Understanding Society User Support

Thank you for your questions.

1) you should use analysis weights. These also correct for nonresponse. Design weights do not correct for nonresponse and are meant only for advanced users who correct for nonresponse on their own (e.g. as part of their own model).

2) As you mention in point 4), you don't want to use only ethnic boost sample - indeed you must be interested in ethnic minority groups. If you are not using any of the extra-five minutes questions, use the usual weights, e.g. a_indinus_xw. These will correctly represent each of the ethnic minority group in the population (including people who live in HDA and LDA in correct proportions).

3) Yes, please infer psu and strata from hhresp file for individual analysis. These are the same for all members of a household.

4) As mentioned before, the only way to correctly analyse ethnic groups is to combine ethnic boost with the rest of the sample. If fact, it is already combined. As a rule of thumb, your syntax will be correct if you /never/ use emboost variable in it. And yes, a_psu_dv, a_strata_dv and a_indinus_xw used with svyset command should correctly account for complex sample design in your analysis.

Best of luck :)

Thank you so much for your response!

I have one last question: I AM interested in studying ethnic minorities (those that are in the EM boost sample, as well as those from the low-density areas) only, and plan to run a regression. My dependent variable is constructed from a question that is NOT associated with the 5 extra minutes. However, I have one independent variable (out of maybe 10 or so independent variables) in my regression that IS based on a question that is part of the extra 5 minutes. Would I use the weight a_ind5mus_xw?

I think so, but I just wanted to confirm with you. Thanks very much.

Yes, you will need to use the weight for extra five minutes a_ind5mus_xw, simply because by using at least one variable from extra 5 minutes part you will use only the part of a sample who were asked these questions.

Thank you for your help!

One general follow-up question to one of your prior responses that "a_psu_dv, a_strata_dv and a_indinus_xw used with svyset command should correctly account for complex sample design in your analysis".

If I am conducting a multivariate analysis at the individual-level, will using a_psu_dv, a_strata_dv and a_indinus_xw (assuming they were not asked the extra 5 min questions and not including proxy respondents) with the svyset command adjust for the fact that I am using clustered data where I have multiple respondents per household? In other words, do I need to include a_hidp at all in my svyset command for weighting purposes to account for similarities among respondents who are from the same household?

Thank you again for your response!

No, you don't need to include a_hidp in addition to a_psu. Households are nested within psu, so controlling for psu will control for within household clustering as well.

Thank you!