household access to services and facilities, food security, and agriculture.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Households

Universe

The survey covers all de jure household members (usual residents) of households in the nine provinces of South Africa and residents in workers' hostels. The survey does not cover collective living quarters such as student hostels, old age homes, hospitals, prisons and military barracks.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample design for the GHS 2013 was based on a master sample (MS) that was originally designed for the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) and was used for the first time for the GHS in 2008. This master sample is shared by the QLFS, GHS, Living Conditions Survey (LCS), Domestic Tourism Survey (DTS) and the Income and Expenditure Survey (IES). The master sample used a two-stage, stratified design with probability-proportional-to-size (PPS) sampling of primary sampling units (PSUs) from within strata, and systematic sampling of dwelling units (DUs) from the sampled PSUs. A self-weighting design at provincial level was used and MS stratification was divided into two levels. Primary stratification was defined by metropolitan and non-metropolitan geographic area type. During secondary stratification, the Census 2001 data were summarised at PSU level. The following variables were used for secondary stratification: household size, education, occupancy status, gender, industry and income. Census enumeration areas (EAs) as delineated for Census 2001 formed the basis of the PSUs. The following additional rules were used:

• Where possible, PSU sizes were kept between 100 and 500 DUs • EAs with fewer than 25 DUs were excluded • EAs with between 26 and 99 DUs were pooled to form larger PSUs and the criteria used was same settlement type • Virtual splits were applied to large PSUs: 500 to 999 splits into two; 1 000 to 1 499 split into three; and 1 500 plus split into four PSUs; and • Informal PSUs were segmented

A randomised-probability-proportional-to-size (RPPS) systematic sample of PSUs was drawn in each stratum, with the measure of size being the number of households in the PSU. Altogether approximately 3 080 PSUs were selected. In each selected PSU a systematic sample of dwelling units was drawn. The number of DUs selected per PSU varies from PSU to PSU and depends on the Inverse Sampling Ratios (ISR) of each PSU.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Data appraisal

Please note that DataFirst provides versioning at dataset and file level. Revised files have new version numbers. Files that are not revised retain their original version numbers. Changes to any of the data files will result in the dataset having a new version number. Thus, version numbers of files within a dataset may not match.

The General Household Survey-Panel (GHS-Panel) is implemented in collaboration with the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) team as part of the Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (ISA) program. The objectives of the GHS-Panel include the development of an innovative model for collecting agricultural data, interinstitutional collaboration, and comprehensive analysis of welfare indicators and socio-economic characteristics. The GHS-Panel is a nationally representative survey of approximately 5,000 households, which are also representative of the six geopolitical zones. The 2018/19 is the fourth round of the survey with prior rounds conducted in 2010/11, 2012/13, and 2015/16. GHS-Panel households were visited twice: first after the planting season (post-planting) between July and September 2018 and second after the harvest season (post-harvest) between January and February 2019.

Abstract

The Nigerian General Household Survey (GHS) is implemented in collaboration with the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) team as part of the Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (ISA) program and was revised in 2010 to include a panel component (GHS-Panel). The objectives of the GHS-Panel include the development of an innovative model for collecting agricultural data, inter-institutional collaboration, and comprehensive analysis of welfare indicators and socio-economic characteristics. The GHS-Panel is a nationally representative survey of 5,000 households, which are also representative of the geopolitical zones (at both the urban and rural level). The households included in the GHS-Panel are a sub-sample of the overall GHS sample households.

GHS-Panel households were visited twice: first after the planting season (post-planting) between August and October and second after the harvest season (post-harvest) between February and April. All households were visited twice regardless of whether they participated in agricultural activities. Some important factors such as labour, food consumption, and expenditures were collected during both visits.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Community

Universe

The survey covered all de jure households excluding prisons, hospitals, military barracks, and school dormitories.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

A multi-stage stratified sample design was used for the GHS and the Panel Survey. The GHS-Panel sample is fully integrated with the 2010 GHS Sample. The GHS sample is comprised of 60 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) or Enumeration Areas (EAs) chosen from each of the 37 states in Nigeria, a total of 2220 EAs nationally. Each EA contributes 10 households to the GHS sample, resulting in a sample size of 22,200 households. Out of these 22,000 households, 5,000 households from 500 EAs were selected for the panel component and 4,916 households completed their interviews in the first wave. Given the panel nature of the survey, some households had moved from their location and were not able to be located by the time of the Wave 3 visit, resulting in a slightly smaller sample of 4,581 households for Wave 3.

