1143.0.55.001 - Directory of Culture and Leisure Statistics, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/03/2007   
   Page tools: Print Print Page  
Contents >> Alphabetic index of collections >> Participation in sports and physical recreation

PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS AND PHYSICAL RECREATION

PURPOSE


To provide information about people who participated in sport
s and physical recreation in Australia.

DESCRIPTION


The Participation in Sport
s and Physical Recreation survey was conducted each month during 2005-06 as part of the Multi-Purpose Household Survey (MPHS). The MPHS is a supplement to the monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS) and covers all people aged 15 years and over who are usual residents of private dwellings in all but sparsely settled parts of Australia. Dwellings included in the survey were selected at random using a multi-stage area sample. Data were collected by personal interview with a randomly selected resident in each dwelling. The total sample for this survey (after allowing for sample loss and non-response) was just over 14,200 households.

Information on this topic was previously collected as a supplement to the General Social Survey (GSS) conducted during 2002. Prior to the 2002 survey, information was collected on a survey vehicle known as the Population Survey Monitor (PSM), a quarterly household survey of approximately 3,000 households conducted throughout Australia. The PSM covered all usual residents aged 18 years and over (15 years and over prior to August 1997) in private dwellings in both urban and rural areas of all States and Territories of Australia. However, persons living in remote and sparsely settled areas were excluded from the collection. All persons living in non-private dwellings were also excluded.

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE


Australia

FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION


Every three or four years from 2002. On the PSM, data were collected quarterly (every three months), but published annually, ceasing in 1999-2000.

DATA ITEMS

As this survey was conducted as
part of the MPHS which is a supplement to the LFS, all of the data items from the MPHS and LFS are available for analysis alongside the data items shown below. These data items include geographic, demographic and various social and economic characteristics (e.g. age, sex, state of location).

Also, see Attendance at selected cultural venues and events (link to entry in this directory) and Sports attendance (link to entry in this directory) for data items collected in the remainder of the survey.

Whether took part in any physical activities for recreation, exercise or sport in the last 12 months


‘Taking part’ includes playing and non-playing roles.

Activities in which respondent took part in the last 12 months

Records up to 6 activities in which the respondent participated in the last 12 months. There are over 90 different categories of activity including:
Aerobics/fitness
Badminton
Cycling
Dancing
Darts
Fishing
Golf
Horse riding
Lawn bowls
Sailing
Surf sports
Swimming
Tennis
Touch football
Weight training

Organised physical activity or sport

For each specified activity undertaken in the last 12 months, whether all, some or none of it was organised by a club, association or other organisation.

Participation role

For each specified activity undertaken in the last 12 months, all of the capacities in which respondents participated, from the following list:
Player or participant
Coach, instructor or teacher
Referee, umpire or official
Committee member or administrator
Other capacity

Frequency of participation in the last 12 months

For each role and each activity, the number of times (including practice and training) respondents participated in the last 12 months. Categories are:
1-6 times
7-12 times
13-26 times
27-52 times
53-104 times
105 or more times

Overall frequency of participation in the last 12 months

For player/participants and all activities combined, the number of times (including practice and training) respondents participated in the last 12 months. Categories are:
1-6 times
7-12 times
13-26 times
27-52 times
53-104 times

105 or more times

Months of participation in the last 12 months

For each role and each activity (including practice and training), the months in which participation occurred.


Regularity of participation in the last 12 months

For player/participants and all activities combined (including practice and training), the regularity with which respondents participated in the last 12 months. Categories are:
Occasional participation

Infrequent - part year participation
Infrequent - full year participation
Frequent - part year participation
Once or twice a week participation

More than twice a week participation

Motivators for participation in the last 12 months

The reasons for participation given by persons who were player/participants at least 13 times in the last 12 months. Respondents were firstly asked to give all reasons, and then the main reason. Categories are:
Health/fitness

Well-being
Enjoyment
Social/family
Weight loss
Competition/challenge
Transport
Walk the dog
Other

Barriers to participation in the last 12 months

The reasons for non or low participation given by persons who were player/participants no more than 12 times in the last 12 months. Respondents were firstly asked to give all reasons, and then the main reason. Categories are:
Age/too old

Ongoing injury/illness
Temporary injury/illness
Injury/illness (not further defined)
Already active
Not interested
Cost
Insufficient time due to work/study
Insufficient time due to family
Insufficient time, other
Other

PSM DATA ITEMS

The data items listed above are similar to those collected in each quarter in which the PSM was conducted from August 1997 to November 2000 and, with some variations, in every quarter prior to that.


