Swedish level of living survey (LNU) 1974
The first level of living survey started within the framework of a governmental commission set up to study the prevalence and problems of low incomes. Their task was broadly defined, so beside a range of studies on income and income distributions they also commissioned a group of sociologists, headed by Sten Johansson, to study the distribution of welfare in Sweden more generally. The study by Johansson and his colleagues, undertaken in 1968, came to be known as the Level of Living Survey. From the beginning it was not the longitudinal aspect that was the novelty, but rather the fact that a wide spectrum of living conditions was studied with the survey method as such. The division of level of living into different components, inspired by the work within the UN, resulted in the following list of components included in the Swedish Level of Living Surveys: Health and access to care; Employment and working conditions; Economic resources; Educational resources; Family and social integration; Housing and neighbourhood facilities; Security of life and property; Recreation and culture; Political resources. The first survey was based on a 0.0001 random sample of the Swedish population aged 15 to 75 years of age. The interviews were made face-to-face according to a structured questionnaire covering all areas listed above. A large number of questions were asked dealing with a variety of aspects within each area. The 1968 survey was to be repeated in 1974, and the decision was made to stick to the original sample but also include new cohorts of young people and immigrants arriving to Sweden in between the survey periods. Dropped from the sample was those above 75 years of age and those who had either emigrated or died. In 1981 the third Level of Living Survey was conducted with the same sample design and by and large with the same questionnaire. When Johansson left the project in 1982 Robert Erikson became the project leader. Erikson was project leader for the fourth level of living survey, conducted in 1991. During the project period Jan O. Jonsson and Johan Fritzell also were directors of the survey work. The 1991 survey was conducted with basically the same design, except for the fact that the youngest age bracket now became 18 instead of 15. The 1991 survey was enlarged in several respects. An obvious drawback of the panel design in the Level of Living Surveys is the relatively large time-span between each survey. Partly in order to fill in these missing years the 1991 questionnaire includes a work-life history section, and educational and family histories as well, thereby broadening the longitudinal aspects of the study. A second novelty was a specific survey to all individuals previously within the sample but excluded in the 1991 survey, due to the upper age limit. The sample included all persons older than 75 in 1991 who had previously been included in the Level of Living Survey sample and had been interviewed at least once. The interviews included most of the welfare components, with the exception of work related questions and education. Instead, more detailed data on health status and functional abilities was collected, partly by means of simple test performed during the interview. The third major extension was a separate work-place study consisting of interviews with managers at the work-places of all individuals who were employed at a work-place with at least ten employees.
Institutet för social forskning (1998) Kodbok för levnadsnivåundersökningen 1991. Stockholm : Swedish institute for social research.
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Vuksanovic, M. (1979) Kodbok för 1974 års levnadsnivåundersökning : dokumentation av ett dataregister för välfärdsforskning. Stockholm : Swedish Institute for Social Research. ISBN: 91-7604-005-4.
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Economic indicators indicate in which direction an economy is headed and include, for example, GDP growth rate, employment, inflation and interest rate, consumer and investor activity, household debt. Use note: This topic is also used for economic conditions of individuals and households which are surveyed or registered.
Treatment of disease, or procedure/s of preventing it. Patient care at individual level. Research on medication and treatment of a disease. Data on, for instance, surgical procedures, rehabilitation, doctor consultation, physical therapy, musculoskeletal manipulations, care in hospital or home, psychotherapy, investigative techniques, medication.
Specific diseases, disorders and medical conditions
Data on specific, diagnosed diseases, disorders or syndromes (often classified in ICD-10 or its earlier versions). For example, medical research on infectious diseases or the causes of diabetes, or data on the physical and mental recovery of people who have had heart surgery.
Data on the general well-being or health status of an individual, group or population. May be objectively measured/observed or self-perceived. Well-being includes, for instance, physical and mental capacity or state, as well as social state.
Includes data measuring the standard of housing in a community, including social housing, as well as the availability and pricing of housing. Housing includes homes, second homes and holiday homes.
