B0961
Title: Official statistics based on the Dutch health survey during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jan van den Brakel - Statistics Netherlands (Netherlands) [presenting]
Abstract: The Dutch Health Survey (DHS), conducted by Statistics Netherlands, is designed to produce reliable direct estimates about health-related themes at an annual frequency. Data collection is based on a combination of web interviewing (CAWI) and face-to-face interviewing (CAPI). During the COVID-19 lockdown, CAPI partially stopped, which results in a sudden change in measurement and selection effects in the survey outcomes. Furthermore, the production of annual data about the effect of CODID-19 on health-related themes with a delay of about one year compromises the relevance of this survey. The sample size of the DHS does not allow the production of figures for shorter reference periods. Both issues are solved by developing a bivariate structural time series model to estimate quarterly figures for the most important key variables. The input series are quarterly direct estimates based on the complete response of CAPI and CAWI and a series of direct estimates based on the CAWI response only. During the lockdown, the direct estimates for the complete response are missing and the time series model provides an optimal nowcast for this figure. The model is also used as a form of small area estimation that borrows sample information observed in previous reference periods. In this way, timely and relevant statistics that describe the effects of the corona crisis on the development of health, medical contacts, lifestyle and preventive behaviour in the Netherlands are published.