For further details of the sample design, see Section 1.2 of the final report.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The GHS-Panel Wave 3 consists of three questionnaires for each of the two visits. The Household Questionnaire was administered to all households in the sample. The Agriculture Questionnaire was administered to all households engaged in agricultural activities such as crop farming, livestock rearing and other agricultural and related activities. The Community Questionnaire was administered to the community to collect information on the socio-economic indicators of the enumeration areas where the sample households reside.

GHS-Panel Household Questionnaire: The Household Questionnaire provides information on demographics; education; health (including anthropometric measurement for children and child immunization); labour and labour data collection options; food and non-food expenditure; household nonfarm income-generating activities; food security and shocks; safety nets; housing conditions; assets; information and communication technology; and other sources of household income. Household location is geo-referenced in order to be able to later link the GHS-Panel data to other available geographic data sets. The labour module of the Household Questionnaire introduced four different variants to test the sensitivity of labour statistics to how labour modules are designed.

GHS-Panel Agriculture Questionnaire: The Agriculture Questionnaire solicits information on land ownership and use; farm labour; inputs use; GPS land area measurement and coordinates of household plots; agricultural capital; irrigation; crop harvest and utilization; animal holdings and costs; and household fishing activities.

GHS-Panel Community Questionnaire: The Community Questionnaire solicits information on access to infrastructure; community organizations; resource management; changes in the community; key events; community needs, actions and achievements; and local retail price information.

Cleaning operations

Data Entry The household and agricultural components of the survey were conducted using concurrent data entry approach. In this method, the fieldwork and data entry were handled by each team assigned to the state. Each team consisted of a field supervisor, 2-4 interviewers and a data entry operator. Immediately after the data were collected in the field by the interviewers and supervisors (the supervisors administered the community questionnaires and collected data on prices), the questionnaires were handed over to the supervisor to be checked and documented. At the end of each day of fieldwork, the questionnaires were then passed to the data entry operator for entry. After the questionnaires were entered, the data entry operator generated an error report which reported issues including out of range values and inconsistencies in the data. The supervisor then checked the report, determined what should be corrected, and decided if the field team needed to revisit the household to obtain additional information. The benefits of this method are that it allows one to: - Capture errors that might have been overlooked by a visual inspection only, - Identify errors early during the field work so that if any correction required a revisit to the household, it could be done while the team was still in the EA

The CSPro software was used to design the specialized data entry program that was used for the data entry of the questionnaires.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

households/individuals

Kind of data

survey

Frequency of data collection

Yearly

Sampling procedure

Sample size:

Dataset from Singapore Department of Statistics. For more information, visit https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_1dadd98a5b5da3daaaf1849e89ddd88a/view

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

households/individuals

Kind of data

survey

Frequency of data collection

Yearly

Sampling procedure

Sample size:

Population: Mid Year: Female: 5 to 9 Year data was reported at 146,300.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 140,600.000 Person for 2016. Population: Mid Year: Female: 5 to 9 Year data is updated yearly, averaging 198,600.000 Person from Jun 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 266,100.000 Person in 1968 and a record low of 117,400.000 Person in 2011. Population: Mid Year: Female: 5 to 9 Year data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census and Statistics Department. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong – Table HK.G001: Population: General Household Survey (GHS): Resident Population Approach (RPA).

Abstract

The GHS is a household survey that has been executed annually by Stats SA since 2002. The survey in its present form was instituted as a result of the need identified by the Government of South Africa to determine the level of development in the country and the performance of programmes and projects on a regular basis. The survey was specifically designed to measure multiple facets of the living conditions of South African households, as well as the quality of service delivery in a number of key service sectors. The GHS covers six broad areas, namely: education, health, social development, housing, household access to services and facilities, food security and agriculture.

