Transcript Expert Group Meeting to Review the United Nations Demographic Yearbook System 10-14 November 2003 New York The United Nations Demographic Yearbook Data Collection Process Demographic and Social.

Expert Group Meeting to
Review the United Nations Demographic Yearbook System
10-14 November 2003
New York
The United Nations
Demographic Yearbook
Data Collection Process
Demographic and Social Statistics Branch
United Nations Statistics Division
1
Issues Covered
• What is collected?
• How it is collected?
• Review of the DYB data collection process
and findings
• Points for discussion
2
Anticipated Result
• What other collaborative arrangements can be
identified – with other organizations, regions?
• How frequently should meta data be collected
from countries?
• How relevant and adequate is the information
being collected to meeting user needs?
• How easily available is the information being
requested in countries?
• What other changes are needed to improve the
data collection process?
3
How are the data for the Demographic
Yearbook obtained?
4
How Data Are Obtained
• Directly from countries using questionnaires
• Joint collection with other agencies
• From another organisation
• From national publications and other sources
5
Directly From Countries Using
Questionnaires
• Six questionnaires are sent to national
statistical offices
• Annual questionnaires (Population estimates,
vital statistics, international migration and
travel statistics)
• Census questionnaires (General characteristics,
economic characteristics, household
characteristics)
6
Joint Collection With Other
Agencies
• Arrangement between UNSD, Eurostat and
Council of Europe
• In 1999 joint questionnaire was introduced to
replace 4 questionnaires used by the three
organisations
• Each agency is responsible for processing and
dissemination of data for their specific purposes
7
Obtained From Another
Organisation
UNSD obtains causes of death data in
electronic format from WHO
8
From National Publication and
Other Sources
• Publications
• Official websites of national statistical
offices
• Through technical assistance activities
9
Follow-up Mechanisms and
Dead-lines
• Questionnaires dispatched in October/November
• Dead-line set for March with reminder letter sent
in February
• Joint questionnaire sent in July with deadline set
for September
10
What type of data are collected by the
Demographic Yearbook system?
11
Format and Content of
Questionnaires
•
Three-part format of questionnaires
a) General instructions
b) Statistical tables
c) Meta data
•
Variable table structure and complexity (single
variable to multi-variable)
•
Voluminous but comprehensive set of data
(around 75 tables on about 100 main topics)
12
Meta Data
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
To ascertain quality of data and methods
used
Definitions
Sources of data
Coverage
Quality
Methods of estimation
Completeness
13
The review of the Demographic Yearbook
data collection system
14
Reviews of the
Data Collection System
•
Reasons for reviews
a) Consistency with international guidelines
b) Relevance and adequacy of what is collected
•
Content of tabulations with regard to:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Table structure
Classifications used
Variables included in tables
Concepts and definitions used
15
Main Findings of the Reviews
•
Lack of consistency between tables in questionnaires
and in international recommendations
•
Differences in concepts
•
Differences in classifications
•
•
International classification
Classification of variables
•
Population coverage
•
Lack of internal consistency
16
How can the Demographic Yearbook data
collection system be improved?
17
Points for Discussion
• What other collaborative arrangements can be
identified – with other organizations, regions?
• How frequently should meta data be collected
from countries?
• How relevant and adequate is the information
being collected to meeting user needs?
• How easily available is the information being
requested in countries?
• What other changes are needed to improve the
data collection process?
18