Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research - Research Publications
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ItemRe-engaging with survey non-respondents: Evidence from three household panels(Wiley, 2014)Previous research into the correlates and determinants of non‐response in longitudinal surveys has focused exclusively on why it is that respondents at one survey wave choose not to participate at future waves. This is very understandable if non‐response is always an absorbing state, but in many longitudinal surveys, and certainly most household panels, this is not so. Indeed, in these surveys it is normal practice to attempt to make contact with many non‐respondents at the next wave. This study differs from previous research by examining re‐engagement with previous wave non‐respondents. Drawing on data from three national household panels it is found that the re‐engagement decision is indeed distinctly different from the decision about continued participation. Further, these differences have clear implications for the way that panel surveys should be administered given the desire to enhance overall response rates.
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ItemThe Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey(De Gruyter, 2021)This paper provides a brief summary of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, a nationally representative household panel survey. It describes the survey’s key design features, provides an overview of its content, and reports on response rates and sample sizes. It also highlights a few examples of research utilising the data, discusses two challenges currently facing the study, and provides details on how to access the data.
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ItemTrends in the Prevalence of Psychological Distress Over Time: Comparing Results From Longitudinal and Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys(Frontiers Media, 2020-11-26)Background: While there is discussion of increasing rates of mental disorders, epidemiological research finds little evidence of change over time. This research generally compares cross-sectional surveys conducted at different times. Declining response rates to representative surveys may mask increases in mental disorders and psychological distress. Methods: Analysis of data from two large nationally representative surveys: repeated cross-sectional data from the Australian National Health Survey (NHS) series (2001–2017), and longitudinal data (2007–2017) from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. Data from each source was used to generate weighted national estimates of the prevalence of very high psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K10). Results: Estimates of the prevalence of very high psychological distress from the NHS were stable between 2001 and 2014, with a modest increase in 2017. In contrast, the HILDA Survey data demonstrated an increasing trend over time, with the prevalence of very high distress rising from 4.8% in 2007 to 7.4% in 2017. This increase was present for both men and women, and was evident for younger and middle aged adults but not those aged 65 years or older. Sensitivity analyses showed that this increase was notable in the upper end of the K10 distribution. Conclusions: Using household panel data breaks the nexus between declining survey participation rates and time, and suggests the prevalence of very high psychological distress is increasing. The study identifies potential challenges in estimating trends in population mental health using repeated cross-sectional survey data.
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ItemIntroducing 'Journeys Home'(Blackwell Publishing Inc., 2012)Homelessness, despite being a major social policy issue in Australia, is an area that is not well served by data. Most sorely lacking is any large-scale panel study that follows a broad sample of persons with recent experience of homelessness and unstable housing histories. In 2010, the Australian Government set about rectifying this deficiency when it commissioned the Melbourne Institute to undertake a new panel study, now known as ‘Journeys Home’. This study draws its sample from the population of Centrelink income-support recipients, targeting persons identified in the administrative data as having recent experience of homelessness, as well as others with similar characteristics who may be vulnerable to housing difficulties in the future. This article summarises the design of this new study and reports on fieldwork outcomes from the first two waves of data collection.
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ItemModelling Longitudinal Survey Response: The Experience of the HILDA Survey(Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research Inc (ACSPRI), 2006)