Geographic coverage

The nine provinces of South Africa

Analysis unit

Households Individuals

Universe

The target population of the survey consists of all private households in all nine provinces of South Africa and residents in workers' hostels. The survey does not cover other collective living quarters such as students' hostels, old-age homes, hospitals, prisons and military barracks, and is therefore only representative of non-institutionalised and non-military persons or households in South Africa.

Kind of data

Données échantillonées [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample design for the GHS 2011 was based on a master sample (MS) that was originally designed for the QLFS and was used for the first time for the GHS in 2008. This master sample is shared by the Quarterly Labour Force Surveys (QLFS), General Household Survey (GHS), Living Conditions Survey (LCS), Domestic Tourism Survey and the Income and Expenditure Surveys (IES).

The master sample used a two-stage, stratified design with probability-proportional-to-size (PPS) sampling of PSUs from within strata, and systematic sampling of dwelling units (DUs) from the sampled primary sampling units (PSUs). A self-weighting design at provincial level was used and MS stratification was divided into two levels. Primary stratification was defined by metropolitan and non-metropolitan geographic area type. During secondary stratification, the Census 2001 data were summarised at PSU level. The following variables were used for secondary stratification; household size, education, occupancy status, gender, industry and income.

Census enumeration areas (EAs) as delineated for Census 2001 formed the basis of the PSUs. The following additional rules were used: · Where possible, PSU sizes were kept between 100 and 500 dwelling units (DUs); · EAs with fewer than 25 DUs were excluded; · EAs with between 26 and 99 DUs were pooled to form larger PSUs and the criteria used was same settlement type; · Virtual splits were applied to large PSUs: 500 to 999 split into two; 1 000 to 1 499 split into three; and 1 500 plus split into four PSUs; and · Informal PSUs were segmented.

A Randomised Probability Proportional to Size (RPPS) systematic sample of PSUs was drawn in each stratum, with the measure of size being the number of households in the PSU. Altogether approximately 3 080 PSUs were selected. In each selected PSU a systematic sample of dwelling units was drawn. The number of DUs selected per PSU varies from PSU to PSU and depends on the Inverse Sampling Ratios (ISR) of each PSU.

For more Information on sampling please view technical notes in the statistical release

Mode of data collection

Interview face à face [f2f]

Research instrument

The questionnaire covers five core areas of importance with sections on education, health, non-remunerated trips undertaken by the household, housing, and household access to services and facilities. These are covered in four sections, each focusing on a particular aspect. Depending on the need for additional information, the questionnaire is adapted on an annual basis. New sections may be introduced on a specific topic for which information is needed or additional questions may be added to existing sections. Likewise, questions that are no longer necessary may be removed.

Contents of the GHS questionnaire - Cover page: Household information, response details, field staff information, result codes, etc. - Flap: Demographic information (name, sex, age, population group, etc.) - Section 1: Biographical information (education, health, disability, welfare) - Section 2: Economic activities - Section 3:Household information (type of dwelling, ownership of dwelling, electricity, water and sanitation,environmental issues, services, transport, etc.) - Section 4: Food security, income and expenditure (food supply, agriculture, expenditure, etc.)

Response rate

The national response rate for the survey was 94,2%.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The General Household Survey (GHS), ran from 1971-2011 (the UKDS holds data from 1972-2011). It was a continuous annual national survey of people living in private households, conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The main aim of the survey was to collect data on a range of core topics, covering household, family and individual information. This information was used by government departments and other organisations for planning, policy and monitoring purposes, and to present a picture of households, families and people in Great Britain. In 2008, the GHS became a module of the Integrated Household Survey (IHS). In recognition, the survey was renamed the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF). The GLF closed in January 2012. The 2011 GLF is therefore the last in the series. A limited number of questions previously run on the GLF were subsequently included in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).

Secure Access GHS/GLF
The UKDS holds standard access End User Licence (EUL) data for 1972-2006. A Secure Access version is available, covering the years 2000-2011 - see SN 6716 General Lifestyle Survey, 2000-2011: Secure Access.

History
The GHS was conducted annually until 2011, except for breaks in 1997-1998 when the survey was reviewed, and 1999-2000 when the survey was redeveloped. Further information may be found in the ONS document An overview of 40 years of data (General Lifestyle Survey Overview - a report on the 2011 General Lifestyle Survey) (PDF). Details of changes each year may be found in the individual study documentation.

