Abstract

This survey provides information on household income and expenditure to be able to measure the levels and changes in the living condition of the people and to observe the consumption patterns .

Key objectives of the survey - To identify the income patterns in Urban, Rural and Estate Sectors & provinces. - To identify the income patterns by income levels. - Average consumption of food items and non food items - Expenditure patterns by sector and by different income levels.

Geographic coverage

National coverage.

Analysis unit

Household, Individuals

Universe

For this survey a sample of buildings and the occupants therein was drawn from the whole island

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Sample Design A two stage stratified random sample design was used in this survey. Bach domain for which separate estimates were required was made a separate stratum. As such each sector (Urban, Rural, Estate) within each district was considered as a separate stratum.

Sample Size In this design the first stage units (FSU) were the census blocks prepared at the 1981 Census of Population and the second stage units (SSU) were the housing units. It was decided to select 10 housing units from each selected census block. Thus, a first stage sample of about 2,500 census blocks have to be selected from the entire island.

Sample Allocation and Method of Selection The allocation of 2,500 census blocks to each district was made proportional. to the square root of the population· ( as at 1981 Census ) in that district. These values have been rounded to multiples of twelve. ( Refer page 5 of the final report attached in the external resources section) It was decided to over sample the urban sector in each district in comparison to the rural and estate sectors with the objective of allocating roughly by one-third of the total sample. Allocation between the rural and estate sectors in each district was proportional to 1981 population. Within each stratum, the assigned number of FSU's were selected with probability proportionate to size (using the Census or adjusted housing unit counts ) with replacement. The lists of census units prepared for the Census of Population and Housing 1981, of each selected block were updated to include new ·housing units and to exclude ones which are no longer in existence. This updating operation was also staggered over a period of twelve months starting from May 1990 to April 1991. For each FSU, updating was done about one month prior to the scheduled interviewing.

Sampling deviation

Non-Response Of a sample of 25080 housing units selected only 19,401 households were covered in the survey. Northern and Eastern provinces were excluded in the survey due to the prevailing conditions in the area.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Questionnaires

The survey schedule was designed to collect data on household basis and separate schedules were used for each household (identified according to the definition of the household) within the housing units selected for the survey. The survey Schedule consists of three main sections .

       1. Demographic section 
       2. Expenditure
       3. Income

The demographic characteristics and usual activities of the inmates belonging to the household are reported in the Demographic section of the schedule and close relatives temporarily living away are also listed in the section. Expenditure section has two sub sections to report food and non-food consumption data separately. Expenditure incurred on their own decisions by boarders and servants are recorded in the sub section under the expenditure section. The income has seven sub sections categorized according to the main sources of income.

Response rate

Out of 19401 households 95 percent the households were fully completed while 0.2 percent have refused. Sector wise completion rates show that Urban sector had 93 percent, Rural sector 96 percent and the Estate sector 97 percent.

Sampling error estimates

Refer the pages 7 to 10 of the final report attached in the External Resources section.