Agreement of Self-Reported and Administrative Data on Employment Histories in a German Cohort Study: A Sequence Analysis

Morten Wahrendorf (), Anja Marr, Manfred Antoni, Beate Pesch, Karl-Heinz Jöckel, Thorsten Lunau, Susanne Moebus, Marina Arendt, Thomas Brüning, Thomas Behrens and Nico Dragano
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Morten Wahrendorf: University of Düsseldorf
Anja Marr: University Duisburg-Essen
Beate Pesch: Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum
Karl-Heinz Jöckel: University Duisburg-Essen
Thorsten Lunau: University of Düsseldorf
Susanne Moebus: University Duisburg-Essen
Marina Arendt: University Duisburg-Essen
Thomas Brüning: Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum
Thomas Behrens: Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum
Nico Dragano: University of Düsseldorf

European Journal of Population, 2019, vol. 35, issue 2, No 5, 329-346

Abstract: Abstract Collecting life course data is increasingly common in social and epidemiological research, either through record linkage of administrative data or by collecting retrospective interview data. This paper uses data on employment histories collected through both strategies, compares the attained samples, and investigates levels of agreements of individual histories. We use data from the German Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study with information on employment histories collected retrospectively from 2011 until 2014 (N = 3059). Administrative data from the German Institute for Employment Research (IAB) were linked to the survey data. After comparing respondents who provide self-reported histories with the subsample of the ones for which administrative data were available, we investigate the agreement of individual employment histories from the two sources (between 1975 and 2010) using sequence analyses. Almost all participants provided survey data on employment histories (97% of the sample), linkage consent was given by 93%, and administrative data were available for 63% of the participants. People with survey data were more likely to be female, to have a higher education, and to work self-employed and in the tertiary sector. The agreement of individual employment histories is high and similar across time, with a median level of agreement of 89%. Slightly lower values exist for women and people working in the tertiary sector, both having more complex histories. No differences exist for health-related factors. In conclusion, it is likely that missing consent and failed record linkage lead to sample differences; yet, both strategies provide comparable and reliable life course data.

Keywords: Comparison; Survey data; Administrative data; Employment histories; Sequence analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10680-018-9476-2

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