[Length of residence in the same dwelling: an attempt at measurement using electricity supply company (EDF) records]

In the absence of a population register in France the authors examine the value of the records kept by the national electrical supply company EDF which provide a national database of heads of households and their changes of address. These data are used to analyze trends in internal migration in France over the last 20 years or so. The authors note that there seems to be a trend toward higher levels of migration over time and that if this trend were to be confirmed through an analysis of 1999 census data when they become available the value of this source of data on migration would be established. The value of these new data for projecting future migration trends and evaluating health risks associated with residence characteristics is also examined.