QUALITY DECLARATION - SUMMARY
INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Confidentialised Unit Record Files (CURFs) and TableBuilder (TB) files are released in accordance with the conditions specified in the Statistics Determination section of the Census and Statistics Act 1905 (CSA). This ensures that confidentiality is maintained whilst enabling micro level data to be released. More information on the confidentiality practices associated with microdata can be found in How is CURF data confidentialised?.
For information on the institutional environment of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), including the legislative obligations of the ABS, financing and governance arrangements, and mechanisms for scrutiny of ABS operations, please see ABS Institutional Environment.
RELEVANCE
Data on Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation were collected as part of the 2011–12 Multipurpose Household Survey (MPHS). The MPHS is a supplement to the monthly ABS Labour Force Survey (LFS) and is designed to provide annual statistics for a number of small, self-contained topics. The scope of the LFS is restricted to people aged 15 years and over and excludes members of the permanent defence forces; certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments usually excluded from census and estimated resident populations; overseas residents in Australia; and members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependents). Refer to Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) for further information regarding the LFS. In addition, the 2011–12 MPHS excluded households in Indigenous Communities and people living in non-private dwellings such as hotels, university residences, students at boarding schools, patients in hospitals, inmates of prisons and residents of other institutions (e.g. retirement homes, homes for persons with disabilities). Information is collected from one person selected at random in each selected household.
The Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation component of the MPHS collected data about the characteristics of people aged 15 years and over who participated in sport or physical recreation activities for the purposes of sport, recreation and exercise only. It did not include any physical activity undertaken in the course of general day-to-day activities such as home or garden maintenance or while working. The focus of the survey was people who were physically involved in sport or physical recreation activities as players, competitors or some other playing role. It therefore excluded people involved in non-playing roles only such as coaches, umpires or club officials.
Details on the number of people who participated in sport and physical recreation activities in the 12 months prior to interview are available, together with the socio-demographic characteristics of participants; the types of sports and physical recreation activities participated in; the frequency of participation; the types of facilities used; and whether the sport or physical recreation activity was organised by a club, association or other organisation. A maximum of 10 sports and physical recreation activities were recorded in the survey for each respondent.
Microdata from the Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation topic are available as an Expanded CURF and in TableBuilder. The data item list shows the level of detail available in microdata format.
For more information on the survey methodology, concepts and definitions see Microdata: Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011–12 (cat. no. 4177.0.55.002).
TIMELINESS
The MPHS is an annual survey with enumeration undertaken over the financial year period from July to June. The Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation topic has previously been collected using the MPHS in 2005-06 and 2009-10 and is scheduled to be repeated in 2013-14. As the reference period was the 12 months prior to the survey interview during 2011–12, the data relate to activities people have undertaken at some time between July 2010 and June 2012. Initial summary results from the survey were published on 19 December 2012 in Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011–12 (cat. no. 4177.0). Microdata products are generally released a few months after the initial publication of results.
ACCURACY
Users of microdata have access to a finer level of detail than is otherwise available in summary publications such as the Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011–12 (cat. no. 4177.0). For more information on the level of detail provided, please see the associated data item lists.
Steps have been taken to confidentialise the data on the CURF and the TB file to ensure respondents cannot be identified while at the same time maximising the usefulness of the content. However, this process will mean that it may not be possible to exactly reconcile all the statistics produced from the CURF and the TB file with published statistics. Further information about the steps taken to confidentialise the microdata is available through the following links:
CURF confidentiality
TableBuilder confidentiality
Users of MPHS data should also note that all sample surveys are subject to error which can be broadly categorised as either sampling error or non-sampling error.
Sampling error occurs because a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed. One measure of the likely difference resulting from not including all dwellings in the survey is given by the standard error. There are about two chances in three that a sample estimate will differ by less than one standard error from the figure that would have been obtained if all dwellings had been included in the survey, and about nineteen chances in twenty that the difference will be less than two standard errors.
Non-sampling error arises from inaccuracies in collecting, recording and processing the data. Every effort is made to minimise reporting error by the careful design of questionnaires, intensive training and supervision of interviewers, and efficient data processing procedures. Non-sampling error also arises because information cannot be obtained from all persons selected in the survey.
For more information on the survey methodology, concepts and definitions see Microdata: Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011–12 (cat. no. 4177.0.55.002).
COHERENCE
The ABS has previously collected data on participation in sport and physical recreation in various surveys from 1993 to 2000 using the Population Survey Monitor, in 2002, 2006 and 2010 using the General Social Survey, in 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010 using the Involvement in Organised Sport and Physical Activity survey, and in 2005–06 and 2009–10 using the MPHS. Comparisons can only be made with the 2005–06 and 2009–10 MPHS because of methodological differences with the other surveys. Furthermore, care should be taken when comparing data for the Northern Territory (NT) across the 2005–06, 2009–10 and 2011–12 surveys, as sample sizes limit the reliability of the estimates particularly at a detailed level.
While the 2011–12 Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation Survey is generally comparable with the 2005–06 and 2009–10 iterations, there are some differences. The 2005–06 survey provided information on the motivators and constraints of non-participants and low level participants. This information was replaced in 2009–10 and 2011–12 with questions on types of facilities used for sport and physical activities. However, the types of facilities that were asked about in 2011–12 differ to the facilities covered in 2009–10, and therefore these estimates are not comparable.
There have been changes to the definition of several sport and physical recreation activities. These changes are listed in Changes to Sport Types.
The Explanatory Notes section of Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011–12 (cat. no. 4177.0) also provides more detailed information on the differences between the surveys over time.
INTERPRETABILITY
Microdata: Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011–12 (cat. no. 4177.0.55.002) is the key source for reference when using the CURF and TableBuilder files. It includes information about survey objectives, methods and design; survey content; data quality and interpretation; information about comparability with previous surveys; and the content of the microdata files. Further information about the survey can also be found in the Explanatory Notes section of Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2011–12 (cat. no. 4177.0).
ACCESSIBILITY
Microdata products are available to approved users. Users wishing to access the microdata should read the How to apply for Microdata web page, before applying for access through MiCRO. Users should also familiarise themselves with information available via the Microdata web pages.
A full list of available microdata can be viewed via the List of expected and available Microdata. More detail regarding types and modes of access to CURFs can be found on the CURF Access Modes and Levels of Detail web page.
The 2011–12 Participation in Sport and Physical Recreation expanded CURF microdata can be accessed using either the Remote Access Data Laboratory (RADL) or the ABS Data Laboratory (ABSDL). TableBuilder microdata can be accessed using TableBuilder.
The CURF Microdata Entry page contains links to all the information required for understanding and accessing CURFs. However, if other information is required, please contact the Microdata Access Strategies Section of the ABS at microdata.access@abs.gov.au or phone: (02) 6252 7714.
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