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Measuring Poverty: A New Approach
Index
A
Absolute thresholds, 25, 31, 32, 46, 47, 54, 98-99, 102, 103
Accounting periods, 13, 72, 85-86, 293-295, 333
AFDC, 294, 295-296, 333
effect on poverty rate, 296
Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), 21, 50
accounting period, 294, 295-296, 333
benefit levels, 14-15, 92, 94-96, 335, 336-352, 359-375
budget constraints, 342-343
eligibility and need standards, 14, 15, 66, 92-93, 215, 333, 335, 352-381, 436, 437, 444-446
incentive effects, 15, 95-96, 345-350
market basket use, 354, 357, 358
participation in other programs, 94, 95, 317, 320, 321, 336-345 passim , 437-444 passim
poverty guidelines use, 358, 359
Aid to Refugees, 436
American Housing Survey (AHS), 114, 116, 117, 189, 194, 200, 221, 223, 245
Analysis see Policy formation and analysis
Annuities, 216, 217
Assets
in Consumer Expenditure Survey, 402, 405
data quality, 408-409
in family resource definition, 13, 37, 71-72, 86, 211, 214-218, 295
in March CPS, 211, 216, 402, 405, 408-409
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 402, 405
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 402, 405, 408-409
Assistance programs, 1, 21, 26, 387
expenditures, 320-321, 323, 433, 434-436
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 399
poverty rate among participants, 1, 75-76, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264 , 265, 267-268
see also Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC);
Education programs;
Eligibility standards;
Food assistance;
Housing assistance;
In-kind benefits;
Jobs and training programs;
Medical benefits;
State-administered programs;
Veterans benefits and pensions
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B
Basic living needs, 3-4, 5, 6, 22-23, 40, 48, 50, 51, 52, 105, 143 -144, 147-151, 152-153, 203, 386-387.
See also Clothing;
Food requirements and spending;
Housing and shelter costs
Basic Needs Budget (BNB), 116-118.
See also Expert budgets and standards
Before-tax (gross) income
and AFDC eligibility, 92
in current threshold, 2, 3, 25, 29-30, 38, 40, 97, 203, 204, 206-207, 290
in proposed family resource definition, 10, 66, 209
Behavioral equivalence scale, 169-174
Black population, 82-83, 286-287, 412-413
poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269
Borrowing, 36, 211, 212
Bracketing, 216n, 274n
Bureau of Census see Census Bureau
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 23
area price indexes, 8, 61, 65, 183, 186-188
Consumer Expenditure Survey, 13, 44, 85, 292, 391, 392
Current Population Survey, 395
Family Budgets Program, 33-34, 117-118, 120-122, 128, 166, 168, 185 , 186, 189, 190-191
Bureau of the Budget, 17, 24, 163.
See also Office of Management and Budget
Business cycles and recessions, 49-50, 52, 133, 147, 158
C
Canada, 127, 134.
See also Statistics Canada
Categorical budgets, 116-119
Census see Decennial census
Census Bureau
Consumer Expenditure Survey, 391
Current Population Survey, 395, 407, 414, 415, 416
data improvement and research role, 44
experimental poverty statistics, 7, 23, 25, 52-53, 105, 205, 219, 312-313
official poverty rate and statistics, 5, 17, 24, 25, 43, 44
public-use data tapes, 12, 83, 282
Senior Redesign Team, 401
Survey of Income and Program Participation, 285, 400, 401, 407, 419
tax estimates, 70, 238-240, 406-407
CEX see Consumer Expenditure Survey
Child and Adult Care Food Program, 439
Child care expenses, 2, 27, 45, 102, 118, 331
in expert budgets, 117, 118
and family resource definition, 5, 9, 10, 37, 40, 66, 70, 102, 145 , 204, 209, 240-242
survey coverage, 241, 408
Children, 24, 315-316
equivalence scales for, 7, 8, 60, 160, 161-162, 165-166, 169-170, 172, 173, 177-178
poverty rates, 75, 76, 257, 260, 261, 265, 268-269
see also Family composition and type
Child support, 27-28, 45, 331
and family resource definition, 5, 10, 40, 66, 71, 102, 204, 210, 243-244, 267
survey coverage, 244, 408
Civilian Health and Medical Programs for the Veterans' Administration (CHAMPVA), 407, 408
Civilian Health and Medical Programs of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS), 407, 408
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Clothing, 100, 107, 153, 172
in recommended poverty measure, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 22, 23, 40, 50, 52, 105, 147-151
