Alphonse L. MacDonald, Director, UNPFA Geneva and Michele Corrado, Director, Social

1
Alphonse L. MacDonald, Director, UNPFA
GenevaandMichele Corrado, Director, Social
Health Research, MORI
1
Paris, 27-28 May 2002
Footnote 1 The opinions expressed are the
authors and do not necessarily reflect those of
the United Nations and its agencies
2
Informal Meeting of DAC Heads of
InformationCommunications Activities and
Exploring the Feasibility of Conducting a Joint
Survey on Public OpinionParis, 27-28 May 2002
3
Population Issues in the Developing
WorldMethodology and Experience from the 1996
and 2001 Public Opinion Research Paris, 27-28
May 2002
4
Background

• In 1996 and 2001 the United Nations Population
  Fund (UNFPA) commissioned MORI to carry out
  public opinion research in thirteen European
  countries Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland,
  France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy,
  the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland

5
Objectives (i)

• To examine, among the general public across
  Europe as
• a whole
• awareness of population issues in the developing
  world
• which reproductive health services should be
  available nationally and globally
• the views of Social Activists
• views about the support which the public feels
  their government should give to the developing
  world

6
Objectives (ii)

• The surveys were intended to
• provide scientific information to allow UNFPA and
  its partners to develop adequate advocacy
  programmes in Europe, with the aim of
• motivating the public to support the work of
  local and global population and reproductive
  healthcare organisations and
• enhancing financial support for international
  technical co-operation

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Methodology

• MORI co-ordinated the research in the 13 nations
  through its affiliates
• Sampling procedure quota sampling
• Total sample size of just over 13,000 adults
  aged 16 in each round
• Interviewed over about a 6 week period, using
  face-to-face interviews
• Data weighted to reflect national profiles

8
Questionnaire Development - 1

• The content of the questionnaire was developed by
  a team consisting of MORI staff and Alphonse
  MacDonald at UNFPA. Ideas for questions were
  provided by senior UNFPA staff, and partner
  agencies the Face to Face campaign, and national
  population and family planning NGOs in the
  participating countries
• Questions needed to respond to the diverse
  cultural situation in the participating
  countries, hence wording was very important
• It was also important that there was (largely)
  consistency in the questions being asked. (This
  is also true of the methodology). There should
  only be a departure from consistency for good
  reason

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Questionnaire Development - 2

• Because of cost considerations, questions needed
  to be in principle pre-coded
• Maximum use was made of the opportunity for
  trending, in the 2001 research

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Background Variables

• In addition to the specially designed questions
  in each country, a number of demographic
  variables were also obtained
• The demographic questions were generally region,
  gender and age, work status and social class /
  educational attainment
• A Social Activism question was also asked to
  identify people more predisposed to support a
  charity or other non-profit making organisation.
  All questions were then cross-analysed by Social
  Activists, Semi-Activists and Non-Activists

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The Questionnaires (1996 and 2001)

• A total of 12 questions were designed in 1996,
  and 13 in 2001 9 were asked in both surveys
• In 2001, four new questions were added to reflect
  new population concerns and the changed
  international population situation
• and
• to keep costs down in 2001, three questions were
  deleted from the questionnaire
• In some questions new answer categories were
  added / dropped / combined / split out, to
  reflect the current situation

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The Questionnaires (1996 and 2001) Cont./..

• Q1 National problems (unprompted)
• Q2 International problems (unprompted)
• (Q ) Sources of information about whats
  happening in this country and the rest of the
  world (1996 only)
• Q3 How foreign aid in their country should be
  spent
• (Q ) Perceived causes of the worlds population
  growth (1996 only)
• Q4 Perceived most serious effects of the worlds
  population growth

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The Questionnaires (1996 and 2001) Cont./..

• Three questions were asked to measure the
  desirability
• of providing reproductive health services.
  Reproductive
• health services which . . .
• Q5 . . . people in their own country should have
  access to
• Q6 . . . people in developing world countries
  should have access to
• Q7 . . . their government should help fund for
  people in the developing world

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The Questionnaires (1996 and 2001) Cont./..

