Calculation for response tables
The response rates reported in these tables are designed to measure the effectiveness of fieldwork, and so take as the base those cases that were issued at each wave. This means that cases which were withdrawn before fieldwork started (e.g., if a household contacts us to withdraw from the study in between waves) are not included in the tables.
Effects of mode transition on response rates
In summary, to establish the effects of mode transition during the pandemic, comparisons were made between the 2019 and 2020 samples for the period April to December. This found around three-quarters of those who had completed in CAPI in 2019 took part in 2020 using a different mode. Around one-quarter of those who had not responded in 2019, did respond in 2020. Overall, the response rate for the 2020 sample was just 1.1 percentage points lower than the response in 2019. Response in 2020 was lower among those in the low web propensity sample. Response in 2020 was particularly lower for those in the higher age groups, those who live alone, and those with lower levels of education. An analysis of the unweighted sample composition indicated that there were significant differences in the responding sample in 2020, but that these differences were relatively small, with most under 2 percentage point differences. However, researchers should be aware of the potential for these differences to affect analyses and so use the correct weights or control for factors which may affect response in their models. Further details of these changes are included in the document mentioned below and detailed analyses of mode transition and response behaviour is available in (Alvarez et al.,(2021)).
Tips for analysts – COVID-19
We have brought together a document to help researchers explore Understanding Society changes to the main study due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Household response
The w_hhsamp file is used to create the household outcome summary variable. The household interview outcome variable (w_ivfho) code 10 (all eligible hh intv) is counted as “Fully responding households” while codes 11 (interviews + proxies), 12 (interviews + refusal), 14 (hh grid + indiv only (no hh ques)) are counted as “partially responding households” (i.e., at least one adult interview). Codes 51-59 (no hh member contact, unable to locate address, contact made but not with correct, address inaccessible, no phone contact with CATI hhold, unknown eligibility, other non-contact) are counted as “Non-contact” households. “Untraced movers” are households with households response outcome code 50 (address not found). Codes 60 (refuse to rsrch cntre), 61 (refusal to intviewer), and 66 (no web response/web-only hh) are counted as “Refusal” households. The “Other non-interview households” category is made up of codes 15 (hh grid + proxies only), 16 (hh grid only), 62 (language problems), 63 (no intv.: age/health), and 65 (ill during survey period). Households with outcome codes 70-98 are counted as ineligible and not included in the tables.
Individual response
The w_indsamp file is used to create the individual outcome summary variable. The individual interview outcome variable (w_ivfio) code 1 (full interview) is counted as“full interview”, and code 2 (proxy interview) as “proxy interview”. The “other non-interview” category includes sample members with individual interview outcome codes 9 (lost capi interview), 11 (other non-intvw), 14 (ill/away during survey period), 15 (too infirm/elderly), 16 (language difficulties), and 18 (unknown eligibility). Code 10 (refusal) is used for the refusal category. All the outcome codes that refer to children are coded as ineligible for the adult response tables. Also ineligible are codes 80 (tsm – no osm/psm), 81 (prev wave adamant refusal), 82 (l-t untrace, w-drawn), 83 (withdrawn before field), 84 (other ineligible), 98 (other retiring (due to health)), and 99 (dead). Other outcome codes that refer to specific outcomes within a non-interviewed household are replaced with their household response variable (see above) and that is used to categorise them as refusals, non-contacts or other non-interview (e.g., the individual outcome is coded as a household non-contact if the household outcome is non-contact).