Cohabitating couples, 13, 28, 87, 302, 305-306
Commodity Supplemental Food Program, 439
Community Development Block Grant, 317
Community health centers, 437
Community Services Block Grant, 442
Commuting expenses, 6, 10, 50, 66, 70-71, 117, 151-152n, 185, 210, 242-243
survey coverage, 408
see also Work expenses
Concurrent time series, 5, 7, 43, 44, 52-53, 105, 158, 281, 282, 287-288
Conference on Economic Progress, 340
Consumer Expenditure Survey (CEX), 120, 168, 201, 391-395
as basis for threshold, 5, 6, 7, 13, 51-52, 85, 104, 105, 146-153, 155-158, 210, 290-292
data coverage and content, 214, 393-395, 402, 404-405
data quality, 85, 157, 213-214, 392-393, 403
Diary Survey, 146, 391, 392, 393
historical time series, 52, 155
Interview Survey, 146-147, 151, 210, 391, 392, 393-395, 403
poverty estimates, 81, 214, 403
sample size and design, 12, 13, 65, 85, 156-157, 208, 210, 213-214, 291-292, 392-393, 402, 404
Consumer Price Index (CPI), 43, 110-111, 146, 201, 391-392
and threshold adjustment, 7, 24, 52, 102-103, 105, 123-124, 182-183
Consumption and spending patterns, 39, 51, 102, 402, 405
determination of thresholds, 23, 50-51
in family resources definition, 36-37
in food plan development, 111
geographic variation, 28-29, 184-186
in March CPS, 405
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 405
in reference family threshold development, 3, 5, 40, 145
and relative thresholds, 31-32, 59, 129
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 405
in threshold update and adjustment, 3-4, 6, 7, 23, 25, 30-31, 40, 45, 49-50, 52, 103, 105
see also Basic living needs;
Child care expenses;
Consumer Expenditure Survey;
Nondiscretionary expenses;
Work expenses
Cost-of-living adjustment see Poverty threshold adjustment
Council of Economic Advisers (CEA), 26, 162
CPS see Current Population Survey;
March income supplement
Credit cards, 36, 211, 212, 213
Crime, 20, 100, 314
Crisis resource definition, 36, 72, 212n, 214-218, 297
Current Population Reports, 25, 293
Current Population Survey (CPS), 395, 396, 413-414
sample size and design, 204n, 395-396
see also March income supplement
D
Data quality, 1, 4, 39
assets, 408-409
Consumer Expenditure Survey, 85, 157, 213-214, 392-393, 403
and family resource definition, 37, 65, 204
income, 65, 402-406, 411-420
March Current Population Survey, 204, 283, 403, 410, 411-420
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Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 403
Survey of Income and Program Participation, 11, 403-404, 406-410, 411-420
taxes, 407
Data sources see Consumer Expenditure Survey;
Decennial census;
March income supplement;
Panel Study of Income Dynamics;
Survey of Income and Program Participation
Decennial census, 144
housing data, 8, 62, 183, 189, 190, 194, 195, 199-200
income data, 12, 84, 289-290
Demographic characteristics, 97
in Consumer Expenditure Survey, 392, 393
in Current Population Survey, 396
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 398
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 401
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 18n, 89-90, 122, 169, 317n, 326, 357-358, 374.
See also Assistance programs;
Poverty guidelines;
and under names of specific programs
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 8, 114, 116, 188, 189-190, 200, 223, 436, 446.
See also Fair market rents;
Housing assistance;
Public housing
Dependent care, 242, 408.
See also Child care expenses
Deprivation index, 22, 35-36, 99-100
Disposable (after-tax) income, 11-12, 143
in assistance program determination, 14, 90, 318-320, 330-333
in family resource definition, 9, 10, 40, 43, 66, 69-70, 90, 144-145, 206-210, 218-219, 290
monitoring changes in, 3, 42
Distribution of income, 13, 23, 46, 88, 309, 311
E
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), 18, 30, 80-81, 207, 238, 277, 331 , 333
eligibility, 436, 446
Earnings
capacity, 430-431
in proposed poverty measure, 2
Earnings data
in Current Population Survey, 403
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 403
Economic deprivation and well-being, 1, 18, 19-23, 89, 99-100, 298 -299, 314-316
Economic resources see Family resources definition
Economies of scale, 7-8, 24, 28, 60, 101, 162, 163, 164-165
Economy Food Plan, 24, 32, 33, 108-109, 110, 111, 163, 164.
