Analysis

Description:

This paper examines the effects of fertility, mortality and migration on the age profile of the Canadian population, particularly the effect of fluctuating fertility patterns which have occurred since the second World War. The author analyses the impact on social services and the economy as the shifting requirements of the “Baby Boom” cohorts move through their life cycle.

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A major packaged goods manufacturer details his firm’s assemblage and application of market understanding information, impact information, market tracking, share/volume forecasting and documentation procedure.

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Increasing costs without a concomitant increase in research budgets are putting severe strains on research quality. Improvements in technology, however, both in the physical domain and in the conceptual domain are sufficient to maintain research productivity at least at its prior level.

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Due to the absence of hard data and the lack of standardization with respect to nonresponse terminology and reporting procedures, U.S. commercial survey researchers have been unable to obtain an accurate assessment of the nature and extent of the nonresponse problem. However, the results of two recent studies conducted by the author among leading U.S. based market and public opinion research firms revealed that nonresponse is one of the major problems now confronting the commercial survey research industry. This paper discusses the results of the two studies and their implications.

Description:

The article provides a general overview of the concepts of incomplete data and non-response. It is recognized that non-response is an important indicator of data quality, as it affects the estimators by introducing bias and increasing variance due to a reduction in the effective sample size. The relationship between bias and the non-response rate is less obvious, since it depends on the extent of non-response and on the difference in the various characteristics between respondents and non-respondents.

The most effective way of dealing with the effects of non-response is to minimize its extent. However, any attempt to control the extent of non-response must be based on a good understanding of its origins. The causes and extent of non-response are fundamentally related to (i) the type of survey, (ii) the data capture methods, and (iii) the sample design. However, given a sample design, the extent of non-response will be influenced by factors such as the type of region and the type of non-response.

There are several ways to handle incomplete data. Each one, in the end, assigns a value to the missing or incorrect data, unless it is decided to publish “raw” data. The procedure for assigning values is called imputation and such an imputed value presumably describes the characteristic of the non-respondent.

The article provides a brief philosophical explanation about validation and imputation and their applications in the methodology of the various imputation procedures. These include weighting, replication, hot deck imputation using previous data and substitution by a zero value. The using of imputation compared with the methods used in the Canadian Labour Force Survey (LFS) is also discussed. A decision table is provided indicating the various steps to follow for a particular case of a partially completed LFS questionnaire.

Description:

This presentation focuses on the present and future social needs of the public, and tracking these needs by surveys. It is divided into two parts. First, the writer gives some history of the tracking systems. Then, he speaks about the future and his forecasts for the new tracking systems.

Description: This paper makes a proposal to create a new type of information bank, the “Synthetic Data Bank”. This type of bank would involve linking information from two data banks to create a third. The result would be that much greater use could be made of existing data banks in conjunction with new data collection activities. This would mean a significant reduction in the amount of data to be collected which, in effect, could potentially reduce both data collection costs and response burden. The paper suggests a number of considerations in developing statistical techniques to facilitate the creation of such an information linkage concept. Some of these techniques are to be found in modern literature’ others may well have to be developed.

Description: My brief as a speaker was to comment on points raised in the opening session, within the general theme of serving the needs of research users in the 1980’s. This scheme did not allow a prepared paper, and my impromptu comments tended to be discussive. Below is a summary of my main points, leaving out anecdotes and examples used in the actual talk.

Description: This paper deals with the desirability of designing surveys in such a way that results can be compared to previous existing data. The writer explains why there are practical difficulties in assessing the significance of data collected in a one-time survey where these data stand alone and are not readily comparable to other existing data, i.e., where control group data or other benchmarks do not exist.

Description: The government survey sponsor should plan carefully what he expects to get from the supplier, specifying who is to do what, when, including details of what the sponsor will do. If there are many eligible suppliers, only a small number should be invited to submit proposals, increasing as the value of the contract increases. Procedures for screening suppliers and selecting the successful one should be organized before proposals are received. These should include visits to review suppliers, facilities and organization, as a good relationship between a sponsor and a supplier depends largely on good faith and willing cooperation. Sponsor-supplier relationships are more formal, and more time-consuming in the selection process, than in the private sector.

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: This infographic details the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy among the Canadian population aged 3 to 79 by focusing on risk factors as well as behaviours that can reduce the likelihood of low vitamin D.

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: Release published in The Daily – Statistics Canada’s official release bulletin

Description: A series of articles on various subjects which explore the impact of COVID-19 on the socio-economic landscape. New articles will be released periodically.

Description: This article provides insights into the rates of COVID-19 mortality among First Nations peoples and Métis living in private dwellings and the social determinants of COVID-19 mortality among these populations using data from the 2016 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohorts linked to the Canadian Vital Statistics – Death Database from 2016 to 2021.

