Journal ArticleDOI
Equivalence scales, well‐being, inequality, and poverty: sensitivity estimates across ten countries using the luxembourg income study (lis) database
TLDR
In this article, the authors review the available equivalence scales and test the sensitivity of various income inequality and poverty measures to choice of equivalence scale using the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) database.Abstract:
The Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) database on which this article is based offers researchers exciting new possibilities for international comparisons based on household income microdata. Among the choices the LIS microdata allows a researcher, e.g. income definition, income accounting unit, etc., is the choice of family equivalence scale, a method for estimating economic well-being by adjusting income for measurable differences in need.
The range of potential equivalence scales that can and are being used in the ten LIS countries and elsewhere to adjust incomes for size and related differences in need span a wide spectrum. The purpose of this paper is to review the available equivalence scales and to test the sensitivity of various income inequality and poverty measures to choice of equivalence scale using the LIS database. The results of our analysis indicate that choice of equivalence scale can sometimes systematically affect absolute and relative levels of poverty; and inequality and therefore rankings of countries (or population subgroups within countries). Because of these sensitivities, one must carefully consider summary statements and policy implications derived from cross-national comparisons of poverty and/or inequality.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Poverty impedes cognitive function
TL;DR: It is suggested that poverty-related concerns consume mental resources, leaving less for other tasks, because poverty itself reduces cognitive capacity.
Journal ArticleDOI
The Paradox of Redistribution and Strategies of Equality: Welfare State Institutions, Inequality and Poverty in the Western Countries
Walter Korpi,Joakim Palme +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compare the effects of different institutional types of welfare states on poverty and inequality and find that the more we target benefits at the poor and the more concerned we are with creating equality via equal public transfers to all, the less likely we are to reduce poverty and inequalities.
Book
The analysis of household surveys
TL;DR: Deaton as discussed by the authors reviewed the analysis of household survey data, including the construction of household surveys, the econometric tools useful for such analysis, and a range of problems in development policy for which this survey analysis can be applied.
Journal ArticleDOI
Socioeconomic inequalities in morbidity and mortality in western Europe
Denny Vågerö,Robert Erikson +1 more
TL;DR: Sweden and Norway had larger relative inequalities in health than most other countries for both measures; France fared badly for mortality but was average for morbidity.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
On the Measurement of Inequality
TL;DR: In this paper, the problem of comparing two frequency distributions f(u) of an attribute y which for convenience I shall refer to as income is defined as a risk in the theory of decision-making under uncertainty.
Book
On Economic Inequality
Amartya Sen,James E. Foster +1 more
TL;DR: In this paper, Amartya Sen relates the theory of welfare economics to the study of economic inequality and presents a systematic treatment of the conceptual framework as well as the practical problems of measurement of inequality.
Journal Article
On Economic Inequality
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a systematic treatment of the conceptual framework as well as the practical problems of measurement of inequality, and evaluate alternative approaches in terms of their philosophical assumptions, economic content, and statistical requirements.
Journal ArticleDOI
Some methodological issues in the implementation of subjective poverty definitions
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of systematic underreporting of income and of sample selectivity on the estimated levels of two subjective definitions of poverty were investigated, and the resulting adjusted poverty lines prove to be quite accurate.