• (Q ) Recent sources of information about the
  worlds population growth / inter-country
  migration of people / HIV AIDS
• Q8 Prompted awareness of various organisations
  (NGOs, UN bodies, and NATO - for comparison)
• Q9 Most important issues in developing countries
  (prompted question)
• Q10 National (donor) support for ways to help
  solve the HIV / AIDS issue
• Q11 Estimate of national expenditure on foreign
  aid
• Q12 Assessment of adequacy of national foreign aid

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The 2001 Questionnaire - 4 New Questions

• Q9 Most important issues in developing countries
  (prompted question)
• Q10 National (donor) support for ways to help
  solve the HIV / AIDS issue
• Q11 Estimate of national expenditure on foreign
  aid
• and
• Q12 Assessment of adequacy of national foreign
  aid

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The 2001 Questionnaire - 3 Deleted Questions

• Q3 Sources of information
• Q5 Causes of the worlds population growth
• and
• Q10 Recent sources of information on population
  growth / inter-country migration and HIV / AIDS

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Results Lessons Learned

• To illustrate the usefulness of the research some
  results of the two surveys for the total sample,
  reflecting the situation in all participating
  countries, will be presented
• A number of issues affecting the results will be
  discussed
• Time sensitivity of issues, and changes in
  national perceptions, need to be considered

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Top10 Domestic Concerns
Q1 What would you say were the two or three most
important problems facing . . . . . . today?

1996/2001
Europeans 2001
Unemployment
(-30)
Law Order
(4)
Beef/BSE
(18)
Race relations/Immigration
(9)
Drug abuse
(-)
Health
(4)
Economy
(-14)
Environment
(2)
Social Security/Welfare
(-3)
AIDS/HIV
(-)
(3)
Education
Poverty/Homelessness
(2)
Reproductive health/rights
2
(1)
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
Source MORI/UNFPA
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Top10 Global Concerns
Q2 And what would you say were the two or three
most important problems facing the world as a
whole, today?

Europeans 2001
1996/2001
(6)
Environment
(3)
Famine
(-11)
War
Poverty
(-)
(5)
AIDS/HIV
Natural disasters
(12)
Drug abuse
(-3)
Population growth
(-3)
(-)
Third World debt
(2)
Health
Refugees
(2)
Morality
(1)
(-)
Reproductive health/rights
2
Source MORI/UNFPA
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
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Support for Foreign Aid
Q3 On which of these, if any, do you think the
foreign aid that your own country gives to
developing countries should be spent?
1996/2001
Projects provide/help . . . .
Healthcare/Medical staff supplies
(4)
Disaster relief
(14)
(3)
Education/Schools/Training
Help prevent spread of HIV/AIDS
(12)
Improve lives of children
(7)
Develop infrastructure
(7)
(7)
Protect environment
Family planning education/services
(1)
Improve lives of women
(5)
Help farmers/land-workers
(3)
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
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Source MORI/UNFPA
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Reproductive Health

• Reproductive health is a state of complete
  physical, mental and social well-being . . . . ,
  in all matters relating to the reproductive
  system and to its functions and processess.
  Reproductive health therefore implies that people
  are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life
  and that they have the capability to reproduce
  and the freedom to decide if, when and how often
  to do so."

Source Paragraph 7.2 of the Programme of Action
of the International Conference on Population
and Development
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Services of Reproductive Health

• Information on and access to safe, effective,
  affordable, and acceptable family planning
  methods
• Access to health services that provide the means
  to enable women to have a safe pregnancy and
  child birth
• Access to services that guarantee throughout the
  life cycle of a person adequate reproductive and
  sexual health
• Hence, reproductive health services constitute a
  constellation of methods, techniques and services
  