See also Minimum diet (USDA plans)
Education programs, 436, 441-442
EITC see Earned Income Tax Credit
Elderly see Older persons
Eligibility standards
accounting periods, 72, 85-86, 215-216, 294-295, 297
area median income, 433n, 434-435, 436, 437, 443
derived from poverty guidelines, 14-15, 18, 18n, 43, 89-92, 169, 317, 318-324, 327-330, 433, 434, 436-444
disposable income determination, 14, 90, 318-320, 330-333
participation in other programs, 321, 433, 434, 436, 437
program-specific, 323, 435, 436, 444-448
Emergency room care, 30
Employee benefits, 219-220
health insurance, 29, 30, 68, 118, 230-231
Employment see Earnings;
Jobs and training programs;
Labor force participation;
Unemployment rates;
Work expenses;
Working families
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Energy assistance, 407, 443-444
Engel scaling method, 168, 170-172
Equivalence scales, 28, 31, 44n, 45, 97, 101, 110, 148-149, 159-182
behavioral, 169-174
for children, 7, 8, 60, 160, 161-162, 165-166, 169-170, 172, 173, 177-178
current threshold, 162-166, 178-179
effects on poverty estimates, 266-267, 269-271
programmatic, 166, 168-169
recommended method, 59-60, 161-162, 175-181
for reference family thresholds, 7-8, 58-60, 159-162, 166
in relative thresholds, 126-127n, 130
subjective, 174-175
European Community, 31, 126
Expert budgets and standards, 6, 31, 32-34, 53, 98-99, 107-124, 125 , 144
categorical approaches, 116-119
and consumption patterns, 3, 34, 49, 107-108, 110, 120, 124, 166
detailed budget approaches, 119-123
food budgets, 47, 48-49, 104, 107, 108-114, 120
multiplier approaches, 108-116
price changes, 120, 123-124
thresholds, 47, 54, 115, 118, 122, 142
Expert Committee on Family Budget Revisions, 47, 54, 128-129, 134, 142, 154, 185
F
Fair market rents, 114, 122, 188, 189-190, 194, 200
Family Assistance Plan (FAP), 341
Family composition and type, 25, 27-28, 44-45n, 101
basic needs budget, 117
comparative analyses, 38
economies of scale, 7-8, 24, 28, 60, 101, 162, 163, 164-165
gender of household head, 24, 25, 109
sharing of resources, 13, 87, 302, 303-305, 306
threshold adjustments by, 2, 4, 5, 17, 23, 25, 26, 40, 45, 51, 97, 101, 159-182, 208, 249, 250, 251
units of analysis, 13, 87, 302-307
see also Reference family threshold;
Single persons;
Working families
Family Planning Services (Title X), 439
Family resources definition, 4, 5, 9-11, 19, 26, 36-37, 39-40, 42, 65-66, 203-206
alternative, 13, 89, 204, 309, 313-314
consumption as, 13, 36-37, 65, 81, 85, 208, 210-214, 290-291, 292
crisis, 36, 72, 212n, 214-218, 297
periodic review of, 5, 43, 44
recommended changes in, 10, 11, 66, 81-82, 206, 249-256, 266-269
see also Assets;
Disposable (after-tax) income;
Income;
In-kind benefits;
Time resources
Family Support Act (FSA), 93, 335, 341, 374
Farm families, 24, 109, 164
Federal funding allocation, 18, 89n, 198, 317
Fendler, Carol, 24-25
Follow Through program, 441
Food assistance, 50, 439-441.
See also Food Stamp Program;
School nutrition programs;
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC);
and under names of other programs
Food requirements and spending, 48-49, 102-103, 153, 170-172
expert budgets, 47, 48-49, 104, 107, 108-114, 120
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 399
in recommended poverty measure, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 22, 23, 40, 50, 52, 105, 143, 147-151
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storage and preparation, 24, 109
see also Minimum diet (USDA plans)
Food Stamp Program, 3, 30, 94, 97, 111, 168, 320, 321, 331, 336, 440
accounting period, 294, 295-296
eligibility, 215, 323, 326-327, 333, 439-440
survey coverage, 407, 417, 419
valuation of benefits, 67-68, 220, 224
Foster Care program, 436
Foster Grandparents program, 442
G
Gallup Poll, 26, 34, 50, 137-140, 175.