EU-SILC
In 2005, the European Union (EU) made a legal obligation (EU-SILC) for member states to collect additional statistics on income and living conditions. In addition, the EU-SILC data cover poverty and social exclusion. These statistics are used to help plan and monitor European social policy by comparing poverty indicators and changes over time across the EU. The EU-SILC requirement was integrated into the GHS/GLF in 2005. After the closure of the GLF, EU-SILC was collected via the Family Resources Survey (FRS) until the UK left the EU in 2020.

Reformatted GHS data 1973-1982 - Surrey SPSS Files
SPSS files were created by the University of Surrey for all GHS years from 1973 to 1982 inclusive. The early files were restructured and the case changed from the household to the individual with all of the household information duplicated for each individual. The Surrey SPSS files contain all the original variables as well as some extra derived variables (a few variables were omitted from the data files for 1973-76). In 1973 only, the section on leisure was not included in the Surrey SPSS files. This has subsequently been made available, however, and is now held in a separate study, General Household Survey, 1973: Leisure Questions (SN 3982). Records for the original GHS 1973-1982 ASCII files have been removed from the UK Data Archive catalogue, but the data are still preserved and available upon request.

The main GHS consisted of a household questionnaire, completed by the Household Reference Person (HRP), and an individual questionnaire, completed by all adults aged 16 and over resident in the household. A number of different trailers each year covering extra topics were included in later (post-review) surveys in the series from 2000.

• The household questionnaire covered the following topics: household information, accommodation type, housing tenure/costs, and consumer durables including vehicle ownership.
• The individual questionnaire included data from the household dataset, and additional sections on migration/citizenship/national identity/ethnicity, employment, pensions, education, health, child care, smoking, drinking, family information, financial situation, and income.
  

Dataset from Singapore Department of Statistics. For more information, visit https://data.gov.sg/datasets/d_2dbbec915e87cea9eb94ffc62705c9b2/view

Abstract

The Geneal Household Survey is a brainchild of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and is often referred to as Regular survey carried out on quarterly basis by the NBS over the years. In recent times, starting from 2004 to be precise, there is a collaborative effort between the NBS and the CBN in 2004 and 2005 and in 2006 the collaboration incorporated Nigerian Communications commission (NCC). The main reason of for conducting the survey was to enable the collaborating agencies fulfil their mandate in the production of current and credible statistics, to monitor and evaluate the status of the economy and the various government programmes such as the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The collaborative survey also assured the elimination of conflicts in data generated by the different agencies and ensured a reliable, authentic national statistics for the country.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Household

Universe

Household

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Response rate

On National basis, 85.98 percent response rate was acheived at EA level while 85.96 percent was acheived at housing units level.

Sampling error estimates

No sampling error estimate

Data appraisal

QUALITY CONTROL AND RETRIEVAL OF RECORD
Quality Control measures were carried out during the survey, essentially to ensure quality of data. There were three levels of supervision involving the supervisors at the first level, CBN staff, NBS State Officers and Zonal Controllers at second level and finally the NBS/NCC Headquarter staff constituting the third level supervision. Field monitoring and quality check exercises were also carried out during the period of data collection as part of the quality control measures.

Abstract

In the past decades, Nigeria has experienced substantial gaps in producing adequate and timely data to inform policy making. In particular, the country is lagging behind in producing sufficient and accurate agricultural production statistics. The current set of household and farm surveys conducted by the NBS covers a wide range of sectors. Except for the Harmonized National Living Standard Survey (HNLSS) which covers multiple topics, these different sectors are usually covered in separate surveys none of which is conducted as a panel. As part of the efforts to continue to improve data collection and usability, the NBS has revised the content of the annual General household survey (GHS) and added a panel component. The GHS-Panel is conducted every 2 years covering multiple sectors with a focus to improve data from the agriculture sector.

