Abstract
Recently, there have been advances in the development of multidimensional poverty measures. Work is needed however on how to implement such measures. This paper deals with the process of selecting dimensions and setting weights in multidimensional poverty measurement using qualitative and quantitative methods in a participatory framework. We estimate the multidimensional poverty measures developed by Alkire and Foster for a particular group: persons with psychiatric diagnoses in the United States. To select relevant dimensions and their relative ordering, two discussion groups are convened: one consisting of persons with lived-experience expertise and the other consisting of people with mental health service provision or research expertise. Several methods are used to convert dimension rankings into weights. The selection and ordering of dimensions differed between the two discussion groups, as did the resulting poverty measures. For instance, the poverty headcount using the dimensions and weights of the ‘lived experience’ group ranged from 20.61 to 26.96% as compared to a range of 18.62–33.19% using those of the ‘provider/researcher’ group. One of the main results of this study is that the Alkire Foster method is sensitive to the selection of dimensions and the methods used to derive rankings and weights. It points toward the limitation of relying exclusively on small scale qualitative methods for the selection and ranking of dimensions. In addition, the participatory framework used in this study was found to be essential in interpreting results, in particular with respect to the limitations of the data set in measuring relevant dimensions.
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Notes
Nussbaum (2000)’s list includes: (1) Life: not dying prematurely. (2) Bodily health: to have good health, adequate nutrition and shelter. (3) Bodily integrity, including physical mobility. (4) Senses, imagination, and thought: including being able to use the senses, to imagine, think and reason. (5) Emotions: including being able to have attachments to things and people outside ourselves. (6) Practical reason: including being able to form a conception of the good. (7) Affiliation: including social interactions. (8) Other species: “Being able to live with concern for and in relation to animals, plants and the world of nature”. (9) Play: “Being able to laugh, to play, to enjoy recreational activities.” 10. Control over one’s environment. (A) Political: including political participation; (B) Material: “Being able to hold property …; having the right to seek employment on an equal basis as others…”.
It should be noted that studies could be participatory for few selected steps of a research process, and rely only on researchers’ input for the other steps.
Seminar participants meet monthly to learn about and discuss issues related to the well being of persons with psychiatric diagnoses in the context of the capability approach. Participants are therefore aware of the capability approach and its multidimensional understanding to well being.
The invitation provided the study question, a definition of poverty in the context of the capability approach and an overview of the type of information collected in the MEPS.
We used 61 years as the cut-off point instead of 64 to avoid including persons who have transitioned to early retirement under the Social Security Administration Old Age program. Our study contains only individuals who responded during each round of 2001 for all of the questions related to our variables of interest. We also excluded part year observations (e.g., individuals who died during the calendar year, individuals who could not be located).
Substracting OOPS from income before comparing income to the poverty line has been recommended by the National Academy of Sciences (Citro and Michael 1995). Poverty is to be measured based on available resources: because medical OOPS must be paid, they are not part of available resources and should be netted out of income before it is compared to the poverty line. Evidence that OOPS can throw families under the poverty line in the US is well established (e.g., O’Hara 2004).
A survey was recently used to have people rank poverty dimensions in the Maldives (de Kruijk and Rutten 2007).
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This study was supported in part by the Center to Study Recovery in Social Contexts, funded by a 5 year NIH grant P20MH078188 to Dr. Alexander.
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We have benefited from insightful comments on an earlier version by Sabina Alkire, Kim Hopper, and seminar participants at the 2009 New Approaches in Welfare Conference (Oxford University), the 2009 American Public Health Association meeting and the 2010 National Institute of Mental Health Biennial Economics Conference, Fordham University and the Center to Study Recovery in Social Contexts.
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Mitra, S., Jones, K., Vick, B. et al. Implementing a Multidimensional Poverty Measure Using Mixed Methods and a Participatory Framework. Soc Indic Res 110, 1061–1081 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9972-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9972-9