See also Subjective thresholds
General Social Survey, 34n, 135, 139
Geographic mobility and migration, 399
AFDC impacts, 94, 341, 346-349
Geographic variation, 1, 2, 11, 38-39, 77, 246
in AFDC needs standards, 14, 92-93, 359-375
consumption and spending, 28-29, 184-186
in expert budgets, 117, 121
food costs, 24
hedonic regression analysis, 190, 191-193, 194, 246
housing costs, 2, 8, 29, 45, 62-65, 77, 183, 188-200
threshold adjustments for, 4, 5, 8-9, 23, 40, 41, 45, 60-65, 97, 182-201
see also Midwest region;
Northeast region;
South region;
West region
Government see Assistance programs;
Policy formation and analysis
Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 128
H
Head-count ratio, 87-88, 308-309, 310, 311-312, 314
Head Start program, 90, 317, 323, 324, 332, 441
Health and Retirement Study, 409n
Health insurance coverage, 2, 29, 118
in Current Population Survey, 397
employer-provided, 29, 30, 68, 118, 230-231
poverty rates for uninsured, 75, 76, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269
premiums, 5, 10, 29, 40, 45, 66, 68, 102, 209
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 401
in surveys, 407, 408
valuation as income, 65-66, 67-69, 205, 227-231, 233-234
Health status, 2, 20, 36, 89, 314, 315
and medical costs, 29
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 399, 405
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 405, 411
Hedonic regression analysis, 190, 191-193, 194, 246
Hispanic population, 135
poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269
Home ownership services, 71, 244-246
Household appliances and supplies, 5, 50, 100, 117, 120, 163
Household Food Consumption Survey, 24, 27, 108-109, 111
Households see Family composition and type;
Family resources definition;
Reference family threshold
Housing and shelter costs, 70-71, 246
in expert budgets, 107, 117, 119-120, 121
geographic variation, 2, 8, 29, 45, 62-65, 77, 183, 188-200
multipliers, 114-116
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 399, 405
in recommended poverty measure, 3, 4, 6, 7, 22, 23, 40, 50, 51, 105
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 401, 405
see also Fair market rents
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Housing assistance, 50, 407, 436n.
See also Public housing;
Rent subsidies
HUD see Department of Housing and Urban Development
I
Imputed rent, 71, 244-246
Incentive effects, 15, 95-96, 345-350
Income, 39
averages, 13, 23, 88, 309, 312
in Consumer Expenditure Survey, 394-395, 402, 403-404
in Current Population Survey, 12, 83, 204, 205, 282, 395, 396-397, 402, 403, 404, 411-420
data quality, 65, 402-406, 411-420
distribution of, 13, 23, 46, 88, 309, 311
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 398-399, 402, 403, 404
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 12, 83, 282-283, 401 , 402, 403, 404, 406, 411-420
see also Before-tax (gross) income;
Disposable (after-tax) income;
Earnings;
Eligibility standards;
Family resources definition;
In-kind benefits
Income Survey Development Program (ISDP), 175, 404, 409, 414
Indexes of poverty, 87-88, 308-314.
See also Deprivation index;
Head-count ratio;
Poverty gap
Inflation see Price changes and inflation
In-kind benefits, 42, 117
in family resource definition, 9, 10, 37, 66-67, 97, 203-204, 206-207, 209, 219-223, 389-390
in March CPS, 219, 220-221, 407
in proposed poverty measure, 2, 4, 5, 40, 78
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 219, 223, 407
valuation of, 30, 67, 219-223
see also Energy assistance;
Food Stamp Program;
Housing assistance;
Public housing;
Rent subsidies;
School nutrition programs;
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 288n
Interarea variation see Geographic variation
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 117, 238, 409n
International comparisons, 26, 31, 125, 126-128
Iso-prop scaling method, 172
J
Job Corps, 442-443
Jobs and training programs, 321, 442-443
L
Labor force participation
in Consumer Expenditure Survey, 393
in Current Population Survey, 396, 403, 411
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 398
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 401
of women with children, 2, 27, 204
see also Earnings;
Work expenses;
Working families
Legal Services, 442
Leisure activity, 100
Literacy and illiteracy, 20, 36
Living standard see Standard of living
Low-Cost Food Plan, 24n, 108n, 116, 117, 121, 149.
