Estimating and Correcting Degree Ratio Bias in the Network Scale-up Method

Abstract

The Network Scale-up Method (NSUM) uses social networks and answers to "How many X's do you know?" questions to estimate sizes of groups excluded by standard surveys. This paper addresses the bias caused by varying average social network sizes across populations, commonly referred to as the degree ratio bias. This bias is especially important for marginalized populations like sex workers and drug users, where members tend to have smaller social networks than the average person. We show how the degree ratio affects size estimates and provide a method to estimate degree ratios without collecting additional data. We demonstrate that our adjustment procedure improves the accuracy of NSUM size estimates using simulations and data from two data sources.