Measuring geographic mobility: Comparison of estimates from longitudinal and cross-sectional data

Abstract

Attrition of sample members from a longitudinal survey can undermine the quality of the data and its research potential, especially when the sample members who drop out are different from those who do not. People who move house are more likely to drop out of the survey as they are harder to locate, and once located, may be harder to interview in the remaining fieldwork time available. Moving coincides with many other life events (such as changes in marital status, the birth of a child, buying a home, changes in employment, or retirement) and if movers are not adequately interviewed, this may result in the study under-representing these changes and the events that occur after a move. This pap..