See also Minimum diet (USDA) plans
Low-income cut-offs (LICOs), 127-128, 134, 172
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), 443-444
Low-income measures (LIMs), 128
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Low-rent housing see Public housing; Rent subsidies
M
March income supplement (March CPS), 17, 282-283, 391, 395-397
compared to Survey of Income and Program Participation, 278-280, 398, 403, 406-420
compared with Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 398, 403
data coverage and content, 81, 396-397, 402, 404-405, 406-411
data quality, 204, 283, 403, 410, 411-420
poverty estimates, 12, 25, 83, 214, 278-290, 281, 293, 403, 406, 409, 411, 415, 418, 420
sample size and design, 204n, 282, 396, 402, 404, 409, 410, 411-412
Market basket, 46, 102-103, 122, 184-185, 186-187, 391-392
AFDC use, 354, 357, 358
Married couple households, 45n, 101
Material poverty see Economic deprivation and well-being
Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant (Title V), 437-438
Means testing see Eligibility standards
Medicaid, 29, 93, 228, 229, 407, 408, 438-439
Medical benefits, 387, 407, 408, 437-439
valuation of, 30, 223-225
see also Health insurance coverage;
Medicaid;
Medicare;
and names of other programs
Medical costs, 2, 29, 45, 87, 226, 271-274
in expert budgets, 118
and family resource definition, 5, 10, 40, 66, 67-69, 78, 102, 204, 209, 223-225, 267, 268-269, 388-389
survey coverage, 226, 408
variation in, 2, 9-10, 29, 68, 205
Medical risk index, 10, 11, 68-69, 225, 231-237
Medicare, 29, 228, 229, 407, 408
Metropolitan areas, 28, 29, 186-187
Midwest region, 29, 63, 187, 189
poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 265, 268-269
Migrant health centers, 324, 439
Migration see Geographic mobility and migration
Military health benefits, 407, 408
Military service, 399
Minimum diet (USDA plans), 24, 33, 110-111
in basic needs budget, 117
as basis of official poverty measure, 2, 21-22, 24, 32, 48-49, 97-98, 101, 102, 104, 108-110, 162-165
for older persons, 28
Minimum wage, 26
Minority groups, 12, 82-83, 269, 282
Moderate-Cost Food Plan, 121
Mothers' pensions, 338-339
Multipliers, 25, 32-33, 34
and consumption patterns, 26, 32, 104, 108
expert budgets, 108-116
food share, 2, 22, 24-25, 26, 32, 48, 49, 97-98, 102, 104, 109, 110 -116
housing share, 114-116
proposed poverty measure, 6, 7, 22, 23, 50, 51, 52, 56-57, 104, 105, 106, 144, 145, 151-153
N
National Child Care Survey, 27
National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA), 143-144n, 154-155
comparison with household survey estimates, 392-393, 409
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 397
National Institute on Aging, 397
National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES), 234, 235n, 272-274
National Science Foundation, 397
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Nationwide Food Consumption Survey, 24, 111
Near-money benefits see In-kind benefits
Noncustodial parents, 27-28, 244
Nondiscretionary expenses, 6, 102, 206-207, 208
deduction from income, 45, 78, 97, 101, 204
see also Child care expenses;
Child support;
Medical costs;
Taxes;
Work expenses
Nonfamily households, 28
single person, 28, 45n, 101
Nonmetropolitan areas, 28, 186
Northeast region, 28, 29, 63, 77, 185, 186, 187, 189
poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269
O
Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), 17, 26, 340
and Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 397
poverty guidelines, 18n, 169
Office of Management and Budget, 4, 5, 43-44, 283
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, 397
Older persons, 24, 28, 161, 164-165, 246
poverty rates, 75, 77, 257, 260, 261, 262, 264-265, 268-269
Operational feasibility, 3, 4, 39, 40
