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  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016730
    Description:

    A wide class of models of interest in social and economic research can be represented by specifying a parametric structure for the covariances of observed variables. The availability of software, such as LISREL (Jöreskog and Sörbom 1988) and EQS (Bentler 1995), has enabled these models to be fitted to survey data in many applications. In this paper, we consider approaches to inference about such models using survey data derived by complex sampling schemes. We consider evidence of finite sample biases in parameter estimation and ways to reduce such biases (Altonji and Segal 1996) and associated issues of efficiency of estimation, standard error estimation and testing. We use longitudinal data from the British Household Panel Survey for illustration. As these data are subject to attrition, we also consider the issue of how to use nonresponse weights in the modelling.

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016731
    Description:

    Behavioural researchers use a variety of techniques to predict respondent scores on constructs that are not directly observable. Examples of such constructs include job satisfaction, work stress, aptitude for graduate study, children's mathematical ability, etc. The techniques commonly used for modelling and predicting scores on such constructs include factor analysis, classical psychometric scaling and item response theory (IRT), and for each technique there are often several different strategies that can be used to generate individual scores. However, researchers are seldom satisfied with simply measuring these constructs. They typically use the derived scores in multiple regression, analysis of variance and numerous multivariate procedures. Though using predicted scores in this way can result in biased estimates of model parameters, not all researchers are aware of this difficulty. The paper will review the literature on this issue, with particular emphasis on IRT methods. Problems will be illustrated, some remedies suggested, and areas for further research will be identified.

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016733
    Description:

    While censuses and surveys are often said to measure populations as they are, most reflect information about individuals as they were at the time of measurement, or even at some prior time point. Inferences from such data therefore should take into account change over time at both the population and individual levels. In this paper, we provide a unifying framework for such inference problems, illustrating it through a diverse series of examples including: (1) estimating residency status on Census Day using multiple administrative records, (2) combining administrative records for estimating the size of the US population, (3) using rolling averages from the American Community Survey, and (4) estimating the prevalence of human rights abuses.

    Specifically, at the population level, the estimands of interest, such as the size or mean characteristics of a population, might be changing. At the same time, individual subjects might be moving in and out of the frame of the study or changing their characteristics. Such changes over time can affect statistical studies of government data that combine information from multiple data sources, including censuses, surveys and administrative records, an increasingly common practice. Inferences from the resulting merged databases often depend heavily on specific choices made in combining, editing and analysing the data that reflect assumptions about how populations of interest change or remain stable over time.

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016743
    Description:

    There is much interest in using data from longitudinal surveys to help understand life history processes such as education, employment, fertility, health and marriage. The analysis of data on the durations of spells or sojourns that individuals spend in certain states (e.g., employment, marriage) is a primary tool in studying such processes. This paper examines methods for analysing duration data that address important features associated with longitudinal surveys: the use of complex survey designs in heterogeneous populations; missing or inaccurate information about the timing of events; and the possibility of non-ignorable dropout or censoring mechanisms. Parametric and non-parametric techniques for estimation and for model checking are considered. Both new and existing methodology are proposed and applied to duration data from Canada's Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID).

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016745
    Description:

    The attractiveness of the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) rests on its close similarity to a normal experimental design. On the other hand, it is of limited applicability since it is not often the case that units are assigned to the treatment group on the basis of an observable (to the analyst) pre-program measure. Besides, it only allows identification of the mean impact on a very specific subpopulation. In this technical paper, we show that the RDD straightforwardly generalizes to the instances in which the units' eligibility is established on an observable pre-program measure with eligible units allowed to freely self-select into the program. This set-up also proves to be very convenient for building a specification test on conventional non-experimental estimators of the program mean impact. The data requirements are clearly described.

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016750
    Description:

    Analyses of data from social and economic surveys sometimes use generalized variance function models to approximate the design variance of point estimators of population means and proportions. Analysts may use the resulting standard error estimates to compute associated confidence intervals or test statistics for the means and proportions of interest. In comparison with design-based variance estimators computed directly from survey microdata, generalized variance function models have several potential advantages, as will be discussed in this paper, including operational simplicity; increased stability of standard errors; and, for cases involving public-use datasets, reduction of disclosure limitation problems arising from the public release of stratum and cluster indicators.

    These potential advantages, however, may be offset in part by several inferential issues. First, the properties of inferential statistics based on generalized variance functions (e.g., confidence interval coverage rates and widths) depend heavily on the relative empirical magnitudes of the components of variability associated, respectively, with:

    (a) the random selection of a subset of items used in estimation of the generalized variance function model(b) the selection of sample units under a complex sample design (c) the lack of fit of the generalized variance function model (d) the generation of a finite population under a superpopulation model.

