Wellbeing in Developing Countries: Income and Expenditure, 2005-2006

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.Wellbeing in Developing Countries is a series of studies which aim to develop a conceptual and methodological approach to understanding the social and cultural construction of wellbeing in developing countries. The Wellbeing in Developing Countries Research Group (WeD), based at the University of Bath, drew on knowledge and expertise from three different departments (Economics and International Development, Social and Policy Sciences and Psychology) as well as a network of overseas contacts. The international, interdisciplinary team formed a major programme of comparative research, focused on six communities in each of four countries: Ethiopia, Thailand, Peru and Bangladesh. All sites within the countries have been given anonymous site names, with the exception of Ethiopia where the team chose to follow an alternative locally agreed procedure on anonymisation. Data can be matched across studies using the HOUSEKEY (Site code and household number). The research raises fundamental questions both for the academic study of development, and for the policy community. The WeD arrived at the following definition of wellbeing through their research: "Wellbeing is a state of being with others, where human needs are met, where one can act meaningfully to pursue one's goals, and where one enjoys a satisfactory quality of life". Further information about the project can be found on the WeD website and the ESRC Award webpage.Wellbeing in Developing Countries: Income and Expenditure, 2005-2006 comprises the Income and Expenditure Survey (carried out in Bangladesh and Peru) and Diary (carried out in Ethiopia and Thailand). The different instruments have been devised to fit with other aspects of data collection undertaken in the countries and hence also offer an opportunity for comparative evaluation of the methods involved. For each country there are data files at the visit level (ranging from 3 to 12 visits per household). There are several files for data at the lower level (i.e. data within a visit to a household). There are also files at the individual/respondent level. Main Topics:Topics covered include:incomes (self-employment, wage income, and in kind)expenditures (production costs, food and non-food items) credit and saving behavior