The Nigeria General Hosehold Survey-Panel, is the result of a partnership that NBS has established with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the World Bank (WB). Under this partnership, a method to collect agricultural and household data in such a way as to allow the study of agriculture's role in household welfare over time was developed. This GHS-Panel Survey responds to the needs of the country, given the dependence of a high percentage of households on agriculture activities in the country, for information on household agricultural activities along with other information on the households like human capital, other economic activities, access to services and resources. The ability to follow the same households over time, makes the GHS-Panel a new and powerful tool for studying and understanding the role of agriculture in household welfare over time as it allows analyses to be made of how households add to their human and physical capital, how education affects earnings and the role of government policies and programs on poverty, inter alia.

The objectives of the survey are as follows 1. Allowing welfare levels to be produced at the state level using small area estimation techniques resulting in state-level poverty figures 2. With the integration of the longitudinal panel survey with GHS, it will be possible to conduct a more comprehensive analysis of poverty indicators and socio-economic characteristics 3. Support the development and implementation of a Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) application for the paperless collection of GHS 4. Developing an innovative model for collecting agricultural data 5. Capacity building and developing sustainable systems for the production of accurate and timely information on agricultural households in Nigeria. 6. Active dissemination of agriculture statistics

The second wave consists of two visits to the household: the post-planting visit occurred directly after the planting season to collect information on preparation of plots, inputs used, labour used for planting and other issues related to the planting season. The post-harvest visit occurred after the harvest season and collected information on crops harvested, labour used for cultivating and harvest activities, and other issues related to the harvest cycle.

Geographic coverage

National Coverage

Analysis unit

Households

Universe

Agricultural farming household members.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sample is designed to be representative at the national level as well as at the zonal (urban and rural) levels. The sample size of the GHS-Panel (unlike the full GHS) is not adequate for state-level estimates.

The sample is a two-stage probability sample:

First Stage: The Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) were the Enumeration Areas (EAs). These were selected based on probability proportional to size (PPS) of the total EAs in each state and FCT, Abuja and the total households listed in those EAs. A total of 500 EAs were selected using this method.

Second Stage: The second stage was the selection of households. Households were selected randomly using the systematic selection of ten (10) households per EA. This involved obtaining the total number of households listed in a particular EA, and then calculating a Sampling Interval (S.I) by dividing the total households listed by ten (10). The next step was to generate a random start 'r' from the table of random numbers which stands as the 1st selection. Consecutive selection of households was obtained by adding the sampling interval to the random start.

Determination of the sample size at the household level was based on the experience gained from previous rounds of the GHS, in which 10 households per EA are usually selected and give robust estimates.

In all, 500 clusters/EAs were canvassed and 5,000 households were interviewed. These samples were proportionally selected in the states such that different states had different samples sizes depending on the total number of EAs in each state.

Households were not selected using replacement. Thus the final number of household interviewed was slightly less than the 5,000 eligible for interviewing. The final number of households interviewed was 4,986 for a non-response rate of 0.3 percent. A total of 27,533 household members were interviewed. In the second, or Post-Harvest Visit, some household had moved as had individuals, thus the final number of households with data in both points of time (post planting and post harvest) is 4,851, with 27,993 household members.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face paper [f2f]

Cleaning operations

Data Entry This survey used a concurrent data entry approach. In this method, the fieldwork and data entry were handled by each team assigned to the state. Each team consisted of a field supervisor, 2-4 interviewers and a data entry operator. Immediately after the data were collected in the field by the interviewers, the questionnaires were handed over to the supervisor to be checked and documented. At the end of each day of fieldwork, the questionnaires were then passed to the data entry operator for entry. After the questionnaires were entered, the data entry operator generated an error report which reported issues including out of range values and inconsistencies in the data. The supervisor then checked the report, determined what should be corrected, and decided if the field team needed to revisit the household to obtain additional information. The benefits of this method are that it allows one to: - Capture errors that might have been overlooked by a visual inspection only, - Identify errors early during the field work so that if any correction required a revisit to the household, it could be done while the team was still in the EA

The CSPro software was used to design the specialized data entry program that was used for the data entry of the questionnaires.

The data cleaning process was done in a number of stages. The first step was to ensure proper quality control during the fieldwork. This was achieved in part by using the concurrent data entry system which was, as explained above, designed to highlight many of the errors that occurred during the fieldwork. Errors that are caught at the fieldwork stage are corrected based on re-visits to the household on the instruction of the supervisor. The data that had gone through this first stage of cleaning was then sent from the state to the head office of NBS where a second stage of data cleaning was undertaken.

