Summarising Multiple Deprivation Indicators

Publication type

Conference Paper

Series

Society for the Study of Economic Inequality Conference

Authors

Publication date

July 21, 2005

Abstract:

Deprivation scales derived from multiple, typically dichotomous, indicators, are widely used to monitor households' standards of living, and to complement measures of living standards based on income. We use an item response modelling (IRM) framework to address several issues concerning the derivation of deprivation scales in general and the use of sum-score deprivation indices in particular. Although we favour the IRM approach over the sum-score one in principle, we find in an illustrative analysis of basic lifestyle deprivation in Britain in the mid-1990s that both approaches provide very similar pictures of households' circumstances. We conclude with further discussion of the relative merits of the two approaches and highlight some topics for future research.


Related Publications

#517994

News

Latest findings, new research

Publications search

Search all research by subject and author

Podcasts

Researchers discuss their findings and what they mean for society

Projects

Background and context, methods and data, aims and outputs

Events

Conferences, seminars and workshops

Survey methodology

Specialist research, practice and study

Taking the long view

ISER's annual report

Themes

Key research themes and areas of interest