scholarly journals Using Linked Survey and Administrative Data to Better Measure Income: Implications for Poverty, Program Effectiveness, and Holes in the Safety Net

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce D. Meyer ◽  
Nikolas Mittag
Keyword(s):  
Administrative Data ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Housing Assistance ◽  
Transfer Programs ◽  
Survey Error ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Poverty Program ◽  
Combined Data

We examine the consequences of survey underreporting of transfer programs for prototypical analyses of low-income populations. We link administrative data for four transfer programs to the CPS to correct its severe understatement of transfer dollars received. Using survey data sharply understates the income of poor households, distorts our understanding of program targeting, and greatly understates the effects of anti-poverty programs. Using the combined data, the poverty-reducing effect of all programs together is nearly doubled. The effect of housing assistance is tripled. Correcting survey error often reduces the share of single mothers falling through the safety net by one-half or more. (JEL C83, I32, I38)

scholarly journals Are We Providing Enough to Those Who Have Too Little? Measuring Poverty Relief

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-347
Author(s):  
Karen L. Jusko ◽  
Katherine Weisshaar
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Reduction Rate ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Poverty Relief ◽  
State Variation ◽  
Social Transfers ◽  
Relief Ratio

This manuscript presents a new measure of safety net program effectiveness—a “poverty relief ratio”—that is based on the estimated relationship between market income and social transfers, and reports the amount of income support provided, relative to the amount required to provide for all low-income households’ basic needs. In an important advance over the standard poverty reduction rate measures, the poverty relief ratio preserves the rank order of observations across varying poverty thresholds. In this paper, we introduce this measure and demonstrate its validity by tracking major changes in federal policy and cross-state variation in safety net programs.

Universal Basic Income in the United States and Advanced Countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 929-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary Hoynes ◽  
Jesse Rothstein
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Transfer Programs ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Advanced Economies ◽  
Low Income Families

We discuss the potential role of universal basic incomes (UBIs) in advanced countries. A feature of advanced economies that distinguishes them from developing countries is the existence of well-developed, if often incomplete, safety nets. We develop a framework for describing transfer programs that is flexible enough to encompass most existing programs as well as UBIs, and we use this framework to compare various UBIs to the existing constellation of programs in the United States. A UBI would direct much larger shares of transfers to childless, nonelderly, nondisabled households than existing programs, and much more to middle-income rather than poor households. A UBI large enough to increase transfers to low-income families would be enormously expensive. We review the labor supply literature for evidence on the likely impacts of a UBI. We argue that the ongoing UBI pilot studies will do little to resolve the major outstanding questions.

scholarly journals Opportunities for Improving Maternal Nutrition and Birth Outcomes: Synthesis of Country Experiences

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (2_suppl1) ◽  
pp. S104-S137 ◽  
Author(s):  
John B. Mason ◽  
Lisa S. Saldanha ◽  
Usha Ramakrishnan ◽  
Alyssa Lowe ◽  
Elizabeth A. Noznesky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Early Pregnancy ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Program Effectiveness ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Transfer Programs ◽  
Nutrition Programs

Background Undernutrition in women in poor countries remains prevalent and affects maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) outcomes. Improving MNCH outcomes requires better policies and programs that enhance women's nutrition. Objective The studies aimed to better understand awareness, perceptions, barriers to intervention, and policy and program priorities and approaches, through different platforms, addressing three related priority problems: anemia, intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR), and maternal thinness and stunting (including incomplete growth with early pregnancy). Methods Results of a global literature review on program effectiveness, and from case studies in Ethiopia, India, and Nigeria, were synthesized. Results and conclusions Anemia can be reduced by iron-folate supplementation, but all aspects for successful implementation, from priority to resources to local capacity, require strengthening. For IUGR, additional interventions, of food supplementation or cash transfers, may be required for impact, plus measures to combat early pregnancy. Breaking the intergenerational cycle of women's undernutrition may also be helped by child nutrition programs. Potential interventions exist and need to be built on: iron-folate and multiple micronutrient supplementation, food fortification (including iodized salt), food supplementation and/or cash transfer programs, combatting early pregnancy, infant and young child nutrition. Potential platforms are: the health system especially antenatal care, community-based nutrition programs (presently usually child-oriented but can be extended to women), child health days, safety net programs, especially cash transfer and conditional cash transfer programs. Making these more effective requires system development and organization, capacity and training, technical guidelines and operational research, and advocacy (who takes the lead?), information, monitoring and evaluation.

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