Rationale and Methodologies for Surveying Vulnerable Neighborhoods: Lessons From Three Nordic Countries

The paper argues for the value of conducting surveys in vulnerable neighborhoods and provides a detailed account of a cost-effective strategy for surveying a recognized hard-to-survey population. The approach is illustrated through insights from the Vulnerable Neighborhoods Survey, conducted in three Nordic countries. The strategy focuses on a small number of specific neighborhoods and implements a range of measures to lower participation barriers. A key component involves combining random and non-random sampling techniques to facilitate the recruitment of a broad segment of residents. According to comparisons with registry data, the strategy produces samples that resemble the population on multiple demographic factors.

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Publication Details

Journal
Sociological Methods & Research
Published
2026-05-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/00491241261450123
Primary Topic
Census and Population Estimation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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Rationale and Methodologies for Surveying Vulnerable Neighborhoods: Lessons From Three Nordic Countries

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Rationale and Methodologies for Surveying Vulnerable Neighborhoods: Lessons From Three Nordic Countries

Jacob Sohlberg, Mari Vaattovaara, Kim Mannemar Sønderskov, Henning Finseraas, Oskar Rönnberg, Niels Nyholt, Peter Esaiasson
article en

Abstract

The paper argues for the value of conducting surveys in vulnerable neighborhoods and provides a detailed account of a cost-effective strategy for surveying a recognized hard-to-survey population. The approach is illustrated through insights from the Vulnerable Neighborhoods Survey, conducted in three Nordic countries. The strategy focuses on a small number of specific neighborhoods and implements a range of measures to lower participation barriers. A key component involves combining random and non-random sampling techniques to facilitate the recruitment of a broad segment of residents. According to comparisons with registry data, the strategy produces samples that resemble the population on multiple demographic factors.

Sociological Methods & Research
University of Helsinki (FI), Aarhus University (DK), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO), University of Gothenburg (SE)
No poverty
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Census and Population Estimation
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