Data on employment rate and statistics, labour market, job vacancies, job-seeking, job characteristics, employment of certain groups (e.g. youth or minority employment), employment services, career. Use note: For pay and remuneration use 'Working conditions'.
The conditions under which employees work. For example, types of contract, working time (hours of work, rest periods, work schedules, overtime), pay and remuneration, physical aspects and mental demands of work, employee rights and responsibilities, workload, employee involvement in decision-making, leave entitlements, physical environment. Use note: For workplace safety issues, use also 'Occupational health'.
Issues related to the actual provision of social welfare, who provides social welfare services in practice and to what extent, how the actual services are structured. For example, questions on how a local government has organised services for the elderly.
Covers all aspects of the quality of life and well-being of individuals and societies, as well as people's perceptions thereof. Use note: Depending on the aspect studied, 'General health and well-being', 'Equality, inequality and social exclusion' and 'Economic conditions and indicators', etc. may be relevant as well.
Recreation patterns, leisure time activities and hobbies. Includes sports spectatorship, competition sports, and travel for leisure. Use note: For data on exercise for keeping fit, use 'Physical fitness and exercise'.
Nutritional processes, eating patterns and practices, and measurable nutritional parameters such as body mass index (BMI), weight, vitamin levels.
DRINKING HABITS, PATTERNS OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND BEHAVIOUR ASSOCIATED WITH ALCOHOL INTAKE
COVERS ALL ASPECTS OF MEDICAL CARE GIVEN TO OR RECEIVED BY A PATIENT, INCLUDING EXAMINATIONS, DIAGNOSIS, MONITORING AND TREATMENT.
THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN AFFECT POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING
THOSE SERVICES OR AMENITIES AVAILABLE TO THE DOMESTIC HOUSEHOLDER IN THEIR HOME, E.G. WATER, ELECTRICITY, GARDEN
DRUGS INTENDED FOR HUMAN OR VETERINARY USE, PRESENTED IN THEIR FINISHED DOSAGE FORM
THE CONFINEMENT OF A PATIENT IN A HOSPITAL
INHALING AND EXHALING THE SMOKE OF BURNING TOBACCO
REMUNERATION IN CASH, KIND, OR SERVICES IN ADDITION TO PAYMENT FOR WORK DONE, E.G. ALLOWANCES FOR HOUSING, MEALS, EDUCATION, TRAVEL AND RELOCATION, AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES PROVIDED BY EMPLOYER
PAID OR UNPAID HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENT, USUALLY COVERED BY AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
TRIPS AWAY FROM HOME; PERIODS OF TIME DEVOTED TO REST AND RELAXATION
STEALING, INCLUDING OF OR FROM CARS, WITHOUT TRESPASS
THE OFFENCE OF INTENTIONALLY OR RECKLESSLY DESTROYING OR DAMAGING ANY PROPERTY BELONGING TO ANOTHER WITHOUT A LAWFUL EXCUSE
INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, EITHER INDEPENDENTLY OR FROM WITHIN A POLITICAL PARTY/ORGANIZATION
NATIONAL ORIGIN; THE FACT OF BELONGING TO A PARTICULAR NATION; THE LEGAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SUBJECT AND THE STATE
THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND MANAGERIAL FACTORS AFFECTING A WORKER'S JOB ENVIRONMENT
A HOUSEHOLD INCLUDES EITHER ONE PERSON LIVING ALONE OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE, NOT NECESSARILY RELATED, LIVING AT THE SAME ADDRESS WITH COMMON HOUSEKEEPING, I.E. SHARING AT LEAST ONE MEAL PER DAY OR SHARING A LIVING OR SITTING ROOM.
ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT DURING A PERSON'S TIME AWAY FROM THEIR USUAL OCCUPATION
A GENERAL TERM TO COVER ALL TYPES OF NON-COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATION AND/OR THOSE SERVING THE NEEDS OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP
THE NUMBER OF HOURS EMPLOYEES ARE CONTRACTED TO WORK EACH WEEK FOR THEIR EMPLOYER