    Second, under conditions, one may link each of components (a) through (d) with different empirical measures of the predictive adequacy of a generalized variance function model. Consequently, these measures of predictive adequacy can offer us some insight into the extent to which a given generalized variance function model may be appropriate for inferential use in specific applications.

    Some of the proposed diagnostics are applied to data from the US Survey of Doctoral Recipients and the US Current Employment Survey. For the Survey of Doctoral Recipients, components (a), (c) and (d) are of principal concern. For the Current Employment Survey, components (b), (c) and (d) receive principal attention, and the availability of population microdata allow the development of especially detailed models for components (b) and (c).

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 12-001-X20030026785
    Description:

    To avoid disclosures, one approach is to release partially synthetic, public use microdata sets. These comprise the units originally surveyed, but some collected values, for example sensitive values at high risk of disclosure or values of key identifiers, are replaced with multiple imputations. Although partially synthetic approaches are currently used to protect public use data, valid methods of inference have not been developed for them. This article presents such methods. They are based on the concepts of multiple imputation for missing data but use different rules for combining point and variance estimates. The combining rules also differ from those for fully synthetic data sets developed by Raghunathan, Reiter and Rubin (2003). The validity of these new rules is illustrated in simulation studies.

    Release date: 2004-01-27

  • Articles and reports: 12-001-X20030016610
    Description:

    In the presence of item nonreponse, unweighted imputation methods are often used in practice but they generally lead to biased estimators under uniform response within imputation classes. Following Skinner and Rao (2002), we propose a bias-adjusted estimator of a population mean under unweighted ratio imputation and random hot-deck imputation and derive linearization variance estimators. A small simulation study is conducted to study the performance of the methods in terms of bias and mean square error. Relative bias and relative stability of the variance estimators are also studied.

    Release date: 2003-07-31

  • Articles and reports: 92F0138M2003002
    Description:

    This working paper describes the preliminary 2006 census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations and is presented for user feedback. The paper briefly describes the factors that have resulted in changes to some of the census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations and includes tables and maps that list and illustrate these changes to their limits and to the component census subdivisions.

    Release date: 2003-07-11

  • Articles and reports: 92F0138M2003001
    Description:

    The goal of this working paper is to assess how well Canada's current method of delineating Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) and Census Agglomerations (CAs) reflects the metropolitan nature of these geographic areas according to the facilities and services they provide. The effectiveness of Canada's delineation methodology can be evaluated by applying a functional model to Statistics Canada's CMAs and CAs.

    As a consequence of the research undertaken for this working paper, Statistics Canada has proposed lowering the urban core population threshold it uses to define CMAs: a CA will be promoted to a CMA if it has a total population of at least 100,000, of which 50,000 or more live in the urban core. User consultation on this proposal took place in the fall of 2002 as part of the 2006 Census content determination process.

    Release date: 2003-03-31
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Analysis (92)

Analysis (92) (60 to 70 of 92 results)

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016733
    Description:

    While censuses and surveys are often said to measure populations as they are, most reflect information about individuals as they were at the time of measurement, or even at some prior time point. Inferences from such data therefore should take into account change over time at both the population and individual levels. In this paper, we provide a unifying framework for such inference problems, illustrating it through a diverse series of examples including: (1) estimating residency status on Census Day using multiple administrative records, (2) combining administrative records for estimating the size of the US population, (3) using rolling averages from the American Community Survey, and (4) estimating the prevalence of human rights abuses.

    Specifically, at the population level, the estimands of interest, such as the size or mean characteristics of a population, might be changing. At the same time, individual subjects might be moving in and out of the frame of the study or changing their characteristics. Such changes over time can affect statistical studies of government data that combine information from multiple data sources, including censuses, surveys and administrative records, an increasingly common practice. Inferences from the resulting merged databases often depend heavily on specific choices made in combining, editing and analysing the data that reflect assumptions about how populations of interest change or remain stable over time.

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016743
    Description:

    There is much interest in using data from longitudinal surveys to help understand life history processes such as education, employment, fertility, health and marriage. The analysis of data on the durations of spells or sojourns that individuals spend in certain states (e.g., employment, marriage) is a primary tool in studying such processes. This paper examines methods for analysing duration data that address important features associated with longitudinal surveys: the use of complex survey designs in heterogeneous populations; missing or inaccurate information about the timing of events; and the possibility of non-ignorable dropout or censoring mechanisms. Parametric and non-parametric techniques for estimation and for model checking are considered. Both new and existing methodology are proposed and applied to duration data from Canada's Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID).

