Multi Purpose Household Survey

CONTACT

Labour Market Statistics Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra
Telephone (02) 6252 7206

DESCRIPTION

The Multi Purpose Household Survey (MPHS) was introduced in 2004–05. This survey is designed to provide statistics annually for a small number of labour, social and economic topics. The information requirements of MPHS topics are determined on the basis of submissions from users on their needs for, and uses of, household survey data. They also reflect ABS deliberations on what is required of a national statistics program in the various subject fields, based on user contact and consultation. The MPHS regularly collects socio-demographic information such as educational qualifications, labour force status and personal and household income.

The 2005–06 MPHS was conducted throughout Australia from July 2005 to June 2006. Topics included in the 2005–06 MPHS survey were:

• Household Use of Information Technology
• Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation
• Attendance at Selected Cultural and Leisure Venues and Events
• Sports Attendance
• Work-Related Injuries

The Household Use of Information Technology topic collected information on household access to computers and the Internet and personal access to the Internet both at home and at other locations. It also collected information on the main purposes and frequency of access to the Internet together with details on the technology used to access the Internet.

The Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation topic collected information about people's involvement in sports and related activities including the frequency and regularity of participation and some of the reasons for participating or deciding not to participate.

The Attendance at Selected Cultural and Leisure Venues and Events topic collected data on the types of venues and events visited over a 12 month period.

The Sports Attendance topic provides information on whether the respondent attended a sports event during a 12 month period.

The Work-Related Injuries (WRI) topic collected information about persons aged 15 years and over who worked at some time in the previous 12 months and experienced a work-related injury or illness in that period. The survey collected details about people's most recent work-related injury or illness, whether they suffered the injury or illness in their previous or current job, the type of injury they experienced, how the injury or illness occurred, the number of days or shifts they were absent from work due to the injury or illness, sources of financial assistance and whether they applied for workers' compensation.

Scope

The MPHS is linked to the ABS Monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS) as a supplementary survey. The LFS includes all persons aged 15 years and over except members of the permanent defence forces, certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments customarily excluded from census and estimated population counts, overseas residents in Australia, and members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia.

In addition, the 2005–06 MPHS was conducted in both urban and rural areas in all states and territories, but excluded people living in very remote parts of Australia. It also excluded the following:

• People living in very remote parts of Australia
• People living in non-private dwellings such as hotels, university residences, students at boarding schools, patients in hospitals, residents of homes such as retirement homes and homes for people with disabilities, and inmates of prisons
• Visitors to private dwellings.

Depending on the topic, there may be further exclusions from scope. For example, some MPHS topics collect information only from a certain population or interest group (e.g. information on retirement is collected from people aged 45 years or over).

Reference Period

Financial year

Frequency of Collection

Annual, however the frequency of topics varies.

Method of collection

The MPHS is conducted in conjunction with the monthly Labour Force Survey. One third of the dwellings in the LFS out-going rotation group (one eighth of the sample is rotated out each month) are selected for enumeration in the MPHS. From each dwelling selected for the MPHS, one person is randomly selected for interview, mainly by personal interview, using computer assisted telephone interviewing. Data for MPHS topics are collected each month over a financial year. This should reduce the impact of any seasonal effects on the data.

DISSEMINATION

Release schedule

Publications related to each of the selected topic, will usually be available within six months of completion of data collection.

Publications

Multi-Purpose Household Survey, Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File, Technical Manual, 2005-06 (ABS cat.no. 4100.0)
Attendance at Selected Cultural Venues and Events, Australia, 2005–06 (ABS cat. no. 4114.0)
Household Use of Information Technology, Australia, 2005–06 (ABS cat. no. 8146.0)
Participation in Sports and Physical Recreation, Australia, 2005–06 (ABS cat. no. 4177.0)
Sports Attendance, Australia, 2005–06 (ABS cat. no. 4174.0)
Work-Related Injuries, Australia, 2005–06 (ABS cat. no. 6324.0)
Barriers and Incentives to Labour Force Participation, Australia, Aug 2004 to Jun 2005 (ABS cat. no. 6239.0)

Geography

Data are available for Australia, state and territory, capital city and balance of state (excluding territories)..

Data Service

Multi-Purpose Household Survey, Australia, Expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File, 2005-06 (ABS cat. no. 4100.0.55.001)

Customised tables are available on request, including a set of state/territory tables.

DATA ITEMS

Demographic
State or territory of usual residence
Area of usual residence
Region of usual residence
Sex
Marital status
Relationship in household
Whether household has children aged under 15
Country of birth and period of arrival
Age group

Historical Data

The Multi Purpose Household Survey (MPHS) was introduced in 2004–05. Historical data is not yet available. However, some topics were covered previously, in other surveys. See the relevant publication for further information.

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