In addition to the
se ‘core’ data items, other questions were often included in this PSM topic, sometimes just for one or two quarters. Data items which were collected for at least four quarters, and the quarters in which they were collected, are shown below.

Membership of club or association

In each quarter from August 1997, for each specified activity undertaken in the last 12 months, respondents were asked whether they were members of such a club or association.

Expenditure in the last 12 months

In each quarter from August 1993 to May 1997, expenditure on the following items in the last 12 months to participate in each activity (in any role) was recorded:
For each organised activity, expenditure on membership
For each organised activity, expenditure on clothing and equipment
For each organised activity, expenditure on transport and/or weekly fees
For each organised activity, other expenditure in the last 12 months
Expenditure on participation in selected non-organised sports and physical activities in the last 12 months

Whether participation in activity was regular

From August 1993 to May 1997, respondents were asked whether they regularly participated (in any role) in each organised activity.

Respondent’s interpretation of ‘regular’

From August 1994 to May 1997, respondents participating (in any role) were asked, for each organised activity, how often they participated:
More than once a week
Once a week
Once every two weeks
Once every month
Once every 3 months
Once every 6 months
Less than every 6 months

Participation by full-time school students aged 15 to 19 years

Whether regularly took part in sporting activities during school hours (August 1994 to May 1995)
Whether regularly took part in sporting activities organised by school after school hours in the last 2 weeks (August 1994 to May 1995)
Whether regularly took part in sporting activities organised by school after school hours in the last 12 months (August 1995 to May 1996)
Whether regularly took part in sporting activities organised by school before or after school hours in the last 12 months (September 1996 to May 1997)
Time spent on sporting activities organised by school before or after school hours in the last 2 weeks (September 1996 to May 1997)

Whether participation in organised activity was paid

From November 1994 to May 1997, respondents participating (in any role) were asked, for each organised activity, whether they were paid for their involvement.

Main reason for not participating in sport usually played in last two weeks

From August 1994 to May 1995, all respondents were asked if they were prevented from participating in any sporting or physical activity in which they would usually have taken part during the previous two weeks and, if so, the main reason which had prevented them. Reasons were:
Illness
Sport injury
Work injury
Other health problems
Expense/cost
Transport
No child care
No time/too busy
Weather problems
Other

Regular activities discontinued in the last 2 years

From May 1994 to May 1997 all respondents (whether or not they had participated in sport or physical activity in the previous 12 months) were asked if, in the last 2 years, they had discontinued taking part in any organised sporting or physical activity and, if so, which ones. Up to two activities were recorded.

Main reason regular activity discontinued

From May 1994 to May 1997, respondents who had discontinued taking part in any organised sporting or physical activity in the previous two years were asked to nominate the main reason, for each discontinued activity. Categories were:
Lost interest
Too expensive
Health problems
No time/too busy
Child care problems
Moved away from club
Change in employment
Other
Don’t know

Selected facilities used in the last week

From August 1993 to May 1994 respondents who had participated in physical activities in the last week were asked which of the following facilities they had used:
National or State park or nature reserve
School or educational facility
Neighbourhood playing fields or ovals
Public open space/reserve
Walking or riding trail
Cycle paths
Roadways or footpaths
Beach or ocean
River, lake or dam
Swimming pools
Camping ground
Skateboarding facility
Indoor sports centre
Private property
Other

Selected facilities used in the last 3 months

From August 1994 to May 1997 all respondents (whether or not they had participated in sport or physical activity in the previous 12 months) were asked which, if any, of the following recreational or sporting facilities they had used in the last three months:
National or State park or nature reserve
School or educational facility
Neighbourhood playing fields/ovals
Public open space or reserve
Walking or riding trail
Cycle paths
Skateboarding facility
Backyard pool or tennis court
Privately owned commercial pool/court/sports centre etc.
Community or government owned pool/court/sports centre etc.