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016745
    Description:

    The attractiveness of the Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) rests on its close similarity to a normal experimental design. On the other hand, it is of limited applicability since it is not often the case that units are assigned to the treatment group on the basis of an observable (to the analyst) pre-program measure. Besides, it only allows identification of the mean impact on a very specific subpopulation. In this technical paper, we show that the RDD straightforwardly generalizes to the instances in which the units' eligibility is established on an observable pre-program measure with eligible units allowed to freely self-select into the program. This set-up also proves to be very convenient for building a specification test on conventional non-experimental estimators of the program mean impact. The data requirements are clearly described.

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 11-522-X20020016750
    Description:

    Analyses of data from social and economic surveys sometimes use generalized variance function models to approximate the design variance of point estimators of population means and proportions. Analysts may use the resulting standard error estimates to compute associated confidence intervals or test statistics for the means and proportions of interest. In comparison with design-based variance estimators computed directly from survey microdata, generalized variance function models have several potential advantages, as will be discussed in this paper, including operational simplicity; increased stability of standard errors; and, for cases involving public-use datasets, reduction of disclosure limitation problems arising from the public release of stratum and cluster indicators.

    These potential advantages, however, may be offset in part by several inferential issues. First, the properties of inferential statistics based on generalized variance functions (e.g., confidence interval coverage rates and widths) depend heavily on the relative empirical magnitudes of the components of variability associated, respectively, with:

    (a) the random selection of a subset of items used in estimation of the generalized variance function model(b) the selection of sample units under a complex sample design (c) the lack of fit of the generalized variance function model (d) the generation of a finite population under a superpopulation model.

    Second, under conditions, one may link each of components (a) through (d) with different empirical measures of the predictive adequacy of a generalized variance function model. Consequently, these measures of predictive adequacy can offer us some insight into the extent to which a given generalized variance function model may be appropriate for inferential use in specific applications.

    Some of the proposed diagnostics are applied to data from the US Survey of Doctoral Recipients and the US Current Employment Survey. For the Survey of Doctoral Recipients, components (a), (c) and (d) are of principal concern. For the Current Employment Survey, components (b), (c) and (d) receive principal attention, and the availability of population microdata allow the development of especially detailed models for components (b) and (c).

    Release date: 2004-09-13

  • Articles and reports: 12-001-X20030026785
    Description:

    To avoid disclosures, one approach is to release partially synthetic, public use microdata sets. These comprise the units originally surveyed, but some collected values, for example sensitive values at high risk of disclosure or values of key identifiers, are replaced with multiple imputations. Although partially synthetic approaches are currently used to protect public use data, valid methods of inference have not been developed for them. This article presents such methods. They are based on the concepts of multiple imputation for missing data but use different rules for combining point and variance estimates. The combining rules also differ from those for fully synthetic data sets developed by Raghunathan, Reiter and Rubin (2003). The validity of these new rules is illustrated in simulation studies.

    Release date: 2004-01-27

  • Articles and reports: 12-001-X20030016610
    Description:

    In the presence of item nonreponse, unweighted imputation methods are often used in practice but they generally lead to biased estimators under uniform response within imputation classes. Following Skinner and Rao (2002), we propose a bias-adjusted estimator of a population mean under unweighted ratio imputation and random hot-deck imputation and derive linearization variance estimators. A small simulation study is conducted to study the performance of the methods in terms of bias and mean square error. Relative bias and relative stability of the variance estimators are also studied.

    Release date: 2003-07-31

  • Articles and reports: 92F0138M2003002
    Description:

    This working paper describes the preliminary 2006 census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations and is presented for user feedback. The paper briefly describes the factors that have resulted in changes to some of the census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations and includes tables and maps that list and illustrate these changes to their limits and to the component census subdivisions.

    Release date: 2003-07-11

  • Articles and reports: 92F0138M2003001
    Description:

    The goal of this working paper is to assess how well Canada's current method of delineating Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) and Census Agglomerations (CAs) reflects the metropolitan nature of these geographic areas according to the facilities and services they provide. The effectiveness of Canada's delineation methodology can be evaluated by applying a functional model to Statistics Canada's CMAs and CAs.

    As a consequence of the research undertaken for this working paper, Statistics Canada has proposed lowering the urban core population threshold it uses to define CMAs: a CA will be promoted to a CMA if it has a total population of at least 100,000, of which 50,000 or more live in the urban core. User consultation on this proposal took place in the fall of 2002 as part of the 2006 Census content determination process.