During the second stage the data were examined for out of range values and outliers. The data were also examined for missing information for required variables, sections, questionnaires and EAs. Any problems found were then reported back to the state where the correction was then made. This was an ongoing process until all data were delivered to the head office.

After all the data were received by the head office, there was an overall review of the data to identify outliers and other errors on the complete set of data. Where problems were identified, this was reported to the state. There the questionnaires were checked and where necessary the relevant households were revisited and a report sent back to the head office with the corrections.

The final stage of the cleaning process was to ensure that the household- and individual-level data sets were correctly merged across all sections of the household questionnaire. Special care was taken to see that the households included in the data matched with the selected sample and where there were differences these were properly assessed and documented. The agriculture data were also checked to ensure that the plots identified in the main sections merged with the plot information identified in the other sections. This was also done for crop- by-plot information as well.

Response rate

The response rate was very high. Response rate after field work was calculated to be 93.9% while attrition rate was 6.1% for households. During the tracking period, 52.4% of the attrition was tracked while at the end of the whole exercise, the response rate was: Post Harvest: 97.1%

Sampling error estimates

No sampling error

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The General Household Survey (GHS), ran from 1971-2011 (the UKDS holds data from 1972-2011). It was a continuous annual national survey of people living in private households, conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The main aim of the survey was to collect data on a range of core topics, covering household, family and individual information. This information was used by government departments and other organisations for planning, policy and monitoring purposes, and to present a picture of households, families and people in Great Britain. In 2008, the GHS became a module of the Integrated Household Survey (IHS). In recognition, the survey was renamed the General Lifestyle Survey (GLF). The GLF closed in January 2012. The 2011 GLF is therefore the last in the series. A limited number of questions previously run on the GLF were subsequently included in the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).

Secure Access GHS/GLF
The UKDS holds standard access End User Licence (EUL) data for 1972-2006. A Secure Access version is available, covering the years 2000-2011 - see SN 6716 General Lifestyle Survey, 2000-2011: Secure Access.

History
The GHS was conducted annually until 2011, except for breaks in 1997-1998 when the survey was reviewed, and 1999-2000 when the survey was redeveloped. Further information may be found in the ONS document An overview of 40 years of data (General Lifestyle Survey Overview - a report on the 2011 General Lifestyle Survey) (PDF). Details of changes each year may be found in the individual study documentation.

EU-SILC
In 2005, the European Union (EU) made a legal obligation (EU-SILC) for member states to collect additional statistics on income and living conditions. In addition, the EU-SILC data cover poverty and social exclusion. These statistics are used to help plan and monitor European social policy by comparing poverty indicators and changes over time across the EU. The EU-SILC requirement was integrated into the GHS/GLF in 2005. After the closure of the GLF, EU-SILC was collected via the Family Resources Survey (FRS) until the UK left the EU in 2020.

Reformatted GHS data 1973-1982 - Surrey SPSS Files
SPSS files were created by the University of Surrey for all GHS years from 1973 to 1982 inclusive. The early files were restructured and the case changed from the household to the individual with all of the household information duplicated for each individual. The Surrey SPSS files contain all the original variables as well as some extra derived variables (a few variables were omitted from the data files for 1973-76). In 1973 only, the section on leisure was not included in the Surrey SPSS files. This has subsequently been made available, however, and is now held in a separate study, General Household Survey, 1973: Leisure Questions (SN 3982). Records for the original GHS 1973-1982 ASCII files have been removed from the UK Data Archive catalogue, but the data are still preserved and available upon request.

The main GHS consisted of a household questionnaire, completed by the Household Reference Person (HRP), and an individual questionnaire, completed by all adults aged 16 and over resident in the household. A number of different trailers each year covering extra topics were included in later (post-review) surveys in the series from 2000.

• The household questionnaire covered the following topics: household information, accommodation type, housing tenure/costs, and consumer durables including vehicle ownership.
• The individual questionnaire included data from the household dataset, and additional sections on migration/citizenship/national identity/ethnicity, employment, pensions, education, health, child care, smoking, drinking, family information, financial situation, and income.