• Reproductive health is of importance to people of
  all ages

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Access to and Funding of Reproductive Health
Services
Q5/67 Services people should have access to /
own government should fund
Domestic Third World Third World Gap Third
World Access Access Funding
Funding 57 60 47 -13 56 48 37
-11 56 46 35 -11 50 63 50
-13 47 51 40 -11 42 44 32
-12 39 55 40 -15 36 35 23 -12
25 26 15 -11 23 32 20 -12
Advice on avoiding STDs
Sex education in schools
Teenagers/Young people with advice on
avoiding pregnancy
Contraceptive advice
Treatment for people with STDs
Teenagers/Young people with contraception
Contraception
Ante-/Post-natal care
Advice on breast feeding
Male/Female sterilisation
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
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Source MORI/UNFPA
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Third World Funding - Europeans
Q7 And again, regardless of whether they are
currently available, which, if any, of these
services do you think your government should help
fund for people in developing and Third World
countries?
1996/2001
Contraceptive/Family planning advice
(0)
(9)
Advice on avoiding STDs
(4)
Contraception
(9)
Treatment for people with STDs
(10)
Sex education in schools
Teenagers/Young people with advice on how to
avoid pregnancies
(6)
Teenagers/Young People with contraception
(6)
(2)
Ante-/Post-natal care
(2)
Male/Female sterilisation
Advice on breast feeding
(2)
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
16
Source MORI/UNFPA
25
Government Expenditure Spent on Foreign Aid -
Questions Asked

• Q11 Based on what you know, please give your best
  estimate of the of your (own countrys)
  governments expenditure that is spent on foreign
  aid to developing countries
• Q12 In fact, the amount of (your countrys)
  governments expenditure in 1999 that went to
  foreign aid to developing countries was about. .
  . . ( 0.3 to 1.9). Do you feel that this is
  too much, too little or about right?

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Estimate of Government Expenditure Spent on
Foreign Aid - (i)
Q11 Based on what you know, please give your
best estimate of the of (your own countrys)
governments expenditure that is spent on foreign
aid to developing countries?
Austria
Belgium
Denmark

Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
Source MORI/UNFPA
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Estimate of (and Actual) Government Expenditure
spent on Foreign Aid - (ii)
Q11 Based on what you know, please give your
best estimate of the of (your own countrys)
governments expenditure that is spent on foreign
aid to developing countries?
Estimated
Actual
Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
Source MORI/UNFPA
28
Estimate of (and Actual) Government Expenditure
spent on Foreign Aid - (iii)
Q11 Based on what you know, please give your
best estimate of the of (your own countrys)
governments expenditure that is spent on foreign
aid to developing countries?
Estimated
Actual
Great Britain
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Source MORI/UNFPA
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
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Government Expenditure Spent on Foreign Aid
Q12 In fact, the amount of (your own countrys)
governments expenditure in 1999 that went to
foreign aid to developing countries was about lt1
up to 2. Do you feel that this is too much, too
little or about right?
Too much
Dont know
About right
Too little
Base All European respondents, adults (13,350)
Source MORI/UNFPA
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Conclusions (i)

• UNFPAs experience in working together with MORI
  has been very positive
• Working through a commercial organisation with
  affiliates in all participating countries is very
  cost-effective
• For general public work, it can be very
  cost-effective to make use of omnibus surveys
• To make the partnership work it is necessary that
  the contracting organisations know exactly what
  they want to use the results for

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Conclusions (ii)

• It is highly recommended to have small teams
  consisting of staff of the executing survey
  agency and experts of the contracting
  organisation for the survey and analysis design
• For applied research purposes the use of quota
  sampling is fully justified
• Special care should be given to the formulation
  of the questions, because of cultural differences
  and because of time sensitive issues that can
  affect the opinion of the public

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Conclusions (iii)

• In designing the questionnaire attempt should be
  made to design questions that could allow
  linkages of the results with those of other
  surveys
• This will enhance the utility of the results and
  will produce time series, and increase the
  scope for interpretation through expanded
  coverage and comparability
• The data need to be processed and presented in a
  consistent fashion. For unprompted (and fully
  open-ended) questions, the pre-code lists (and
  code frames) need to be consistent across
  countries, with scope for other responses
• Similarly, the cross-breaks in the computer
  tables should be consistent, and it should be
  made easy to produce a Total column for all
  countries

