Measuring Poverty Dynamics with Synthetic Panels Based on Cross-Sections
Panel data conventionally underpin the analysis of poverty mobility over time. However, such data are not readily available for most developing countries. Far more common are the “snap-shots” of welfare captured by cross-section surveys. This paper proposes a method to construct synthetic panel...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
Language: | English en_US |
Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2013
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/06/17919450/measuring-poverty-dynamics-synthetic-panels-based-cross-sections http://hdl.handle.net/10986/15863 |
Summary: | Panel data conventionally underpin the analysis of
poverty mobility over time. However, such data are
not readily available for most developing countries. Far
more common are the “snap-shots” of welfare captured
by cross-section surveys. This paper proposes a method
to construct synthetic panel data from cross sections
which can provide point estimates of poverty mobility.
In contrast to traditional pseudo-panel methods that
require multiple rounds of cross-sectional data to study
poverty at the cohort level, the proposed method can
be applied to settings with as few as two survey rounds
and also permits investigation at the more disaggregated
household level. The procedure is implemented using
cross-section survey data from several countries, spanning
different income levels and geographical regions.
Estimates fall within the 95 percent confidence interval—
or even one standard error in many cases—of those based
on actual panel data. The method is not only restricted
to studying poverty mobility but can also accommodate
investigation of other welfare outcome dynamics. |
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