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Employing Data Imputation to Track Poverty and Welfare Trends over Extended Time Periods: An Application to a Poorer Country

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  • Dang, Hai-Anh H

    (World Bank)

  • Nguyen, Cuong Viet

    (National Economics University Vietnam)

Abstract

Obtaining comparable poverty estimates over time is critical for monitoring poverty trends and informing effective poverty reduction policies. Yet hardly any developing countries could construct consistent poverty trends over extended time periods due to changes to the consumption survey questionnaires and poverty lines that reflect changing consumption patterns and living standards. Furthermore, spatial and temporal deflators could be unavailable or could have been unsystematically employed, which could result in worsening incomparability of consumption aggregates. We propose a solution to these data challenges by applying data imputation to 13 survey rounds for Viet Nam during 1993-2022. Our results provide new, comparable, and smoother estimates of poverty trends for Viet Nam. We also offer a useful case study for other similar contexts.

Suggested Citation

  • Dang, Hai-Anh H & Nguyen, Cuong Viet, 2025. "Employing Data Imputation to Track Poverty and Welfare Trends over Extended Time Periods: An Application to a Poorer Country," IZA Discussion Papers 18236, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18236
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • C15 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Statistical Simulation Methods: General
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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