Description: Approximately one in four individuals in Canada is currently or has been a landed immigrant or permanent resident. From 2016 to 2021, about 1.3 million new immigrants arrived in Canada and accounted for 80% of the growth in the labour force. Alongside increases in immigrants, there has been a rise in same-sex couples within Canada. This study explores select sociodemographic and economic characteristics of immigrants in same-sex couples compared with their counterparts in opposite-sex couples from 2000 to 2020.

Description: This study presents an updated sociodemographic profile of children aged 0 to 14 years with affirmative responses largely based on parent reports to the questions on the 2021 Census long-form questionnaire about difficulties with activities of daily living.

Description: Inspired by the two excellent discussions of our paper, we offer some new insights and developments into the problem of estimating participation probabilities for non-probability samples. First, we propose an improvement of the method of Chen, Li and Wu (2020), based on best linear unbiased estimation theory, that more efficiently leverages the available probability and non-probability sample data. We also develop a sample likelihood approach, similar in spirit to the method of Elliott (2009), that properly accounts for the overlap between both samples when it can be identified in at least one of the samples. We use best linear unbiased prediction theory to handle the scenario where the overlap is unknown. Interestingly, our two proposed approaches coincide in the case of unknown overlap. Then, we show that many existing methods can be obtained as a special case of a general unbiased estimating function. Finally, we conclude with some comments on nonparametric estimation of participation probabilities.

Description: We provide comparisons among three parametric methods for the estimation of participation probabilities and some brief comments on homogeneous groups and post-stratification.

Description: Beaumont, Bosa, Brennan, Charlebois and Chu (2024) propose innovative model selection approaches for estimation of participation probabilities for non-probability sample units. We focus our discussion on the choice of a likelihood and parameterization of the model, which are key for the effectiveness of the techniques developed in the paper. We consider alternative likelihood and pseudo-likelihood based methods for estimation of participation probabilities and present simulations implementing and comparing the AIC based variable selection. We demonstrate that, under important practical scenarios, the approach based on a likelihood formulated over the observed pooled non-probability and probability samples performed better than the pseudo-likelihood based alternatives. The contrast in sensitivity of the AIC criteria is especially large for small probability sample sizes and low overlap in covariates domains.

Description: Non-probability samples are being increasingly explored in National Statistical Offices as an alternative to probability samples. However, it is well known that the use of a non-probability sample alone may produce estimates with significant bias due to the unknown nature of the underlying selection mechanism. Bias reduction can be achieved by integrating data from the non-probability sample with data from a probability sample provided that both samples contain auxiliary variables in common. We focus on inverse probability weighting methods, which involve modelling the probability of participation in the non-probability sample. First, we consider the logistic model along with pseudo maximum likelihood estimation. We propose a variable selection procedure based on a modified Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) that properly accounts for the data structure and the probability sampling design. We also propose a simple rank-based method of forming homogeneous post-strata. Then, we extend the Classification and Regression Trees (CART) algorithm to this data integration scenario, while again properly accounting for the probability sampling design. A bootstrap variance estimator is proposed that reflects two sources of variability: the probability sampling design and the participation model. Our methods are illustrated using Statistics Canada’s crowdsourcing and survey data.

Description: In this rejoinder, I address the comments from the discussants, Dr. Takumi Saegusa, Dr. Jae-Kwang Kim and Ms. Yonghyun Kwon. Dr. Saegusa’s comments about the differences between the conditional exchangeability (CE) assumption for causal inferences versus the CE assumption for finite population inferences using nonprobability samples, and the distinction between design-based versus model-based approaches for finite population inference using nonprobability samples, are elaborated and clarified in the context of my paper. Subsequently, I respond to Dr. Kim and Ms. Kwon’s comprehensive framework for categorizing existing approaches for estimating propensity scores (PS) into conditional and unconditional approaches. I expand their simulation studies to vary the sampling weights, allow for misspecified PS models, and include an additional estimator, i.e., scaled adjusted logistic propensity estimator (Wang, Valliant and Li (2021), denoted by sWBS). In my simulations, it is observed that the sWBS estimator consistently outperforms or is comparable to the other estimators under the misspecified PS model. The sWBS, as well as WBS or ABS described in my paper, do not assume that the overlapped units in both the nonprobability and probability reference samples are negligible, nor do they require the identification of overlap units as needed by the estimators proposed by Dr. Kim and Ms. Kwon.

