The surveys were designed, coordinated and analyzed by Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization on behalf of IRI.  The field work in western Kazakhstan was carried out by the Institute for Comparative Social Research-Kazakhstan and the fieldwork in eastern Kazakhstan was carried out by Sange Research Center.

The sample design was a multi-stage probability sample.  In stage one the sample of West Kazakhstan was stratified into four oblasts and the universe of East Kazakhstan into two oblasts.  In stage two the sample was further stratified into rural, urban and metropolitan sampling units in each region and in stage three primary sampling units (PSU) were described. 

Thirty-nine interviewers worked on the study in west Kazakhstan, completing eight to 13 interviews in one PSU.  Twenty-nine interviewers worked on the study in east Kazakhstan, completing six to 15 interviews in one PSU. 

Respondent selection was determined using the closest birthday rule and households were selected using the random route method.  The sample was distributed at the regional level, in rural and urban areas, in all regions of west Kazakhstan and east Kazakhstan.

Additionally, respondents within each settlement where identified by a random selection of street addresses and the random walk method for households. 

Upon random household selection, respondents in each household were chosen based on the next birthday method.

Sample size: 609 residents in east Kazakhstan, 609 residents of west Kazakhstan

Eligibility criteria: age 18 and older

The margin of error is +/- four percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

Face-to-face interviews were conducted in Russian and Kazakh languages.