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Quality of demographic data in GGS Wave 1

Author

Listed:
  • Jorik Vergauwen

    (Universiteit Antwerpen)

  • David De Wachter

    (Universiteit Antwerpen)

  • Karel Neels

    (Universiteit Antwerpen)

  • Jonas Wood

    (Universiteit Antwerpen)

Abstract

Background: A key feature of the Generations & Gender Programme (GGP) is that longitudinal micro-data from the Generations and Gender Surveys (GGS) can be combined with indicators from the Contextual Database (CDB) that provide information on the macro-level context in which people live. This allows researchers to consider the impact of socio-cultural, economic, and policy contexts on changing demographic behaviour since the 1970s. The validity of longitudinal analyses combining individual-level and contextual data depends, however, on whether the micro-data give a correct account of demographic trends after 1970. Objective: This article provides information on the quality of retrospective longitudinal data on first marriage and fertility in the first wave of the GGS. Methods: Using the union and fertility histories recorded in the GGS, we compare period indicators of women’s nuptiality and fertility behaviour for the period 1970-2005 and cohort indicators of nuptiality and fertility for women born after 1925 to population statistics. Results: Results suggest that, in general, period indicators estimated retrospectively from the GGS are fairly accurate from the 1970s onwards, allowing exceptions for specific indicators in specific countries. Cohort indicators, however, were found to be less accurate for cohorts born before 1945, suggesting caution when using the GGS to study patterns of union and family formation in these older cohorts. Conclusions: The assessment of the validity of demographic data in the GGS provides country-specific information on time periods and birth cohorts for which GGS estimates deviate from population statistics. Researchers may use this information to decide on the observation period or cohorts to include in their analysis, or use the results as a starting point for a more detailed analysis of item nonresponse in union and fertility histories, which may further improve the quality of GGS estimates, particularly for these earlier periods and older birth cohorts. Comments: Detailed country-specific results are included in an appendix to this paper, available for download from the additional material section.

Suggested Citation

  • Jorik Vergauwen & David De Wachter & Karel Neels & Jonas Wood, 2015. "Quality of demographic data in GGS Wave 1," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(24), pages 723-774.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:32:y:2015:i:24
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2015.32.24
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    Cited by:

    1. Eugenio Paglino & Tom Emery, 2020. "Evaluating interviewer manipulation in the new round of the Generations and Gender Survey," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(50), pages 1461-1494.
    2. Victor Antunes Leocádio & Monika Mynarska & Anne Gauthier & Rafael Costa, 2023. "The quality of fertility data in the web-based Generations and Gender Survey," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 49(3), pages 31-46.
    3. Gunnar Andersson & Elizabeth Thomson & Aija Duntava, 2017. "Life-table representations of family dynamics in the 21st century," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(35), pages 1081-1230.
    4. Judith C. Koops & Aart C. Liefbroer & Anne H. Gauthier, 2017. "The Influence of Parental Educational Attainment on the Partnership Context at First Birth in 16 Western Societies," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 33(4), pages 533-557, October.
    5. Alessandra Trimarchi & Jan Van Bavel, 2017. "Pathways to marital and non-marital first birth: the role of his and her education," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 15(1), pages 143-179.
    6. Jonas Wood & Karel Neels & Jorik Vergauwen, 2016. "Economic and Institutional Context and Second Births in Seven European Countries," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(3), pages 305-325, June.
    7. Maria Winkler-Dworak & Eva Beaujouan & Paola Di Giulio & Martin Spielauer, 2019. "Simulating Family Life Courses: An Application for Italy, Great Britain, and Scandinavia," VID Working Papers 1908, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
    8. Elizabeth Thomson & Maria Winkler-Dworak & Éva Beaujouan, 2019. "Contribution of the Rise in Cohabiting Parenthood to Family Instability: Cohort Change in Italy, Great Britain, and Scandinavia," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(6), pages 2063-2082, December.
    9. Gerrit Bauer, 2016. "Gender Roles, Comparative Advantages and the Life Course: The Division of Domestic Labor in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 32(1), pages 99-128, February.
    10. Michaela Kreyenfeld & Valerie Heintz-Martin & Marika Jalovaara & Inge Pasteels & Hill Kulu & Anne Solaz & Silvia Meggiolaro & Teresa Castro Martín & Dimitri Mortelmans & Tina Hannemann & Marta Seiz & , 2017. "Social policies, separation, and second birth spacing in Western Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(37), pages 1245-1274.
    11. Brienna Perelli-Harris & Mark Amos, 2015. "Changes in partnership patterns across the life course," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 33(6), pages 145-178.
    12. Angela Greulich & Aurélien Dasre, 2017. "The quality of periodic fertility measures in EU-SILC," Post-Print hal-01726581, HAL.
    13. Angela Greulich & Aurélien Dasré, 2017. "The quality of periodic fertility measures in EU-SILC," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(17), pages 525-556.
    14. Eva Beaujouan & Kryštof Zeman & Mathías Nathan, 2023. "Delayed first births and completed fertility across the 1940–1969 birth cohorts," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 48(15), pages 387-420.
    15. Tineke Fokkema & Aart C. Liefbroer & Nicole Hiekel & Tom Emery & Andrej Kveder, 2016. "Generations and Gender Programme Wave 1 data collection," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(18), pages 499-524.
    16. Angela Greulich & Aurélien Dasre, 2017. "The quality of periodic fertility measures in EU-SILC," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-01726581, HAL.
    17. Kerstin Ruckdeschel & Lenore Sauer & Robert Naderi, 2016. "Reliability of retrospective event histories within the German Generations and Gender Survey," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(11), pages 321-358.
    18. Maria Winkler-Dworak & Paola Di Giulio & Eva Beaujouan & Martin Spielauer, 2021. "Simulating family life courses: An application for Italy, Great Britain, Norway, and Sweden," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(1), pages 1-48.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    data quality; Generations and Gender Survey (GGS); GGP; GGS; fertility; nuptiality; demographic indicators; validation; vital registration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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