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 126, 168, 177, 178-180
Orshansky, Mollie, 17, 22, 24-25, 32, 101, 102, 108-110, 162-163, 312n
P
Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), 13, 86, 295, 391, 397-400
data coverage and content, 398-400, 402, 404-405
data quality, 403
poverty estimates, 269n, 307-308, 403, 409-410
sample size and design, 397-398, 404
Panel to Evaluate SIPP, 400-401, 414
Parents see Noncustodial parents;
Single-parent families
Periodic reviews, 1, 4, 5, 42-44
Perkins Act see Vocational Education Opportunities
Persistent poverty, 298-301
Personal care expenses, 5, 50, 107, 117-118, 151
Physical health see Health status
Policy formation and analysis, 1, 2, 3, 18, 21, 38, 42, 68, 80-81, 97, 313-314
and expert budgets, 33, 34
and relative thresholds, 32, 98
taxes, 3, 28-29
welfare, 95-96, 294
Population census see Decennial census
Population coverage
in Consumer Expenditure Survey, 412n
in decennial census, 412-413
in March CPS, 411, 412-413
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 12, 82-83, 282, 286 -287, 411, 412-413
Population group variation, 1, 3, 11, 18, 38-39, 74-77, 257-262, 264-266
medical costs, 2, 9-10, 29, 68, 205
Poverty gap, 88, 309, 311, 312
Poverty guidelines, 18n, 122, 169, 317n
AFDC use, 358, 359
Poverty measure, 18, 21, 25-31
consistency in, 4, 21, 37
criteria for selection, 4, 37-39, 40
depth and intensity of poverty, 23, 87-88, 310-311
elements of, 4-5, 23, 40-42, 98
as eligibility standard, 14, 90, 375-381
periodic review, 1, 4, 5, 42-44
persistent, 13, 86, 294, 295, 298-301
short periods, 13, 72, 85-86, 215, 294, 295-298
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see also Economic deprivation and well-being;
Equivalence scales;
Family resources definition;
Multipliers;
Poverty threshold adjustment;
Poverty thresholds;
Reference family threshold
Poverty statistics, 26, 38, 42, 43
alternative indexes, 20, 87-89, 100, 308-316
data sources, 11-12, 40, 41, 81-83, 84, 280-292, 391-420
effects of proposed measure, 11, 72-81, 247, 256-278
experimental, 23, 25, 205, 219, 312-313
international comparisons, 26, 31, 125, 126-128
March Current Population Survey, 12, 25, 83, 214, 278-290, 293, 403, 406, 409, 411, 415, 418, 420
official rate, 17, 25, 43
quality, 403, 405-406, 411
Survey of Income and Program Participation, 11, 81, 214, 278-290, 296, 297-298, 403, 406, 411, 415, 420
unit of analysis, 13, 86-87, 301-307
unit of presentation, 307-308
see also Time periods;
Time series and trend data
Poverty Studies Task Force, 188
Poverty threshold adjustment
assistance program implications, 14, 91, 327-329, 377-380
for consumption patterns, 3-4, 6, 7, 23, 25, 30-31, 40, 45, 49-50, 52, 103, 105
by family type, 2, 4, 5, 17, 23, 25, 26, 40, 45, 51, 97, 101, 159-182, 208
geographic variation, 4, 5, 8-9, 23, 40, 41, 45, 60-65, 97, 182-201
over time, 7, 46, 48, 51, 52, 103, 104, 105, 154-157
price changes, 7, 24, 52-53, 102-103, 105, 123-124, 158, 182-183
for working families, 45, 97, 102, 145
see also Equivalence scales
Poverty thresholds, 98-100
absolute, 25, 31, 32, 46, 47, 54, 98-99, 102, 103
after-tax concept, 29, 38, 97
allowance for ''other expenses," 5-6, 50
components, 3-4, 40, 77-80, 266-269
current, 2, 6, 17, 30, 55, 106
deprivation index, 35-36, 99-100
development of original, 1, 17, 24-25, 32, 48, 104, 108-110
expert budgets, 6, 31, 32-34, 53, 98-99, 107-124, 125, 144
farm families, 24, 109, 164
implementation, 5-6, 7, 53-55, 105-106, 145-158
relative, 6, 31-32, 34, 35, 37, 42-43, 46, 47, 49-50, 54, 98-99, 104, 112, 113-114, 124-134, 141, 142
subjective, 6, 34-35, 47, 50, 51, 54, 134-140, 141, 142
see also Poverty guidelines;
Reference family threshold
President's Commission on Income Maintenance, 340
Price changes and inflation
