Survey respondents' experiences of being asked about voice, violence, and other potentially sensitive issues: report of the qualitative follow-up study to the IDM survey in Indonesia.

In 2018 the IDM program undertook an Individual Deprivation Measure (IDM) study across two districts in Indonesia: Jeneponto Regency and Pangkajene and Islands Regency.

A total of 5,692 individuals from 2,186 households participated in the IDM survey. The IDM adopts a unique approach to sampling, surveying all members of the household over the age of 16 years.

The IDM survey included questions on experiences of violence and ‘voice’, and thorough consultation was undertaken with experts to design the survey in order to mitigate any risks to participants. To better understand the possible consequences of asking about violence and voice in a multi-topic survey on multidimensional poverty, a qualitative follow-up study was designed, and conducted in parallel with the IDM survey. Interviews were conducted between two and four weeks after participation in the survey.

The follow-up study found that no interviewees had experienced violence or control as a result of participating in the IDM survey. It also highlighted the importance of privacy and confidentiality. The follow-up study also aimed to understand interviewees views on a range of IDM survey questions, including sensitive questions that ask if the respondent is sexually active and about contraception use. It was these questions that many interviewees in the follow-up study considered to be most surprising.

The follow-up study provides important insights into the experience of participating in the IDM survey. It also helps to contextually inform the analysis of survey findings, and demonstrates the value of mixed-methods approaches.

Download the full report of the follow-up study below.