Description: In some of non-probability sample literature, the conditional exchangeability assumption is considered to be necessary for valid statistical inference. This assumption is rooted in causal inference though its potential outcome framework differs greatly from that of non-probability samples. We describe similarities and differences of two frameworks and discuss issues to consider when adopting the conditional exchangeability assumption in non-probability sample setups. We also discuss the role of finite population inference in different approaches of propensity scores and outcome regression modeling to non-probability samples.

Description: Pseudo weight construction for data integration can be understood in the two-phase sampling framework. Using the two-phase sampling framework, we discuss two approaches to the estimation of propensity scores and develop a new way to construct the propensity score function for data integration using the conditional maximum likelihood method. Results from a limited simulation study are also presented.

Description: Nonprobability samples emerge rapidly to address time-sensitive priority topics in different areas. These data are timely but subject to selection bias. To reduce selection bias, there has been wide literature in survey research investigating the use of propensity-score (PS) adjustment methods to improve the population representativeness of nonprobability samples, using probability-based survey samples as external references. Conditional exchangeability (CE) assumption is one of the key assumptions required by PS-based adjustment methods. In this paper, I first explore the validity of the CE assumption conditional on various balancing score estimates that are used in existing PS-based adjustment methods. An adaptive balancing score is proposed for unbiased estimation of population means. The population mean estimators under the three CE assumptions are evaluated via Monte Carlo simulation studies and illustrated using the NIH SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence study to estimate the proportion of U.S. adults with COVID-19 antibodies from April 01-August 04, 2020.

Description:

Each issue of Health at a Glance consists of a short non-technical article on topics that feature statistics from health-related surveys and administrative data.

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The National Apprenticeship Survey (NAS) looks at factors affecting the completion, certification and transition of apprentices to the labour market. The survey was a collaborative effort on the part of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Statistics Canada. It is hoped that the findings will contribute to the ongoing dialogue by governments, industry and unions to ensure that the apprenticeship systems in Canada continue to respond to the demands of the 21st Century.

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This series of analytical reports provides an overview of the labour market conditions among the Aboriginal off-reserve populations, based on estimates from the Labour Force Survey. These reports examine the Aboriginal labour force characteristics by Aboriginal identity, as well as diverse socio-economic and employment characteristics.

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These analytical products present projections of the diversity of the Canadian population. The purpose of these projections is to paint a potential portrait of the composition of Canada’s population according to different ethnocultural and language characteristics, if certain population growth scenarios were to become reality in the future. Produced using Demosim, a microsimulation model, these projections cover characteristics such as place of birth, generation status, visible minority group, religion and mother tongue.

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This document briefly describes Demosim, the microsimulation population projection model, how it works as well as its methods and data sources. It is a methodological complement to the analytical products produced using Demosim.

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The software is a free and user-friendly application which enables exporters and their agents (including service providers) to electronically report their goods directly to the Government of Canada thus eliminating the manual reporting process form (B13A). The CAED software features a Harmonized system commodity classification search, built-in encryption software, memorisable screens, extensive on-line help and Internet transmission capabilities.

Description:

This publication is a catalogue of strategies and mechanisms that a statistical organization should consider adopting, according to its particular context. This compendium is based on lessons learned and best practices of leadership and management of statistical agencies within the scope of Statistics Canada’s International Statistical Fellowship Program (ISFP). It contains four broad sections including, characteristics of an effective national statistical system; core management practices; improving, modernizing and finding efficiencies; and, strategies to better inform and engage key stakeholders.

Description:

This product is a series of geographic profiles that include provinces and territories as well as the four Inuit regions of Inuit Nunangat. This series presents a summary of characteristics about the Aboriginal population living in these areas. Demographic data and information on living arrangements of children, education, employment, income, housing, health and language are highlighted. Data for each Aboriginal group, as well as data for the non-Aboriginal population, are provided separately for select variables. Findings are based on the 2011 National Household Survey, the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey, and the 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey.

Description:

The objective of this document is to present a proposed Statistical Framework for Energy in Canada, which will help guide data providers and users in the development of a strategic plan for addressing priority elements of the proposed framework.

The framework is intended to apply to energy statistics in Canada in general, with application across a broad range of stakeholders involved in the collection, dissemination and use of energy statistics, including provincial and territorial administrative and statistical agencies.

Description:

Aboriginal Statistics at a Glance provides data users with a thematic guide to Aboriginal data at Statistics Canada. It includes data for the First Nations (North American Indian), Métis, and Inuit populations. Each theme is illustrated with a chart presenting key indicators, a plain language definition of the indicator and links to related data tables and published articles to further assist users in meeting their data needs. Data sources include the 1996, 2001 and 2006 censuses of population, the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey, and the 2007/2008 Adult Correctional Services Survey.