current threshold adjustment for, 2-3, 6, 17, 24, 25, 26, 31, 42, 46, 102, 110
and expert budgets, 120, 123-124
proposed threshold adjustment for, 7, 52-53, 105, 158
Programmatic equivalence scale, 166, 168-169
PSID see Panel Study of Income Dynamics
Psychological health, 20, 89, 100, 314, 315
Public acceptability and understanding, 1, 3, 4, 21, 22, 38, 40, 48
Public assistance see Assistance programs
Public housing, 407, 446-447
valuation of benefit, 30, 221
Public opinion polls, 26, 34-35, 50, 134, 135-137, 174-175
Public policy see Policy formation and analysis
Public-use data tapes, 12, 83, 282
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Q
Quantity-income-elasticity (q-i-e) technique, 121, 123
R
Recession see Business cycles and recessions
Recommended daily allowances (RDAs), 111
Reference family threshold, 6, 31, 44-45, 52, 101, 105
under alternative concepts, 46-48, 54, 111-114, 142, 153-154
annual update, 5, 6, 40, 55, 104, 147
determination, 5-6, 145-154
in relative approach, 124, 125, 129-130
scaling, 7-8, 58-60, 159-162, 166
Relative thresholds, 6, 31-32, 34, 35, 37, 42-43, 46, 47, 49-50, 54, 98-99, 104, 112, 113-114, 124-134, 141, 142
Rent subsidies, 114, 221, 223, 407
eligibility, 446-447
see also Fair market rents
Renwick and Bergmann poverty thresholds, 47, 54, 57, 101, 102, 116 -119, 142, 149-150, 151, 152, 154
Research activities and needs, 1, 18, 21, 38-39
on data sources, 12, 84, 288-289
geographic cost-of-living differences, 9, 62-63, 65, 183, 200-201
in-kind benefits valuation, 223
poverty measure improvement, 1, 39, 43, 44, 295
for Survey of Income and Program Participation, 12, 82-84, 281, 286 -287
Roommates, 13, 28, 87, 302, 305, 306
Rothbarth scaling method, 172-174, 176
Ruggles, Patricia, 47, 54, 111, 114, 116, 142.
See also Equivalence scales;
Poverty thresholds
S
Savings, 36, 37, 211
Scale effects see Equivalence scales
School nutrition programs, 219, 220-221, 407
eligibility, 320-321, 325, 330-331, 440
Schwarz and Volgy poverty thresholds, 47, 54, 57, 122, 142, 150-151, 154
Senior Community Service Employment Program, 443
Senior Companions, 443
Shelter see Housing and shelter costs;
Housing assistance
Single-parent families, 27, 117, 346
Single persons 28,45n, 101
poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269, 270
SIPP see Survey of Income and Program Participation
Sloan Foundation, 397
Smith, Adam, 21, 108
Social deprivation, 20, 89, 100, 314-315
Social Security Administration (SSA), 17, 24, 38
threshold development methods, 24, 26, 32, 47, 162-163
Social security tax, 3, 10, 29, 66, 209, 238-239
South region, 28, 29, 63-64, 185, 186, 187, 189
poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269
Special Milk Program, 325, 440-441
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), 219, 407
eligibility, 325-326, 441
SSA see Social Security Administration
Standard budgets see Expert budgets and standards
Standard of living, 25, 30, 33, 36-37, 100
normative, 35-36, 42
relation to thresholds, 2-3, 6, 30-31, 106
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see also Consumption and spending patterns;
Economic deprivation and well-being;
Expert budgets and standards
State-administered programs
eligibility standards, 436, 437, 443
SSI supplementation, 447-448
see also Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC);
Aid to Refugees;
Foster Care program;
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP);
Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant (Title V);
Medicaid;
Vocational Education Opportunities
Statistical defensibility, 3, 4, 38-39, 40
Statistical Policy Office (OMB), 4, 5, 44
Statistics see Data quality;
Poverty statistics;
Time series and trend data
Statistics Canada, 127, 128, 180n.
