Study title

Welfare Survey 1995

Dataset ID Number

FSD1227

Persistent identifiers

https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD1227
https://doi.org/10.60686/t-fsd1227

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Social Insurance Institution of Finland
• University of Turku. Department of Social Policy

Abstract

The survey charted Finnish perceptions of social security. Working respondents were asked about the length of their contract, working hours, wages, the nature of their job, interest in job sharing and whether they had been unemployed or laid off during the past three years. Unemployed or laid off respondents were asked how long they had been out of work. Further questions pertained to unemployment benefits, respondents' economic situation, standard of living and participation in job training. State of health was examined by asking whether respondents had chronic illnesses or health problems affecting their everyday life or ability to work. Chronically ill persons were asked whether they needed regular medical care, rehabilitation or prescription drugs. Experiences of burnout, insomnia or absent-mindedness were charted. Social relationships were studied by asking about close and confidential relationships. Respondents were asked whether there had been any major changes in their life recently and did they feel they could influence their own life and society. One topic covered voting in the 1994 presidential elections, in the 1994 EU referendum and in the 1995 parliamentary elections.

The survey carried a set of attitudinal statements relating to e.g. social and health services, social security, public sector financing, means-tested social benefits, universal basic income (UBI, citizen's income) and income disparity. The extent to which respondents felt able to control their life was surveyed by asking how often they felt uncertainty or indifference, felt their actions were meaningless or that their life was interesting. Confidence in their own ability to solve problems or co-operate with others was assessed. Values were charted by asking how important the following things were to the respondent: religion, religious values, political participation, health services, social services, work, nature, world peace and high standard of living. Opinions on the minimum level of income support were canvassed. Finally, respondents were asked whether they felt poor or debt-laden.

Background variables included respondents' sex, year of birth, marital status, basic and vocational education, respondents' and spouses' economic activity and occupation, province of residence.

Keywords

health; housing; interpersonal relations; poverty; satisfaction; social security; social security benefits; social values; social welfare finance; unemployment; welfare; working conditions

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Social welfare policy (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Welfare Surveys

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (B) available for research, teaching and study.

Data Collector

• Social Security Institution of Finland
• University of Turku. Department of Social Policy

Data Producers

• Social Insurance Institution of Finland
• University of Turku. Department of Social Policy

Time Period Covered

1995

Collection Dates

1995-05-10 – 1995-07-12

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Household

Universe

Finland's population aged 18-74

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability

A randomly selected, representative sample of Finland's 18-74-year-old population. The sample of 4197 persons was selected from Finland's population register. Address was unknown in the case of 53 persons. Other 18 persons had to be removed from the sample (deceased, too ill or unable to respond). The final sample size was 4126, of which 234 were Swedish-speaking. Response rate was 73,3 per cent and 3025 completed questionnaires were returned. There were three follow-up mailings.

Non-response analysis was made by comparing respondents' economic activity, age, place of residence and sex to those of the whole population. As regards age and economic activity distributions there was little difference between the sample and Statistics Finland data. City-dwellers were overrepresented by 2,8 per cent and rural dwellers correspondingly underrepresented. Women were a bit overrepresented. On the whole, the sample was representative of the target population.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

73.3

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: English and Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Number of Cases and Variables

154 variables and 3025 cases.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The category labels for variables q9_1, q9_2, q24_2 - q24_4, q49, q59_1 and q59_2 are missing. The category value 0 of the variable q10 probably includes both missing values and persons with an employment contract shorter than one year. The category value 0 of the variable q41_1 probably includes both those with no day care expenses and missing values. The category value 0 of the variable q41_2 probably includes both those with no health care expenses and missing data. The category value 0 of the variable q41_3 probably includes both those with no debt repayments or debt servicing expenses and missing data.

The variable identifying municipality has been removed from the data and a province variable constructed. The answers connected to the last category (open-ended question) of variables q7, q34, q38 and q57 are missing.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Social Insurance Institution of Finland & University of Turku: Welfare Survey 1995 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2003-06-24). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD1227

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Publications

Rasinkangas, Jarkko (1998). Hyvinvointi ja työmarkkina-asema: tutkimus hyvinvoinnista eri työmarkkina-asemissa ja työmarkkina-aseman muuttamisen valmiuksista. Helsinki: Kansaneläkelaitos. Sosiaali- ja terveysturvan tutkimuksia; 33.

Marski, Jarmo (1996). Hyvinvoinnin ulottuvuuksia 1995: uhat, mahdollisuudet ja uudet haasteet. Helsinki: Kansaneläkelaitos. Sosiaali- ja terveysturvan tutkimuksia; 15.

Marski, Jarmo (1996). Suomalaisten käsitykset sosiaaliturvasta 1995. Helsinki: Kansaneläkelaitos. Sosiaali- ja terveysturvan tutkimuksia; 7.

Lindholm, Hanna (2001). Suomalaisen hyvinvoinnin muutokset 1995-2000. Helsinki: Kansaneläkelaitos. Sosiaali- ja terveysturvan tutkimuksia; 63.