    Release date: 2003-03-31

  • Articles and reports: 11F0019M2003199
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    Using a nationally representative sample of establishments, we have examined whether selected alternative work practices (AWPs) tend to reduce quit rates. Overall, our analysis provides strong evidence of a negative association between these AWPs and quit rates among establishments of more than 10 employees operating in high-skill services. We also found some evidence of a negative association in low-skill services. However, the magnitude of this negative association was reduced substantially when we added an indicator of whether the workplace has a formal policy of information sharing. There was very little evidence of a negative association in manufacturing. While establishments with self-directed workgroups have lower quit rates than others, none of the bundles of work practices considered yielded a negative and statistically significant effect. We surmise that key AWPs might be more successful in reducing labour turnover in technologically complex environments than in low-skill ones.

    Release date: 2003-03-17

  • Articles and reports: 12-001-X20020026428
    Description:

    The analysis of survey data from different geographical areas where the data from each area are polychotomous can be easily performed using hierarchical Bayesian models, even if there are small cell counts in some of these areas. However, there are difficulties when the survey data have missing information in the form of non-response, especially when the characteristics of the respondents differ from the non-respondents. We use the selection approach for estimation when there are non-respondents because it permits inference for all the parameters. Specifically, we describe a hierarchical Bayesian model to analyse multinomial non-ignorable non-response data from different geographical areas; some of them can be small. For the model, we use a Dirichlet prior density for the multinomial probabilities and a beta prior density for the response probabilities. This permits a 'borrowing of strength' of the data from larger areas to improve the reliability in the estimates of the model parameters corresponding to the smaller areas. Because the joint posterior density of all the parameters is complex, inference is sampling-based and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods are used. We apply our method to provide an analysis of body mass index (BMI) data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). For simplicity, the BMI is categorized into 3 natural levels, and this is done for each of 8 age-race-sex domains and 34 counties. We assess the performance of our model using the NHANES III data and simulated examples, which show our model works reasonably well.

    Release date: 2003-01-29
Reference (8)

Reference (8) ((8 results))

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X201300014259
    Description:

    In an effort to reduce response burden on farm operators, Statistics Canada is studying alternative approaches to telephone surveys for producing field crop estimates. One option is to publish harvested area and yield estimates in September as is currently done, but to calculate them using models based on satellite and weather data, and data from the July telephone survey. However before adopting such an approach, a method must be found which produces estimates with a sufficient level of accuracy. Research is taking place to investigate different possibilities. Initial research results and issues to consider are discussed in this paper.

    Release date: 2014-10-31

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 12-002-X20040027035
    Description:

    As part of the processing of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) cycle 4 data, historical revisions have been made to the data of the first 3 cycles, either to correct errors or to update the data. During processing, particular attention was given to the PERSRUK (Person Identifier) and the FIELDRUK (Household Identifier). The same level of attention has not been given to the other identifiers that are included in the data base, the CHILDID (Person identifier) and the _IDHD01 (Household identifier). These identifiers have been created for the public files and can also be found in the master files by default. The PERSRUK should be used to link records between files and the FIELDRUK to determine the household when using the master files.

    Release date: 2004-10-05

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 13F0026M2001003
    Description:

    Initial results from the Survey of Financial Security (SFS), which provides information on the net worth of Canadians, were released on March 15 2001, in The daily. The survey collected information on the value of the financial and non-financial assets owned by each family unit and on the amount of their debt.

    Statistics Canada is currently refining this initial estimate of net worth by adding to it an estimate of the value of benefits accrued in employer pension plans. This is an important addition to any asset and debt survey as, for many family units, it is likely to be one of the largest assets. With the aging of the population, information on pension accumulations is greatly needed to better understand the financial situation of those nearing retirement. These updated estimates of the Survey of Financial Security will be released in late fall 2001.

    The process for estimating the value of employer pension plan benefits is a complex one. This document describes the methodology for estimating that value, for the following groups: a) persons who belonged to an RPP at the time of the survey (referred to as current plan members); b) persons who had previously belonged to an RPP and either left the money in the plan or transferred it to a new plan; c) persons who are receiving RPP benefits.

    This methodology was proposed by Hubert Frenken and Michael Cohen. The former has many years of experience with Statistics Canada working with data on employer pension plans; the latter is a principal with the actuarial consulting firm William M. Mercer. Earlier this year, Statistics Canada carried out a public consultation on the proposed methodology. This report includes updates made as a result of feedback received from data users.

