Study title

Welfare Survey 1998

Dataset ID Number

FSD1322

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD1322

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

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

Abstract

The survey charted the spiritual, physical and material welfare of people living in Finland. Respondents evaluated their health and psychosomatic symptoms. They were also asked whether something, such as their health or the size of accommodation, prevented them from having a meaningful life. Opinions on social and health care services, social security, taxes, and unemployment were probed with attitudinal statements which were partly different in questionnaires A and B. In addition, respondents assessed the importance of different objectives of employment policy measures, for example, the prevention of social exclusion.

Perceptions of the level of income support and the amount it should be as well as the household monthly income by income decile and monthly expenses were charted. Respondents also rated the living standard and income of their household. They were asked about saving, borrowing money and credit possibilities. Respondents' potential financial difficulties were charted by asking about insecurity caused by different economic factors, problems with paying the bills, frequency of money problems and strategies for solving those problems.

People who were married or cohabiting were asked about their spouse's employment status, those who were employed were asked about their employment and those who were unemployed or laid off were asked about reasons and duration of unemployment or layoff. Opinions on the questionnaire and the subject of the survey were charted.

Background variables included year of birth, gender, marital status, household composition, municipality, highest level of education, occupation, political party preference and main activity at the time of the survey and during past two years.

Keywords

financial circumstances; health; health services; income; poverty; social security; social security benefits; standard of living; taxation; unemployment; welfare

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 (D) available only by permission from the data depositor/creator.

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

1998

Collection Dates

1998-03 – 1998-05

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Household

Universe

People aged between 18 and 74 living in Finland

Time Method

Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Probability

A randomly selected, representative sample of people aged between 18 and 74 living in Finland. The sample of 4200 persons was selected from the population register. Non-response analysis was made by comparing respondents' household income by decile to the 1998 Income Distribution Statistics of Statistics Finland. Deciles I-IV were slightly underrepresented and deciles V, VIII and IX were slightly overrepresented. There were hardly any skewness in the data regarding, for example, gender.

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Paper

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Response Rate

68

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

195 variables and 2821 cases.

Data Version

2.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

In section 36, attitudinal statements 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18 are differently formulated in questionnaires A and B. Variable labels in the data are based on those in questionnaire A.

The variable identifying municipality has been removed from the data. The data do not contain answers to the open-ended questions 34, 52 and 62 nor to "Other, what" type of open-ended question categories.

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 1998 [dataset]. Version 2.0 (2018-07-13). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD1322

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 Materials

The classification of occupations used in the data set: Classification of Occupations 1997, Annex 3. Summary, Handbooks 14. Helsinki : Statistics Finland, 1997.

Related Publications

Marski, Jarmo & Mäensivu, Vesa (1998). Hyvinvoinnin muutossuuntia 1998. Helsinki: Kansaneläkelaitos. Sosiaali- ja terveysturvan katsauksia; 30.

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