In the implementation of the Party and State policy “Doi moi”, the General Statistical Office (GSO) has conducted many household living standards survey to collect information on the living standards of all social societies to serve policy-making and socio-economic development planning. From 2002 to 2010, VHLSS are to be conducted (in every two- year) to monitor systematically the living standard of Vietnam's societies and at the same time, to exercise the monitoring and assessment of the implementation of the Comprehensive Poverty Alleviation and Growth Strategy defined in Country Strategy Paper approved by the Government Prime Minister. In addition, these surveys also serve the evaluation of realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Socio-economic Development Goals set out by Vietnamese Government. The 2002 VHLSS included all the keynote contents reflecting the living standards of the population and the basic socio-economic condition of communes/wards that might affect the living standards of the local people. As regards households, it collected data in relation to demographic characteristics of the household members, the education background, professional/ technical level of each member, income, expenditures, use of medical facilities of all kinds, employment, housing and amenity as possession, personal effects, utilities (power and water supply), sanitation and participation in the poverty alleviation programme. As regards communes/wards, it collected a wide rage of information related to demography, nationality, infrastructure, farming, production promotion conditions, non-farming activity and law and order. Household questionnaires and communes/wards questionnaires of the 2002 VHLSS were designed more scientifically to ensure feasibility. They had been, in fact, piloted in Bac Ninh, Binh Dinh and Dong Nai provinces prior to the actual survey. Survey sample were selected, based on the Population and Housing Census 1999. The sample size included 75.000 households representative of the whole country, urban and rural area and 61 provinces. Survey samples were sub-divided into 4 minor samples for the quarterly surveys in 2002 for more thorough data collection in anticipation of the harvests that might somehow get in the way. To provide information on assessment of the living standards in 2001-2002, GSO developed and released the detailed results of the 2002 VHLSS, including relevant statistics and initial analysis. Expenditure related data were synthesized from samples of 30.000 households; others, from samples of 45.000 households. To bring out the changes in the living standards, the 2002 VHLSS results were compared with the results obtained from other living standards surveys, e.g. the 1992-1993 living standards survey (1993 VLSS), the 1993 rich-poor status survey (1993 RPSS), the 1997-1998 living standards surveys (1998 VLSS), the Multipurpose household surveys throughout 1994 to 1997 and 1999 (MHPS) The data on demography, labor, and employment ect… were collected from the 2002 VHLSS, not replace all the data already released from the surveys conducted in this area, but to shed more light on and make more on insightful analyses of the factors affecting the living standards.

Abstract

In the implementation of the Party and State policy “Doi moi”, the General Statistical Office (GSO) has conducted many household living standards surveys to collect information on the living standards of all social societies to serve policy-making and socio-economic development planning. From 2002 to 2010, LSS are to be conducted (in every two- year) to monitor systematically the living standard of Vietnam's societies and at the same time, to exercise the monitoring and assessment of the implementation of the Comprehensive Poverty Alleviation and Growth Strategy defined in Country Strategy Paper approved by the Government Prime Minister. In addition, these surveys also serve the evaluation of realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Socio-economic Development Goals set out by Vietnamese Government. The 2002 LSS included all the keynote contents reflecting the living standards of the population and the basic socio-economic condition of communes/wards that might affect the living standards of the local people. As regards households, it collected data in relation to demographic characteristics of the household members, the education background, professional/ technical level of each member, income, expenditures, use of medical facilities of all kinds, employment, housing and amenity as possession, personal effects, utilities (power and water supply), sanitation and participation in the poverty alleviation programme. As regards communes/wards, it collected a wide range of information related to demography, nationality, infrastructure, farming, production promotion conditions, non-farming activity and law and order.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

Households

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Vietnam household living standard survey 2002 was selected, based on the Population and Housing Census 1999. The sample size included 75,000 household's representative of the whole country, urban and rural area and 61 provinces. Survey samples were sub-divided into 4 minor samples for the quarterly surveys in 2002 for more thorough data collection in anticipation of the harvests that might somehow get in the way. Survey sample were designed by 2 samples: one big sample (45,000 households) which mostly concentrated on income of households to assess living standard for national, regional and provincial levels ; one smaller sample (30,000 households) with both information about income and expenditure to evaluate intensive living standard at central and provincial levels. Following are detail contents:

• Implementing survey in 2002 with income and expenditure questionnaire of 30,000 household sample (Income and expenditure survey). This sample was divided into 4 smaller ones, with 7,500 households of each which conducted in first month of four quarters in 2002 respectively. The 30,000 household sample showed estimations at national and regional levels for 2001-2002.
• In the first six months of 2002, survey was implemented on all sections, except for expenditure section (in Income and expenditure survey) for 45,000 household sample (Income survey). This sample was divided into 2 small samples with 22,500 households of each and conducted in quarter I, II/2002 respectively. Survey of 45,000 household sample combined with 15,000 households of Income and expenditure survey (30,000 household sample) which conducted in the first month in quarter I, II/2002 to establish one 60,000 household sample that showed estimations for national, regional and provincial levels for 2001.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Abstract

In the implementation of the Party and State policy “Doi moi”, the General Statistical Office (GSO) has conducted many household living standards survey to collect information on the living standards of all social societies to serve policy-making and socio-economic development planning.

