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Wie geht’s uns in Österreich

For Wie geht’s uns in Österreich ("How are we doing in Austria"), we collect data about the lives of people living in Austria. 2023 was the first year of this survey project and we want to accompany you for many years to come. To observe changes in your lives, we invite you to participate every year. 

The main topics of Wie geht’s uns in Österreich are:

  • Family
  • Income
  • Work
  • Housing
  • Health
  • Education
  • Your opinions and attitudes

A special feature of Wie geht’s uns in Österreich is that we work together with more than 40 scientists from different scientific disciplines. With every year that your household participates, science and politics will get a clearer picture of the influence personal and societal changes have on the lives of people in Austria. As a token of our gratitude, your household will receive 25 euros for each year you participate.

What is the legal basis of the survey?

This voluntary survey was commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research in accordance with Article 23 (2) of the Federal Statistics Act 2000, Federal Law Gazette I No. 163/1999 as amended.

How are the data protected?

All data collected are subject to absolute statistical protection, data protection in accordance with the Federal Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation and the relevant provisions of the Austrian Data Protection Act. Personal data will only be used for statistical purposes and will not be passed on to any other party. The name and address are only required for contact purposes and are stored separately from the responses in a database and deleted after the survey has been completed. In addition, the data of individual persons are never analyzed at any point - only larger groups of people are considered. Individual responses are therefore no longer recognizable in the results.

You can find detailed information on the protection of your data here (German language):

Is the survey legally binding?

Participation in Wie geht's uns in Österreich is voluntary. Only if every household answers the questions as well as possible we can provide a realistic picture of the living situation in Austria. By participating, you make a valuable contribution to helping science and politics better understand the people living in Austria. That is why your household will also receive a gift of 25 euros after completing the survey as a thank-you.

How are households selected for the survey?

To ensure that as many people in Austria as possible have an equal chance of taking part, households are selected at random. The addresses are drawn randomly from the Austrian Central Residence Register (Zentrales Melderegister, ZMR). Each of these households is representative of thousands of others in Austria.

 

How does the survey work?

In the households taking part in this survey, all household members aged 15 and over are interviewed individually. Adults answer a children's questionnaire for the children in the household. In addition, the person who knows the most about the household fills out a general household questionnaire.

The survey takes an average of 30 minutes per person aged 15 and over in the household. It takes place every year in the fall and winter. 

We are particularly interested in how the living situation is changing. We therefore invite households once a year and sometimes ask similar questions. Your participation is important even if nothing has changed for you - this is also valuable information for us. In addition to the questions that remain the same every year, there are also special topics with new questions for you each year. 

Some of the households are interviewed in person by trained interviewers, while others are invited to participate online. If you have a preference and would prefer to participate online, for example, please contact us.

Who conducts the survey?

The survey is conducted on behalf of Statistics Austria. Statistics Austria produces high-quality statistics and analyses on the Austrian economy and society on behalf of the public authorities. These data provide a reliable basis for decisions in politics, administration, business, and international institutions. Statistics Austria is a company that is committed to the Austrian public and is not profit-oriented. Accuracy, impartiality, objectivity, and relevance are the guidelines for the work of Statistics Austria.

Where are the results published? 

The results of the scientific studies and research projects based on the data are published in scientific journals and reports which are later picked up by newspapers and news programs. The anonymized data themself are made available - exclusively for scientific research - in the Austrian Social Science Data Archive (AUSSDA). 

Have you been invited to take part in a personal interview? 

If your household has been selected for a personal interview, we will send you an invitation letter with all the important information. You can then make an appointment with your interviewer. The interviewer will come to your home on the agreed date and will fill out the questionnaire together with you on a laptop. All interviewers have an ID card which guarantees that they are authorized to carry out the interviews. 

If a household member is not at home, a new appointment will be made. If someone is unable to answer the questionnaire themselves due to illness, disability or language difficulties, another household member can provide the information.

Did your invitation letter for the personal interview get lost? 

Please contact us, we will be happy to help you!

Have you been invited to take part in the online survey? 

If your household has been selected for an online survey, we will send you a letter with all the important information and your personal access data. All members of your household are invited to take part in the survey independently on a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.  

You can start the survey here: www.statistik.at/onlinebefragung

Additional guidance can be found here (German language):

Did your personal access data get lost? 

Please contact us, we will be happy to help you!

  • By telephone: +43 1 711 28-8965 (Monday-Friday 09:00-15:00)
  • Or by e-mail: wie-gehts-uns@statistik.gv.at

Have your contact details changed? 

If the address, telephone number, or e-mail address of your household or individual household members have changed, please let us know. Thank you very much! 

  • By telephone: +43 1 711 28-8338 (Monday-Friday 09:00-15:00)
  • By e-mail: erhebungsinfrastruktur@statistik.gv.at 
  • Or by sending a letter to: Statistics Austria, Erhebungsinfrastruktur, Guglgasse 13, 1110 Vienna

Is there a thank-you for your contribution? 

After completing all the questionnaires, your household will receive a shopping voucher for 25 euros. You can redeem this voucher in many stores and restaurants. Or you can decide to make a donation: Statistics Austria will forward 25 euros as a donation to the "Alpenmoore" ('Alpine bogs') nature conservation project for your participation. If you would like to find out more about this project of Österreichische Bundesforste AG, you will find detailed information in the project description (German language).

Has your household received an invitation letter for the personal interview?

Please call your interviewer and make an appointment.

Has your household received an invitation letter for the online survey?

You can start the survey here: www.statistik.at/onlinebefragung

You will find your personal registration details in your invitation letter.

What questions are asked in Wie geht’s uns in Österreich?

We ask you and the people you live with about family, income, work, housing, health, education, and your opinions and attitudes.

You will find all the important information summarized here (German language):

Online Survey Phone: +43 1 711 28-8965
wie-gehts-uns@statistik.gv.at Monday–Friday 09:00–15:00
Personal Interview Phone: +43 1 711 28-7008
erhebungsinfrastruktur@statistik.gv.at Monday–Friday 09:00–15:00
Last updated on 2024-01-30.
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