    Release date: 2001-09-05

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 13F0026M2001002
    Description:

    The Survey of Financial Security (SFS) will provide information on the net worth of Canadians. In order to do this, information was collected - in May and June 1999 - on the value of the assets and debts of each of the families or unattached individuals in the sample. The value of one particular asset is not easy to determine, or to estimate. That is the present value of the amount people have accrued in their employer pension plan. These plans are often called registered pension plans (RPP), as they must be registered with Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. Although some RPP members receive estimates of the value of their accrued benefit, in most cases plan members would not know this amount. However, it is likely to be one of the largest assets for many family units. And, as the baby boomers approach retirement, information on their pension accumulations is much needed to better understand their financial readiness for this transition.

    The intent of this paper is to: present, for discussion, a methodology for estimating the present value of employer pension plan benefits for the Survey of Financial Security; and to seek feedback on the proposed methodology. This document proposes a methodology for estimating the value of employer pension plan benefits for the following groups:a) persons who belonged to an RPP at the time of the survey (referred to as current plan members); b) persons who had previously belonged to an RPP and either left the money in the plan or transferred it to a new plan; c) persons who are receiving RPP benefits.

    Release date: 2001-02-07

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X19990015642
    Description:

    The Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB) links immigration and taxation administrative records into a comprehensive source of data on the labour market behaviour of the landed immigrant population in Canada. It covers the period 1980 to 1995 and will be updated annually starting with the 1996 tax year in 1999. Statistics Canada manages the database on behalf of a federal-provincial consortium led by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The IMDB was created specifically to respond to the need for detailed and reliable data on the performance and impact of immigration policies and programs. It is the only source of data at Statistics Canada that provides a direct link between immigration policy levers and the economic performance of immigrants. The paper will examine the issues related to the development of a longitudinal database combining administrative records to support policy-relevant research and analysis. Discussion will focus specifically on the methodological, conceptual, analytical and privacy issues involved in the creation and ongoing development of this database. The paper will also touch briefly on research findings, which illustrate the policy outcome links the IMDB allows policy-makers to investigate.

    Release date: 2000-03-02

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X19990015650
    Description:

    The U.S. Manufacturing Plant Ownership Change Database (OCD) was constructed using plant-level data taken from the Census Bureau's Longitudinal Research Database (LRD). It contains data on all manufacturing plants that have experienced ownership change at least once during the period 1963-92. This paper reports the status of the OCD and discuss its research possibilities. For an empirical demonstration, data taken from the database are used to study the effects of ownership changes on plant closure.

    Release date: 2000-03-02

  • Surveys and statistical programs – Documentation: 11-522-X19990015658
    Description:

    Radon, a naturally occurring gas found at some level in most homes, is an established risk factor for human lung cancer. The U.S. National Research Council (1999) has recently completed a comprehensive evaluation of the health risks of residential exposure to radon, and developed models for projecting radon lung cancer risks in the general population. This analysis suggests that radon may play a role in the etiology of 10-15% of all lung cancer cases in the United States, although these estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty. In this article, we present a partial analysis of uncertainty and variability in estimates of lung cancer risk due to residential exposure to radon in the United States using a general framework for the analysis of uncertainty and variability that we have developed previously. Specifically, we focus on estimates of the age-specific excess relative risk (ERR) and lifetime relative risk (LRR), both of which vary substantially among individuals.

    Release date: 2000-03-02

  • Geographic files and documentation: 92F0138M1993001
    Geography: Canada
    Description:

    The Geography Divisions of Statistics Canada and the U.S. Bureau of the Census have commenced a cooperative research program in order to foster an improved and expanded perspective on geographic areas and their relevance. One of the major objectives is to determine a common geographic area to form a geostatistical basis for cross-border research, analysis and mapping.

    This report, which represents the first stage of the research, provides a list of comparable pairs of Canadian and U.S. standard geographic areas based on current definitions. Statistics Canada and the U.S. Bureau of the Census have two basic types of standard geographic entities: legislative/administrative areas (called "legal" entities in the U.S.) and statistical areas.

    The preliminary pairing of geographic areas are based on face-value definitions only. The definitions are based on the June 4, 1991 Census of Population and Housing for Canada and the April 1, 1990 Census of Population and Housing for the U.S.A. The important aspect is the overall conceptual comparability, not the precise numerical thresholds used for delineating the areas.

    Data users should use this report as a general guide to compare the census geographic areas of Canada and the United States, and should be aware that differences in settlement patterns and population levels preclude a precise one-to-one relationship between conceptually similar areas. The geographic areas compared in this report provide a framework for further empirical research and analysis.

    Release date: 1999-03-05
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