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In deciding further action for a possible
European study, you may be guided by the Chinese
wisdom A wise person is the one who knows how
to ask questions.
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MORI Background

• Founded in 1969
• Largest independent research company in Britain
• Over 27m turnover in 2001 and 34m for the MORI
  Group
• Specialised in international research since
  foundation
• MORI offices in 14 countries
• Affiliated to IriS network of companies
• Partners in over 25 countries world-wide
• Extensive links with other agencies throughout
  the globe
• Central telephone facility for international
  (donor country) research

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MORI International Partners

• Argentina
• Belgium
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• China
• Denmark

• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong
• India
• Indonesia
• Ireland
• Malaysia
• Netherlands

• Nigeria
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Russia
• Scotland
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• Uruguay
• Venezuela

MORI group of companies
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International Research

• Interviews in over 50 countries over past couple
  of years or so
• Over 5,000 customised research projects for
  international companies, government agencies and
  NGOs
• Across most of MORIs specialist areas

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Recent MORI Research
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International Research Examples

• Rockefeller Foundation, Population Science
  Division
• In 3 donor countries The UK, Germany and The
  EU
• Key policy makers involved in developing world
  issues
• To examine the concept unmet need, in terms of
  reproductive health and family planning services
• Results used to increase Foundations
  understanding about how best to communicate to
  those responsible for the allocation of resources
  and the monitoring of programme quality

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International Research Examples

• UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development
  Organisation), with ITC, WTO and other
  organisations
• In 89 (mostly developing) countries
• Trade or Industry Government Departments,
  National Standards Bodies, Certification and
  Accreditation Bodies, and Companies
• To examine trade implications for developing and
  emerging economies of international standards for
  quality and environmental management systems

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International Research Examples

• WWF International
• Over 20 developed and developing countries,
  1988-1997
• Largely general public (plus food and health
  industry specialists)
• To assist with positioning and develop two
  communications campaigns - one more
  sophisticated, and one simpler
• Greenpeace International
• Over 20 developed and developing countries,
  1992-1996
• General public
• To establish environmental awareness perceptions
  of ideal environmental organisation and of
  Greenpeace, and determine willingness to support
  green organisations

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International Research Examples

• British Council, Through Other Eyes. How the
  World sees the United Kingdom
• 30 (industrial and developing) countries,
  1999/2000
• Successor generation (young, educated)
• IFC, customer satisfaction
• 33 countries
• High level executives

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International Research and Co-ordination

• Skilled executives
• Top quality, professional research affiliates
• Local expertise/knowledge
• Tight control at all stages of the survey process
• Regional co-ordinators for very large surveys
• Regular communication throughout
• The right interviewers for the job / General
  Public and High level audiences

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High Quality Standards

• MRS and ESOMAR Codes of Conduct
• ISO 9001 since January 1994
• Market Research Quality Standards Association
  (MRQSA)
• Quality Implementation Committee (QUIC)
• Best Practice Committee
• Customer Satisfaction Monitor (CSM) Scheme

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Michele Corrado

• Heads up MORIs Charities Developing World
  Research
• Over 20 years research experience
• Particular expertise in international research
  for NGOs, UN bodies and healthcare organisations
  - to inform communications campaigns and assist
  with positioning
• Has written and spoken extensively about social
  research issues

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Dr Alphonse L. MacDonald

• Director, UNFPA Geneva. Retires on 31 July 2002
  and then becomes a consultant to UN, Geneva WHO,
  Geneva MORI London
• Specialist in methodology of Social Sciences,
  Social Statistics, Development Planning, and
  Population Development
• Has worked in many countries in Africa, Asia,
  Europe and Latin America
• Has participated as member of the Secretariat in
  ICPD, Cairo, 1994 and formed part of the UNFPA
  team at other conferences (Small Islands, Social
  Summit, Habitat and Food Security)

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Thank You