Statistics and Data for Statistics and Data for Aboriginal StudiesAboriginal Studies

Anna Bombak Anna Bombak Chuck Chuck

HumphreyHumphreyUniversity of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta

October 8, 2009October 8, 2009

OutlineOutline

Statistics are derived from data Statistical sources from Statistics Canada Statistics Canada data sources Data sources about other aboriginal

peoples

Quantitative informationQuantitative information

Statistics• numeric facts & figures • derived from data, i.e, already

processed• presentation-ready• need definitions• published

Data•numeric files created and

organized for analysis/ processing

•requires processing•not display-ready•need detailed documentation•disseminated, not published

Quantitative informationQuantitative information

Six dimensions or variables in this tableThe cells in the table are the number ofestimated smokers.

Geography

Region

TimePeriods

Social Content

Smokers

Education

Age

Sex

Quantitative informationQuantitative information

Stories are told through statisticsStories are told through statistics

The National Population Health Survey in the previous example had over 80,000 respondents in 1996-97 sample and the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2005 has over 130,000 cases. How do we tell the stories about each of these respondents?

We use statistics to create summaries of these life experiences.

Data enable us to construct the tables or analyses to tell these summarized stories.

Statistics are about definitions!Statistics are about definitions!

Statistics are dependent on definitions. You may think of statistics as numbers, but the numbers represent measurements or observations based on specific definitions.

Tables are structured around geography, time and social content based on attributes of the unit of observation. These properties all need definitions.

Statistics involve classifications!Statistics involve classifications!

ClassificationsSex

Total

Male

Female

Periods

1994-1995

1996-1997

Some classifications are based on standards while others are based on convention or practice.

For example, Standard Geography classifications

Statistics involve classifications!Statistics involve classifications!

Facts about statistics and dataFacts about statistics and data

Statistics are derived from observational, experimental and simulated data .

A table is a format for displaying statistics and presents a summary or one view of the data.

Tables are structured around geography, time and attributes of the unit of observation.

Statistics are dependent on definitions. Working with data requires some computing

skills with analytic software.

Questions to ask about statisticsQuestions to ask about statistics

• Who published this statistic? Can you name the producer or distributor of the data? You need this information to provide a citation for each

statistic. You should ask yourself what motive is behind this

published statistic.

• What view of the data is shown in this statistic? What level of geography is shown? What time period is shown? What social characteristics are shown?

• What concepts are represented in this statistic? Are definitions provided with the statistic for geography,

time or the social characteristics? Was a standard classification system used for the

categories of the statistic?

• Can you identify a data source for the statistic? If there isn’t a data source, the statistic isn’t real. Is there enough information that you could find the data? Can you name the data source itself?

Questions to ask about statisticsQuestions to ask about statistics

Statistics Canada WebsiteStatistics Canada Website

Microdata & aggregate dataMicrodata & aggregate data

Microdata• from observational

methods• created from the

respondents in a survey

Aggregate Data

•statistics organized in a data file structure•derived from microdata

sources•used in GIS & time

series analysis

Statistics Canada data sourcesStatistics Canada data sources

The Census of the Population for Canada The Aboriginal Peoples Survey The Ethnic Diversity Survey The Canadian Community Health Survey

The Canadian CensusThe Canadian Census

The Census is the largest survey collected in Canada and is taken every five years.

The last two censuses were in 2001 and 2006. The censuses in years ending in 1 are known as the decennial census and contain certain questions only asked every ten years (e.g., religion.)

Census of PopulationCensus of Population

Two forms are used to collect the Census: 2A, which goes to 80% of the households, and 2B, which goes to the other 20%.

In 2006, the 2A form contained 8 questions while the 2B form had these 8 and 53 additional questions.

Long history of specific questions (see the Census Dictionary.)

Need to understand the content of the Census to know what statistics are possible from the Census.

Definition for Visible MinorityDefinition for Visible Minority

Visible minority populationPart A - Plain language definition:Not applicable

Part B - Detailed definition:Refers to the visible minority group to which the

respondent belongs. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as 'persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour'.

More information on Visible minority population

Post-Censal

PALSEDSAPS

PUMF

RDC

DATA

PublicUse

MicrodataAggregate

STATSSTC

Website

E-STAT

CustomTabulations

DLI

CENSUS2006

Statistics Canada data sourcesStatistics Canada data sources

The Census of the Population for Canada Public use microdata files are available for the

2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1971, 1911 and 1901 Censuses.

The individual file for 2001 has 801,055 cases. In this file, 24,886 identified themselves as an

aboriginal person. Content: basic demographics (age, sex and

marital status), immigration, language, mobility, labour force activity, place of work, commute to work, education, income and housing costs.

Statistics Canada data sourcesStatistics Canada data sources

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey Public use microdata files are available for the

1991, 2001 and 2006. In 2006, there are separate files for adults and youth (15+) and children (< 15) living off reserves.

The children file for 2006 has 13,238 cases. Content for the children file includes

demographics, general health, health care utilization, daily activities, dental care, physical injuries, nutrition, education, social activities, language and household information.

Statistics Canada data sourcesStatistics Canada data sources

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey (cont.) The adult file for 2006 has 24,368 cases. Content for the adult file includes demographics,

household information, education, language, labour force activity, income, health, use of communication technology, mobility and housing. In the Arctic, additional topics included harvesting activities, personal wellness and social participation. For Métis respondents, additional questions were asked on family and cultural backgrounds and health.

Statistics Canada data sourcesStatistics Canada data sources

The Ethnic Diversity Survey The survey was conducted in 2002 and the public

use microdata released in 2005. The file has 41,695 cases. [“Other” category] The content covered in the survey includes basic

demographics, self-defined ethnic identity, language, information about parents and their background, information about spouse and children, family interaction, social networks, civic participation, interaction with society, trust and levels of life satisfaction and attitudes about a sense of belonging.

Statistics Canada data sourcesStatistics Canada data sources

The Canadian Community Health Survey Survey conducted in 2000-01, 2003, 2005 and

2007. The file is 2000-01 has 130,880 cases. In 2003,

there are 134,072 cases and the 2005 file has 132,221 cases.

The public use file does not contain a variable that allows identifying aboriginals. The master file, however, does have this information. To study aboriginal peoples in the CCHS, one must apply to work in the Research Data Centre, a secure office on the third floor of Rutherford North.

Statistics Canada data sourcesStatistics Canada data sources

The Canadian Community Health Survey

Data sources for other aboriginalsData sources for other aboriginals

The United States ICPSR data archive, the Council of European Social Science Data Archives and Australian Social Science Data Archive all have online catalogues to search.

The challenge is finding the word or concept used to describe aboriginal peoples in other countries.

Data sources for other aboriginalsData sources for other aboriginals

The United States Australia

Aboriginal

American Indian

Native Americans

Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Populations

Aboriginal

Indigenous

Data sources for other aboriginalsData sources for other aboriginals

The United States Australia

Tools for working with dataTools for working with data

Online copies of questionnaires and data documentation from DLI. http://www.statcan.ca/cgi-bin/spider/dli.cgi

Online catalogues, such as the Statistics Canada DLI title list, the ICPSR catalogue, the CESSDA portal and the ASSDA Nesstar server. http://www.statcan.ca/cgi-bin/spider/dli.cgi http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/ http://www.nsd.uib.no/cessda/home.html http://assda.anu.edu.au/

Tools for working with dataTools for working with data

Online access to data through IDLS http://datalib.library.ualberta.ca/datalib/

Off line access through the Data Library Rutherford North, 1st Floor (492-5212)

Statistical software, such as SPSS http://www.labs.ualberta.ca/