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Integrated Living Conditions Survey 2017

Armenia, 2018
Central
National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia
Created on February 10, 2020 Last modified February 10, 2020 Page views 3619 Download 175 Documentation in PDF Metadata DDI/XML JSON

Identification

Survey ID Number
ARM_2017_ILCS_v01_M
Title
Integrated Living Conditions Survey 2017
Country
Name Country code
Armenia ARM
Study type
Integrated Survey (non-LSMS) [hh/is]
Series Information
The Integrated Living Conditions Survey (ILCS) was introduced in Armenia in 1996, followed by the one in 1998-1999; thereafter, it has been conducted every year since 2001.

Since 1996, when the present Integrated Living Conditions Survey was first implemented in Armenia, the National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia (NSS) with the assistance of the World Bank, USAID and other donor organizations, has been putting effort to continuously improve the quality of data collected through household surveys, as well as to advance its own expertise in arriving at a more accurate assessment of poverty. These efforts have proven to be successful as the data collected through household surveys and the estimates of poverty rate based on such data appeared to be an important input in defining and monitoring the poverty reduction strategy, which is the responsibility of the Government.

In 2004, the NSS undertook significant measures to improve the Integrated Living Conditions Survey (ILCS) and to update the poverty assessment methodology, which was used until 2008. With the technical assistance provided by the World Bank and due to numerous consultancies and practical works: (1) the survey sample frame was updated using the 2001 Population Census database, (2) the sample size was expanded to ensure representativeness of data by regions, (3) the ILCS questionnaire was revised to reflect economic and social changes since 1998/99 up to 2003, as well as a comprehensive section on employment was added into the questionnaire, (4) the surveying personnel underwent a more profound training.

With the co-funding provided within the period of 2007-2011 by the Millennium Challenge Account - Armenia (MCA-Armenia), a state non-commercial organization, the sample size of the ILCS has been expanded to include 7,872 households annually as compared to the relevant indicator at 5,184 in 2006 (funded from the state budget only). Nonetheless, due to the termination of activities of MCA-Armenia in 2012, the sample size was reduced back to 5,184 households.

ILCS is conducted during the year with monthly rotation of households and settlements. The survey results serve primarily to assess the level of consumption-based poverty in Armenia.
Abstract
The Integrated Living Conditions Survey (ILCS), conducted annually by the RA NSS (Republic of Armenia National Statistical Service), formed the basis for most of the empirical analyses in the report. The ILCS is a universally recognized best-practice statistical survey for collecting data to inform about the living standards of households. ILCS comprises comprehensive and valuable data on the welfare of households and separate individuals which affords the NSS an opportunity to provide the public with up to date information on the population’s income, expenditures, the level of poverty and the other changes in living standards on an annual basis.

In 2003-2004 the National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia took important steps to improve the Armenia Integrated Leaving Conditions Survey (ILCS) and bring the poverty measurement methodology it applied up to date.

With technical assistance from the World Bank provided through a series of consultations and hands-on-training, the following changes were made:

- the sample frame for the Integrated Leaving Conditions Survey was updated using the 2001 Population Census data;
- the sample size was expanded, so as to make the ILSC representative at the regional (marz) level;
- the ILSC questionnaire was revised to account for economic and social changes since 1998-1999 and an extensive labor module was added to the survey;
- staff involved in ILCS implementation was better trained.
Kind of Data
Sample survey data [ssd]
Unit of Analysis
- Households;
- Individuals.

Version

Version Description
Version 01
Version Date
2017

Scope

Notes
The scope of the Integrated Living Conditions Survey includes:
- Housing Conditions;
- Education;
- Agriculture;
- Health and Healthcare;
- Social Assistance;
- Current Expenditures;
- Consumption;
- Income.

Coverage

Geographic Coverage
Urban and rural communities

Producers and sponsors

Primary investigators
Name
National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia
Producers
Name Role
World Bank Technical Support

Data Collection

Dates of Data Collection
Start End Cycle
2018 2018 monthly
Data Collection Mode
Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Questionnaires

Questionnaires
The Questionnaire is filled in by the interviewer in the course of at least five visits to households per month. During face-to-face interviews with the household head or another knowledgeable adult member, the interviewer collects information on the composition and housing conditions of the household, the employment status, educational level and health condition of the members, availability and use of land, livestock, and agricultural machinery, monetary and commodity flows between households, and other information.

Certain changes were made into the 2014 questionnaire. Particularly, the sections “List of Household Members”, "Migration", “Housing and Dwelling Conditions”, "Employment", “Social Assistance” were revised.

Thus, the 2015 survey questionnaire had the following sections: (1) “List of Household Members”, (2) “Migration”, (3) “Housing and Dwelling Conditions”, (4) “Employment”, (5) “Education”, (6) “Agriculture”, (7) “Food Production”, (8) “Monetary and Commodity Flows between Households”, (9) “Health (General) and Healthcare”, (10) “Debts”, (11) “Subjective Assessment of Living Conditions”, (12) “Provision of Services”, (13) “Social Assistance”, (14) “Households as Employers for Service Personnel”, and (15) “Household Monthly Consumption of Energy Resources”.

The Diary is completed directly by the household during one month. Every day the household would record all its expenditures on food, non-food products and services, also giving a detailed description of such purchases; e.g. for food products the name, quantity, cost, and place of purchase of the product is recorded. Besides, the household records its consumption of food products received and used from its own land and livestock, as well as from other sources (e.g. gifts, humanitarian aid). Non-food products and services purchased or received for free are also recorded in the diary. Then, the household records its income received during the month. At the end of the month, information on rarely used food products, durable goods and ceremonies is recorded, as well. The records in the diary are verified by the interviewer in the course of 5 mandatory visits to the household during the survey month.

The Survey Diary has the following sections: (1) food purchased during the day, (2) food consumed at home during the day, (3) expenditures on food consumed away from home, (4) non-food products purchased and services obtained, (5) non-food products and services received free of charge, (6) household income and monetary inflows, (7) food products, which are usually consumed in small quantities during the day, (8) list of real estate, durable goods, and ceremonies. The interviewer’s manual provides detailed instructions for completing the questionnaire and the diary.

The Questionnaire, the Diary and the Interviewer's Manual are revised and adjusted, as appropriate, prior to the launch of the survey. Starting from 2012, data are codified under the “Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose” (COICOP) classifier.

Access policy

Contacts
Name Affiliation Email
ECA Team for Statistical Development World Bank ecatsd@worldbank.org
Citation requirements
The use of the datasets must be acknowledged using a citation which would include:
- the identification of the Primary Investigator (including country name)
- the full title of the survey and its acronym (when available), and the year(s) of implementation
- the survey reference number
- the source and date of download (for datasets disseminated online).

Example:

National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia, World Bank. Armenia Integrated Living Conditions Survey (ILCS) 2017, Ref. ARM_2017_ILCS_v01_M. Dataset downloaded from [URL] on [date].

Metadata production

DDI Document ID
DDI_ARM_2017_ILCS_v01_M_WB
Producers
Name Abbreviation Affiliation Role
Development Data Group DECDG World Bank Generation of DDI documentation
Poverty - GP GPVDR World Bank Generation of DDI documentation
Date of Metadata Production
2018-10-22
DDI Document version
Version 01 (October 2018)