Inter-American Development Bank (2020). Survey on Living Conditions and Social Development in Northern Haiti (LCSDS): 2014-2015. IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/hvek-wr64

1. French

What is the purpose of the LCSDS dataset?

The survey aims to measure and monitor living conditions, social development, and poverty levels in the communes surrounding the Caracol Industrial Park. It assesses whether industrial development initiatives have resulted in tangible improvements in employment, housing, and access to services.

Which areas of Haiti were surveyed?

The survey focuses on four communes in the country’s northern corridor: - Limonade - Trou-du-Nord - Terrier Rouge - Caracol

These locations were selected for their proximity to the Caracol Industrial Park (PIC), approximately 25 km southeast of Cap-Haïtien.

What is the size and composition of the sample?

The dataset covers: - 2,700 households across four communes (plus 300 additional in Caracol for reliability) - 3,000 individual records for the general population - 800 households in a focused subsample around the PIC (431 employed by the Park and 369 who applied but were not hired)

Sampling error: 1.83% at a 95.5% confidence level.

What information does the dataset include?

The survey provides detailed data on: - Housing and infrastructure: construction materials, sanitation, water access, and electricity
- Education: literacy, school attendance, type of institution, and level achieved
- Labor and income: employment status, job characteristics, wages, informal work, and self-employment
- Health: chronic and acute illness, access to medical services, expenditures, and insurance coverage
- Food security: frequency of meal reduction, coping strategies, and food consumption
- Perceptions and social change: satisfaction with public services and perceived effects of the Caracol Industrial Park

How were the data collected?

Enumerators conducted face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires adapted from the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI) 2001–2003 living conditions survey. Data collection followed strict quality control: - Field supervision ensured proportional representativeness by commune. - SPSS software was used for post-survey cleaning and validation. - Missing data were coded using standard conventions (999997 = DK, 999998 = NA).

What makes this dataset unique?

It is Haiti’s only comprehensive living conditions survey since 2003, offering: - A rare post-industrial baseline in a rapidly changing region
- Comparable instruments for cross-time analysis (2001–2003 vs. 2014–2015)
- A dedicated industrial zone sample assessing the social impact of formal employment in the manufacturing sector

What are the key findings about the Caracol Industrial Park (PIC)?

Respondents generally associate the PIC with both job creation and local economic growth ** and with higher housing costs and uneven access to infrastructure.
Perceptions vary by distance from the Park and household participation in its labor market: - Positive impacts: employment opportunities, improved electricity, and road networks
- Negative impacts:** rising rent prices and limited access to health or waste collection services

How can this dataset be used?

Researchers can use the LCSDS to: - Analyze urban–rural disparities in access to services
- Evaluate the employment and social effects of industrial zones
- Monitor poverty, housing quality, and resilience in Northern Haiti
- Compare household consumption and food security before and after major infrastructure projects

How does the dataset measure social development outcomes?

The questionnaire tracks multiple dimensions of well-being: - Education access and literacy rates - Household amenities (electricity, toilets, cooking fuel) - Health coverage and chronic disease - Labor market participation - Perceived satisfaction with local services

These indicators align with international frameworks, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular Goals 1 (No Poverty), 8 (Decent Work), and 11 (Sustainable Cities).

How are poverty and inequality captured?

The dataset includes income, expenditure, and consumption patterns, allowing for: - Construction of poverty headcount and depth indices - Evaluation of food insecurity prevalence - Identification of gender and regional disparities

Who conducted the study?

The project was led by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Department of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, and the Housing and Urban Development Division, in collaboration with local partners and the IHSI.

Principal Investigator: Patricio Zambrano-Barragán (IDB)
Project link: Sustainable Cities Initiative – Northern Haiti.

What are the dataset’s limitations?

• The survey is geographically limited to the Northern corridor, not nationally representative.
• Data are self-reported, subject to recall bias.
• Employment findings reflect conditions before 2016 and may differ from current realities.