From 2002 to 2010, VHLSS are to be conducted (in every two- year) to monitor systematically the living standard of Vietnam's societies and at the same time, to exercise the monitoring and assessment of the implementation of the Comprehensive Poverty Alleviation and Growth Strategy defined in Country Strategy Paper approved by the Government Prime Minister. In addition, these surveys also serve the evaluation of realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Socio-economic Development Goals set out by Vietnamese Government.

The 2002 VHLSS included all the keynote contents reflecting the living standards of the population and the basic socio-economic condition of communes/wards that might affect the living standards of the local people. As regards households, it collected data in relation to demographic characteristics of the household members, the education background, professional/ technical level of each member, income, expenditures, use of medical facilities of all kinds, employment, housing and amenity as possession, personal effects, utilities (power and water supply), sanitation and participation in the poverty alleviation programme.

As regards communes/wards, it collected a wide rage of information related to demography, nationality, infrastructure, farming, production promotion conditions, non-farming activity and law and order.

Household questionnaires and communes/wards questionnaires of the 2002 VHLSS were designed more scientifically to ensure feasibility. They had been, in fact, piloted in Bac Ninh, Binh Dinh and Dong Nai provinces prior to the actual survey.

Survey sample were selected, based on the Population and Housing Census 1999. The sample size included 75.000 households representative of the whole country, urban and rural area and 61 provinces. Survey samples were sub-divided into 4 minor samples for the quarterly surveys in 2002 for more thorough data collection in anticipation of the harvests that might somehow get in the way. To provide information on assessment of the living standards in 2001-2002, GSO developed and released the detailed results of the 2002 VHLSS, including relevant statistics and initial analysis. Expenditure related data were synthesized from samples of 30.000 households; others, from samples of 45.000 households.

To bring out the changes in the living standards, the 2002 VHLSS results were compared with the results obtained from other living standards surveys, e.g. the 1992-1993 living standards survey (1993 VLSS), the 1993 rich-poor status survey (1993 RPSS), the 1997-1998 living standards surveys (1998 VLSS), the Multipurpose household surveys throughout 1994 to 1997 and 1999 (MHPS)

The data on demography, labor, and employment ect… were collected from the 2002 VHLSS, not replace all the data already released from the surveys conducted in this area, but to shed more light on and make more on insightful analyses of the factors affecting the living standards.

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Community
• Consumption expenditure item/product

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Vietnam household living standard survey 2002 was selected, based on the Population and Housing Census 1999. The sample size included 75.000 households representative of the whole country, urban and rural area and 61 provinces. Survey samples were sub-divided into 4 minor samples for the quarterly surveys in 2002 for more thorough data collection in anticipation of the harvests that might somehow get in the way.

Survey sample were designed by 2 samples: one big sample (45,000 households) which mostly concentrated on income of households to assess living standard for national, regional and provincial levels ; one smaller sample (30,000 households) with both information about income and expenditure to evaluate intensive living standard at central and provincial levels. Following are detail contents :

• Implementing survey in 2002 with income and expenditure questionnaire of 30,000 household sample (Income and expenditure survey). This sample was divided into 4 smaller ones, with 7,500 households of each which conducted in first month of four quarters in 2002 respectively. The 30,000 household sample showed estimations at national and regional levels for 2001-2002.

• In the first six months of 2002, survey was implemented on all sections, except for expenditure section (in Income and expenditure survey) for 45,000 household sample (Income survey). This sample was divided into 2 small samples with 22,500 households of each and conducted in quarter I, II/2002 respectively. Survey of 45,000 household sample combined with 15,000 households of Income and expenditure survey (30,000 household sample) which conducted in the first month in quarter I, II/2002 to establish one 60,000 household sample that showed estimations for national, regional and provincial levels for 2001.

The detail is shown as following:

Collecting data perriod Income and expenditure survey Income survey Total Total 30,000 45,000 75,000

Divided into : QI/2002 7,500 22,500 30,000 QII/2002 7,500 22,500 30,000 QIII/2002 7,500 7,500 QIV/2002 7,500 7,500

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

VLSS 2002 used 3 questionnaires: - Short household questionnaire (excluded most of consumption expenditure information) - Long household questionnaire (including detail consumption expenditure information) - Commune questionnaire

The household questionnaire contains 9 sections each of which covered a separate aspects of household activity. Here are sections: 1. Household Roster 2. Education 3. Employment 4. Health 5. Income and Household Production 6. Expenditure (collected only for long questionnaire) 7. Durable Good and Asset 8. Housing 9. Participation in Poverty Reduction Programs

The commune questionnaire includes 9 sections and was administered by the team leader and completed with the help of village chiefs, teachers, government officials and health care workers. The questionnaire was administered in both rural and urban areas but some section was only collected in rural area such as non-farm employment opportunities and infrastructure and transportation. Here are commune questionnaire sections: 0. Survey Information 1. Main Characteristics of The Commune/ Ward 2. General Economic Conditions and Aid Programs 3. Non-Farm Employment Opportunities 4. Agriculture 5. Physical Infrastructure and Transportation 6. Education 7. Health 8. Public Disorder and Other Social Affairs