See also Low-income cut-offs (LICOs)
Subjective thresholds, 6, 34-35, 47, 50, 51, 54, 134-140, 141, 142
scaling, 174-175
Subsidized housing see Rent subsidies
Summer Food Service Program for Children, 441
Summer Youth Employment and Training Program, 443
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
accounting period, 294
eligibility, 436, 447-448
and participation in other programs, 433, 438, 439, 442, 443, 444
Survey of Consumer Finances, 409n
Survey of Economic Opportunity (SEO), 397, 398
Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), 13, 86, 205, 283 -288, 295, 391, 400-402
compared with March Current Population Survey, 278-280, 398, 403, 406-420
data coverage and content, 81-83, 223, 284, 401-402, 404-405, 406-411
data quality, 11, 403-404, 406-410, 411-420
poverty estimates, 11, 81, 214, 278-290, 296, 297-298, 403, 406, 411, 415, 420
sample size and design, 12, 82-83, 205n, 281, 400-401, 404, 409-410, 412
use in setting poverty measure, 11, 12, 40, 82, 83, 278-280, 281-282
Surveys see American Housing Survey;
Consumer Expenditure Survey;
Current Population Survey;
Gallup Poll;
Income Survey Development Program;
March income supplement (March CPS);
Panel Study of Income Dynamics;
Public opinion polls;
Survey of Income and Program Participation
T
Taxes, 25, 29-30, 45, 122, 207, 402
in Consumer Expenditure Survey, 395, 404
data quality, 407
and family resource definition, 2, 4, 5, 37, 40, 69-70, 97, 102, 205, 237-240, 267
in March Current Population Survey, 406-407
in Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 399, 404
policy changes, 3, 28-29
in Survey of Income and Program Participation, 239-240, 404, 407
Telephones, 22, 36, 100
Thresholds see Poverty thresholds
Thrifty Food Plan, 33, 111, 114, 116, 122, 149, 168.
See also Minimum diet (USDA plans)
Time periods
annual accounting period, 13, 72, 85-86, 293-295, 333
long-term measures, 13, 86, 294, 295, 298-301
short-term measures, 13, 72, 85-86, 215, 294, 295-298
Time resources, 399, 421-432
and earnings potential, 430-431
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expenditures, 425-428
in poverty measures, 428-429, 432
valuation, 422-425
Time series and trend data, 1, 2, 3, 18, 21, 25
alternative deprivation indicators, 20
comparative analyses, 26, 38
concurrent series, 5, 7, 43, 44, 52-53, 105, 158, 281, 282, 287-288
effects of proposed measure, 23, 80-81, 274-278
relative thresholds, 131-134
subjective thresholds, 34, 137-140
and threshold updates, 7, 46, 48, 51, 52, 103, 104, 105, 154-157
Townsend, Peter, 22, 35-36, 99-100
Training for Disadvantaged Adults and Youth, 443
Transportation see Commuting and transportation expenses
Trends see Time series and trend data
U
Unemployment rates, 23, 43, 100, 395
United Kingdom, 127, 293n
deprivation index, 35-36
households, 303n, 306-307
York Family Budget Unit, 119-120
Unit of analysis, 13, 86-87, 301-307
University of Michigan Survey Research Center (SRC), 397
Updating procedures, 4, 7, 26, 40, 42-43, 46-48, 52-53, 102-105, 144, 387-388
housing cost index, 199-200
periodic review of, 5, 43, 44
U.S. see other part of agency title
USDA diet see Economy Food Plan;
Minimum diet
Utilities, 5, 6, 52, 105
V
Vacations, 35, 100
Vaughn poverty thresholds, 47, 54, 110, 112, 113, 130n, 131, 134n, 137-140, 142
Veterans benefits and pensions, 436, 448
Vocational Education Opportunities, Disadvantaged Activities (Perkins Act), 441-442
W
Wages see Earnings
Watts Committee see Expert Committee on Family Budget Revisions
Weatherization assistance, 444
Weinberg and Lamas poverty thresholds, 47, 54, 114-116, 142
Welfare see Assistance programs;
Economic deprivation and well-being
West region, 28, 29, 64, 77, 186, 187, 189
poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269
White population, poverty rates, 75, 259, 260, 261, 265, 268-269
WIC program see Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Work expenses, 45, 219-220, 331
in family resource definition, 2, 4, 5, 9, 37, 40, 66, 70-71, 102, 210, 240-243
and relative thresholds, 130
survey coverage, 151, 408
see also Child care expenses;
Commuting expenses
Working families, 2, 27, 119
basic needs budget, 117
poverty rates, 1, 27, 75, 76, 259, 260, 261, 262, 264, 265, 268-269
and relative thresholds, 130
threshold adjustment for, 45, 97, 102, 145
time expenditures, 425-428, 431-432
Works Progress Administration (WPA), 120
Y
York Family Budget Unit, 119-120
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