Second Integrated Household Survey 2004-2005

The IHS-2 survey used two questionnaires to collect the information: a household questionnaire and a community questionnaire, as was the case for the 1997-98 ISH-1. Both the household and community questionnaires were significantly revised for the IHS-2. The IHS-2 household questionnaire maintained comparisons with the earlier IHS-1 household questionnaire wherever possible. However, the IHS-2 questionnaire is longer and more detailed. In addition, new modules were added.

There were five modules included in the 2004-05 questionnaire that did not appear in the 1997-98 questionnaire. These included Security and Safety, Social Safety Nets, Credit, Subjective Assessment of Well-being, and Recent Shocks to the Household. In addition there were seven agricultural modules that collected more detailed information on the agricultural situation in households than was collected in IHS-1.

Unlike in the 1997-98 survey, the monthly diary of expenditure was not used in the IHS-2 because of the problems encountered in the proper filling out of this module in 1997-98. The diary was replaced with 5 modules that were administered by the Enumerator: Module H Consumption of Selected Food over the Past Three Days, Module I on Food Expenditure with a recall period of the past week, Module J Non-Food Expenditure with a recall period of the past week and one month, Module K Non-Food Expenditures with a recall period of the past three months, and Module L Non-Food Expenditures with a recall period of the past 12 months. Different items are included in each module depending on the frequency of purchase. Module H Consumption of Selected Food over the Past Three Days, was created to provide comparability to the data collected in the in 1997-98. Anthropometric information was collected from every child aged between 6-59 months in both surveys. The information collected in IHS-2 included a measure of the presence of OEDEMA in addition to weight in kilograms, and height (or length) in centimeters.

The IHS-2 Community Questionnaire was designed to collect information that is common to all households in a given area. During the survey a “community” was defined as the village or urban location surrounding the enumeration area selected for inclusion in the sample and which most residents recognise as being their community. The questionnaire was administered to a group of several knowledgeable residents such as the village headman, headmaster of the local school, agricultural field assistant, religious leaders, local merchants, health workers and long-term knowledgeable residents. Information collected included basic physical and demographic characteristics of the community; access to basic services; economic activities; agriculture; how conditions have changed over the last five years; and prices for 47 common food items, non-food items, and ganyu labor.