Camping or caravanning in the last 12 months

From November 1994 to May 1997 all respondents were asked whether they had been camping or caravanning in the last 12 months and, if so, how many days in total they had spent camping or caravanning during that period.

Geographic area (PSM)

Australia, States, Territories, Metropolitan or Rest of State.

Demographic characteristics (PSM)

Demographic characteristics for which information is available include:
Age
Sex
Marital status
Country of birth
Household type (person living alone, married couple living alone, etc.)

Socioeconomic characteristics (PSM)

Socioeconomic characteristics for which information is available include:
Labour force status (employed, unemployed or not in the labour force)
Main activity for those not employed
Educational attainment
Occupation (1-digit ASCO)
Industry (ANZSIC Division)
Personal income

Other topics of interest

In some quarters in which data on participation in sport and physical activities were collected on the PSM, data were also collected about:
Art and craft purchases (February 1997 to November 1997)
Attendance at arts festivals (November 1995 to September 1996)
Attendance at botanic gardens (November 1993 to May 1994, November 1994 to May 1995)
Attitudes towards the arts (November 1997)
Book reading (November 1994)
Children’s participation in sport and physical activities (August 1994 to May 1997)
Health risk factors (May 1994 to May 1995)
Household use of information technology (February 1994, February 1996 to November 1996, February 1998 to November 2000)
Individual donations (September 1996 to November 1997)
Participation in gambling (May 1994 to May 1997)
Physical activity of people aged 60 years and over (February 1994 and November 1995)
Spectator sports (November 1993 to May 1997)
Support for the arts (August and November 1995)
Usage of videos and computer games (February 1994)
Voluntary work (February 2000 to November 2000)
Work in culture or leisure activities (November 1998 to August 1999)

HISTORICAL DATA

Data on participation in sports and physical recreation were collected as part of the MPHS for the 2005-06 survey, as a supplement to the GSS for the 2002 survey, and as part of the PSM for earlier surveys. Because of the significantly different wordings of the initial questions of these surveys, and other differences in methodology, the results of the three surveys are not comparable. Thus, at this stage, the only time series information on participation in sports and physical recreation available from the ABS is that collected on the PSM.

The first PSM
was conducted in August 1993. Data on participation in sports and physical recreation are available on a quarterly basis from then until November 2000, the last quarter in which the PSM was conducted. Annual data (four quarters combined, allowing more detailed analysis) are available for 1995-96 to 1999-2000. Because of the changes in the requirements of the government agency funding the collection, as well as changes in ABS collection methodology over the years, data can only be reasonably compared for the last four years of PSM collection in the case of organised sports and physical recreation, and for the last two years in the case of non-organised sports and physical recreation. Further information about changes to the questionnaire and scope of the survey may be found in the Explanatory Notes of the 1999-2000 publication.

DISSEMINATION


Publications


Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007, Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2005-06, (Cat. no. 4177.0), ABS, Canberra. Price $26.00.
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2003,
Participation in Sport and Physical Activities, Australia, 2002, (Cat. no. 4177.0), ABS, Canberra. Price $22.00. Also released annually from 1995-96 to 1999-2000.

Other

National Sport and Recreation Industry Database and Directory (NSRIDD).

CONTACT

In the first instance, refer to To obtain data or further information in the Introduction to this directory.

National Centre for Culture and Recreation Statistics
Australian Bureau of Statistics
GPO Box 2272
ADELAIDE SA 5001

Telephone: Adelaide 08 8237 7399
Facsimile: Adelaide 08 8237 7366
Email: nccrs@abs.gov.au



Previous PageNext Page