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Census quality evaluation: Considerations from an international perspective

This presentation covers quality evaluation of population and housing censuses from an international standpoint. It discusses definitions, dimensions, assessment methods, and challenges associated with different census methodologies. Topics include relevance, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility, interpretability, coherence, and implications for assessing data quality. The presentation also explores activities at the international level, such as recommendations from CES, UNSD, and Eurostat. Key considerations for international organizations regarding guidelines, standards, and methodological support are examined. Thank you!

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Census quality evaluation: Considerations from an international perspective

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  1. Joint UNECE/Eurostat Meeting on Population and Housing Censuses Geneva, 13-15 May 2008 Census quality evaluation: Considerations from an international perspective Bernard Baffour and Paolo Valente UNECE Statistical Division

  2. Presentation Outline • Introduction • Quality definitions and dimensions • Assessment of dimensions of quality • Quality evaluation issues for different census methodologies • International perspective: What role for the International Organisations?

  3. Definition of Quality and Census Quality • Quality is defined as the ‘fitness for use’ of data • Census quality translates into assessment of information produced by the census • Census quality characterized in terms of six dimensions: • Relevance, Accuracy, Timeliness, Accessibility, Interpretability, Coherence,

  4. Dimensions of Quality • Relevance: concerns the user requirements • Accuracy: concerns the reliability and precision • Timeliness: concerns the time frame • Accessibility: concerns the dissemination strategy employed • Interpretability: concerns how easy to understand the data is • Coherence: concerns the conceptual integrity of the census data

  5. Assessment of the Dimensions of Quality • Accuracy: quantification of the different errors Coverage, content, operational errors: • Coverage Assessment: Post-Enumeration Survey, Demographic Analysis, Comparison to Alternative Sources • Content Assessment: Edit and Imputation • Operational Assessment: Rigorous review of all census processes

  6. Assessment of Coherence and Interpretability • Internal Coherence • Validation and Verification • Checks for inconsistencies, incongruities • External Coherence • Comparison to other data sources • Interpretability aided by comprehensive metadata provision • Concepts, Methodology, Coding

  7. Assessment of Accessibility, Relevance, and Timeliness • Dissemination program – mix of free and tailor-made census products and services • Availability of (non-disclosive) microdata • Management of user requirements and expectations • Clear, realistic targets • User and public consultations and feedback

  8. Quality Evaluation Issues for Different Census Methodologies • Census methodology adopted influences the assessment of census quality • The same quality dimension may be measured in different ways for different types of censuses • Important implications of census methodology on quality evaluation

  9. Quality Evaluation Issues for Different Census Methodologies • Census methodologies: • Traditional census • Register-based census • Combination of registers + full enumeration • Combination of registers + sample data • Traditional enumeration with yearly updates of characteristics • Rolling census

  10. Selected Quality Evaluation Issues: 1. Traditional Census • Relevance: • Content of the census questionnaire • Selection of topics: users needs vs. constraints • Post census consultations • Accuracy: • Coverage and content errors evaluated with PES, Demographic analysis, comparison with other sources • Timeliness: • Respect of planned calendar of output releases • May be difficult to achieve due to size of operations

  11. Selected Quality Evaluation Issues: 2. Register-Based Census • Relevance: • No questionnaire • Users needs vs. data available from registers • Implications of using data collected for admin. uses • Consultation and feedback from users • Accuracy: • Assess coverage and quality of data in registers • Assess data integration: Matching rates • Consistency of values from different sources • Comparison with data from last traditional census • Timeliness: • Different updating schedules for different registers

  12. Considerations from an International Perspective • Some countries have long tradition and adopt several evaluation methods • Others have limited experience and need to develop capacity • Challenges in evaluating quality of non-traditional censuses

  13. Activities at international level • CES Census Recommendations • UNSD Principles and Recommendations • Eurostat: Work on census quality criteria • UNSD: Plans for Handbook on census evaluation/PES

  14. What should International Organisations do? • Produce and disseminate guidelines, manuals, methodological material? • Promote methodological work? • Are standards needed on census quality evaluation?

  15. Thank you!

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