Dissemination of Census 2012 results

Eartha Groenfelt Manager Census Office

General Bureau of StatisticsSuriname

CARICOM Population and Housing Census Symposium St. George’s, Grenada27 May 2014

OVERVIEW

• Dissemination plan

• Dissemination achievements

• Lessons learned

Census Activities

1. Planning and preparation2. Census cartography3. Recruitment, training and selection4. Data processing5. Analysis and publication/dissemination6. Publicity7. Evaluation8. Documentation

Ad 4. Dataprocessing• Manual element of screening and coding of

questionnaires• Data entry and editing with the computer

– CSPro - specifically developed for data processing through keying - possibility for discovery of data entry errors through main en verification data entry- ideal for data checks during and after data entry (data inconsistencies and other errors)- useful for production of not too complex tables for census output / publications- free software

- Data processing personnel experienced

Ad 4. Data processing

Production of publication tables in CSPro based on the tabulation plan Tabulation plan was mainly based on the

publication tables of previous census for ease of comparability for users.

Ad 5. Analysis and publication/dissemination

• Analysis of basic census data (in terms of accuracy)

• Production of preliminary figures• Evaluation of census data through comparison

with administrative sources (# births, nationals, gov. employees, # old age pensioners 60+, # hhs with electricity from power company etc.)

• Further review of data and tables w.r.t. consistency in numbers, plausibility of figures

• Production of final figures in various census publications

Dissemination planBased on • Previous census dissemination speed• requirements for further improvement of

speed from from IADB (finances the loan of Census & HBS program)

Later adjusted, because of request/demand from Government to increase speed of production even further

Dissemination targets were set in the project plan for:

Time required for data processing

Time required between census taking and data dissemination

Access to anonymized micro data online through REDATAM

Number of census-related hard copy publications disseminated

Project plan Census and HBS program: DisseminationIndicator Unit of

measure-ment

Baseline Targets Method of Verification/

Source

Comments

Value Year Value Year

Expected Outcome:

Statistical information produced and disseminated in a timely manner.

Time required for data processing

Months 12 2004 10 2013 PEU report This is for data entry of census information.

Time required between census taking and data dissemination

Months 13 to 29 2004 11 to 25 2013 PEU report This is measured from the date on which enumeration commences until the dates when the publication of official results commences and ends. This includes the time for data entry and processing.

Expected Outcome:

Statistical information made more accessible to users.

Anonymized micro data accessible online through REDATAM

REDATAM

software

0 2011 1 2014 Online database Trained GBS staff will configure REDATAM and produce REDATAM database.

Number of census-related hard copy publications disseminated

Number of copies

1,250 2004 11,000 2014   National Results Vol. 1(Demographic & Social Characteristics)through Vol. 4 (Living Quarters, Households and Families, District Results Vol. 1 through Vol 5 (2 districts per publication), Technical Evaluation Report

Dissemination targets achieved

2004 Census 2012 Census

Nr of principle questions 45 Nr of principle questions 108

Census day Aug 2, 2004 Census day Aug 13, 2012

Preliminary results Jan 2005 Preliminary results Jan 2013

Volume I: Demografic and Social Characteristics Aug 2005

Volume I: Demografic and Social Characteristics & Migration Sept 2013

Volume II: Employment and Education Characteristics Nov 2005

Volume II: Employment, Education and transportation;

Dec 2013 (revised in Jan 2014)Volume III: Fertility and Mortality Feb 2006 Fertility and Mortality

Volume IV: Households, families and dwellings Jun 2006

Volume III: Huisholds, dwellings & families; Environment; Crime Jan 2014

District publications: District publications:

Vol 1: Paramaribo June 2006 Vol 1: Paramaribo and Wanica (Urban) March 2014

Vol 2: Wanica and Para July 2006

Vol 2: Para, Nickerie, Coronie, Commewijne and Saramacca (Rural) April 2014

Vol 3: Nickerie and Coronie Aug 2006

Vol 4: Commewijne and Saramacca Sept 2006

Vol 5: Marowijne, Brokopondo and Sipaliwini October 2006

Vol 3: Marowijne, Brokopondo and Sipaliwini (Interior) May 2014

Targets achieved• Data processing achieved 10 months after census day. (target 10

months)

• Data dissemination of all national and sub-national publications achieved 22 months. (target 25 months)

• Still to do:

- Population projections in June 2014

- Evaluation publication in July 2014

- Data dissemination through Redatam

•

• Speed of dissemination is highly dependent on the speed with which the census data processing and census database is finalized.

• Issue of manpower, capability, drive and tenacity, esp. of data processing staff

• For publications: key persons to closely scrutinize the tables for errors that might have occurred during lay-out stages of publication (mixing up sub regional level tables, errors when merging categories and adding up values)

Lessons learned:

• Small (sub)populations: suppressing or combining categories requires additional time when planning for release of data

• Next census round: handheld computers?

Because of greater demand for quick results: need for faster data capture and editing; would mean less time spent on processing and quicker production of tables/output.

Lessons learned:

Thank you!