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Survey data quality for persons over 79 years

Odd Frank Vaage

Statistics Norway

Q2014, Vienna 2-5 June 2014

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Background:

Traditionally we have experienced low response rate in our surveys among persons older than 79 years:• Lack of interest

• Not in a health condition to answer the questions

New surveydata about older people show:• They take more active part in social life

• Have more time for leasure activities

• Have more money

• Have better health

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Gross sample, non response and net sample in the Norwegian media use survey represented by persons 67-79 years, 1991-2013. Per cent

Gross sample Non response Net sample

1991 12 20 10

1995 12 19 10

2000 11 16 9

2005 12 14 11

2010 12 10 12

2011 12 9 13

2012 11 9 12

2013 12 11 13

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Response rate for different age groups in the surveys on living conditions 1997-2013. Per cent

  16-19 years

20-24years

25-34 years

35-44 years

45-54 years

55-66 years

67-74 years

75-79 years

80-84 years

85-89 years

90 years or older

Total: 16 years or older

1997 74,0 70,9 73,9 72,7 69,3 66,8 62,1 57,6 51,1 51,7 37,9 68,9

2001 69,0 64,5 67,5 72,1 69,1 66,3 66,2 55,5 53,9 59,4 24,0 66,9

2004 69,3 67,0 69,0 74,5 72,6 68,4 65,2 60,4 51,6 56,3 40.0 69,1

2007 76,2 61,8 65,7 68,9 65,7 68,6 65,9 60,6 48,6 57,8 50,0 66,3

2011 58,0 45,8 47,9 52,6 55,9 56,9 60,1 51,8 53,7 38,6 18,7 53,1

2013 58,5 50,0 44,8 50,7 52,6 56,4 59,3 53,5 45,3 34,0 22,0 51,7

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Response rate for different age groups in the surveys on living conditions 1997, 2004, 2011 and 2013. Per cent

16-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-66 67-74 75-79 80-84 85-89 90 or more0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1997

2004

2011

2013

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Response rate for different age groups by gender, in the surveys on living conditions 1997, 2004, 2011 and 2013. Per cent

67-74 years 75-79 years 80-84 years 85-89 years 90 years or older

Total: 16 years or older

1997            

Men 70,4 62,9 56,9 59,1 50,0 68,6

Women 54,4 53,5 47,7 47,4 31,6 69,2

2004            

Men 68,2 67,5 55,7 41,7 33,3 69,4

Women 62,4 55,3 48,7 59,6 45,5 68,7

2011            

Men 63,3 58,6 58,7 40,8 33,3 55,5

Women 56,8 46,8 50,3 37,5 13,0 50,7

2013            

Men 59,7 54,5 42,6 30,3 25,9 51,1

Women 60,0 53,9 48,8 37,2 22,5 53,2

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Percentage of people aged 67-89 taking part in different sports activities last 12 months, by age groups, 2013.

  67-74 years

75-79 years

80-84 years

85-89 years

Total: 16 years or older

Jogging 16 8 6 1 40

Sycling 30 16 8 8 45

Swimming 20 15 11 8 26

Strength training 17 9 8 3 39

Golf 4 3 2 1 4

Cross country skiing 29 13 6 3 40

Numbers 584 210 141 66 6100

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Percentage of people aged 67-89 taking part in sports activities, by age groups. 2013.

  67-74 years

75-79 years

80-84 years

85-89 years

Total: 16 years or older

Never 8 13 18 20 6

Not more than 2 times a month

10 9 12 9 11

1-2 times a week 32 26 23 25 33

3-4 times a week 24 27 17 15 29

Approximately daily 26 24 30 30 21

Respondents 584 210 141 66 6100

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Conclusion:

• Traditionally persons more than 79 years have not been included in the Norwegian social surveys, due to low response rate.

• In recent years we see that older people take more active part in sosial life.

• Data also show that they take a relatively more active part in our surveys.

• These facts lead to the conclusion that i may be time to include also persons more than 79 years in our surveys and let them be a part of our official survey statistics.