Correcting for Misreporting of Government Benefits
- (pp. 142-64)
Abstract
Data linkage studies often document, but do not remedy, severe survey errors. To improve survey estimates despite restricted linked data access, this paper develops a convenient and general estimation method that combines public use data with conditional distribution parameters estimated from linked data. Analyses using linked SNAP data show that this method sharply improves estimates and consistently outperforms corrections that mainly rely on survey data. Yet, some univariate corrections perform well when linked data do not exist. For SNAP, extrapolating from linked data across time and geography still improves upon estimates using survey data only, even after survey-based corrections.Citation
Mittag, Nikolas. 2019. "Correcting for Misreporting of Government Benefits." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 11 (2): 142-64. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20160618Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C81 Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access
- C83 Survey Methods; Sampling Methods
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- I18 Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
- I38 Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
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