Survey: How has the COVID-19 Pandemic Affected Croatian Households?

Findings

The Croatia survey findings were publicly presented, informing policy makers and development partners of the evolving effects of the pandemic on different segments of the Croatian population. The World Bank hosted a lively discussion with representatives from the Government, the NGOs, and academics about how to make the recovery process inclusive and supportive of the poorest and the most vulnerable groups in Croatia.

Key messages from the five survey rounds findings are:

After a difficult year, 2021 shows a strong recovery in growth and employment:

• GDP growth is expected to reach 7.6% in 2021, after a negative 8% in 2020.
• Unemployment is forecasted to decline from 7.5% to 6.6% between 2020 and 2021

But the recovery is uneven.

• Throughout the pandemic, lower-wage workers have been more likely to stop working.
• The level of stress about job prospects is higher among women, among people in lower-income brackets and those in rural areas.
• Low-wage workers are more uncertain of their expected income in 2021.

Households’ financial wellbeing is affected through both labor income and inflation.

• Despite the overall recovery, 15 % of households still reported reduction in income. 
• In addition, rising prices undercut households’ purchasing power. 38 % of households reported difficulties in making ends meet.
• The situation is worse for poorer households, households with all non-working members, and households headed by women.

The outlook for households’ financial recovery relies on how fast we could control the pandemic because a prolonged pandemic will continue to have important implication on the labor market and price levels.

• COVID-19 vaccine uptake has slowed down since the beginning of the summer and remains well below the EU average.
• Vaccine uptake is low in poorer areas signaling widening inequality in the recovery process.
• Rising food and energy prices will continue to hurt the poorest as these items alone take 70% of their budget. 

The Croatia Rapid Assessment Survey was carried out in 5 rounds:

• Round 1 in June 2020 estimated the impacts of the first national lock down and school closure.
• Round 2 in December 2020 captured the early effects of reopening of schools and the economy.
• Round 3 in March 2021 reflected the wellbeing of the population one year into the pandemic.
• Round 4 in June 2021 assessed the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and the economic rebound.
• Round 5 in September 2021 monitored the spread of the Delta variant of the virus and continuous vaccination efforts.
• Round 6 in April 2022 assessed whether the economic recovery was inclusive for all Croatians, and examined sentiments toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, focusing on its impacts on regional security, prices, and economic growth.
• Round 7 in June 2023 investigated the impact of high inflation on household finances and how the energy crisis affected households’ use of sustainable energy. 

Methodology

The survey is conducted over the phone with a randomly selected sample of 1,500 households. It is implemented entirely using Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing to allow for faster access to the data and dissemination of results. In each survey round, households are asked a comprehensive set of questions about their knowledge and concerns about the pandemic, access to basic needs, employment and income loss, as well as their coping strategies.

The sampling frame is based on the 2011 Census by Croatian Bureau of Statistics. The national sample was stratified by region and settlement size (up to 2000 inhabitants; 2001 to 10000 inhabitants; 10001 to 80000 inhabitants; more than 80001 inhabitants).

Croatia Rapid Assessment Survey was carried out in 5 rounds:

• Round 1 in June 2020 estimated the impacts of the first national lock down and school closure.
• Round 2 in December 2020 captured the early effects of reopening of schools and the economy.
• Round 3 in March 2021 reflected the wellbeing of the population one year into the pandemic.
• Round 4 in June 2021 assessed the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and the economic rebound.
• Round 5 in September 2021 monitored the spread of the Delta variant of the virus and continuous vaccination efforts.
• Round 6 in April 2022 assessed whether the economic recovery was inclusive for all Croatians, and examined sentiments toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, focusing on its impacts on regional security, prices, and economic growth.
• Round 7 in June 2023 investigated the impact of high inflation on household finances and how the energy crisis affected households’ use of sustainable energy.

The questionnaire for these survey rounds is designed to monitor trends in subjective well-being, employment, income, knowledge and concerns about the pandemic, access to basic needs, and opinions about government policies. The questionnaire has a flexible structure so that the topics can be adapted to the evolving situation in Croatia.

Participation in the survey is voluntary, so refusal and non-response are potential concerns for sampling bias. Therefore, the sample weight is adjusted with a core set of variables including location, gender, education, and assets to benchmark the sample with the official 2019 Croatia – Statistics on Income and Living Conditions. Three reweighting methods are applied – propensity score reweighting, raking, and maximum entropy – to ensure the best match possible.

The survey has been applied in many countries in Europe – including Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania – and around the world.

Questionnaires

Household Phone Survey Questionnaires

Questionnaire-Round1

Questionnaire-Round2

Questionnaire-Round3

Questionnaire-Round4

Questionnaire-Round5

Questionnaire-Round6

Questionnaire-Round7