Multilevel modelling of refusal and non-contact in household surveys: evidence from six UK Government surveys

• Published in: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A, Statistics in society Vol. 172; no. 2; pp. 361 - 381
• Main Authors: Durrant, Gabriele B., Steele, Fiona
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell Publishing; Blackwell; Royal Statistical Society; Oxford University Press
• Series: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A
• Subjects: Applications; Census Link Study; Censuses; Children; Data collection; Denial; Economic surveys; Exact sciences and technology; General topics; Global analysis, analysis on manifolds; Household characteristics; Households; Mathematical models; Mathematics; Modelling; Multilevel models; Multilevel multinomial models; Non-contact; Polls & surveys; Probability and statistics; Refusal; Retirement; Sampling theory, sample surveys; Sciences and techniques of general use; Self employment; Statistical methods; Statistics; Studies; Survey data; Survey design; Survey unit non-response; Theories of survey participation; Topology. Manifolds and cell complexes. Global analysis and analysis on manifolds; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK; Survey unit non-response; Household; Non response; Multilevel multinomial models; Statistical method; Census Link Study; Refusal; Census; Sampling theory; Multinomial distribution; Non-contact; Sample survey; Theories of survey participation; Application
• ISSN: 0964-1998; 1467-985X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-985X.2008.00565.x

We analyse household unit non-response in six major UK Government surveys by using a multilevel multinomial modelling approach. The models are guided by current conceptual frameworks and theories of survey participation. One key feature of the analysis is the investigation of the extent to which effects of household characteristics are survey specific. The analysis is based on the 2001 UK Census Link Study, which is a unique source of data containing an unusually rich set of auxiliary variables. The study contains the response outcome of six surveys, linked to census data and interviewer observations for both respondents and non-respondents.