1285.0 - Demographic Variables, 1999

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/08/1999

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Contents >> Age >> Underlying concepts

Name of variable

4. The standard term for the variable is 'Age'.

Definition of variable

Nominal definition

5. The concept of age describes how old a person is at a particular point in time. It is defined as the measure of the time elapsed from date of live birth to a specific point in time, usually the date of collection of the data.

6. 'Age' is an attribute of the counting unit 'person'.

Operational definition

7. 'Age' is measured by calculating the time elapsed (usually in complete years) between date of birth and a specific point in time (e.g. date of a particular survey).

8. The 'Age' classification is applicable to all persons in Australia.

Discussion of conceptual issues

9. In 1982 the United Nations published the paper Provisional Guidelines on Standard International Age Classifications. The document covered the main issues relevant to age as well as recommending standard international age classifications.

10. The main points covered were:

Standard international age classifications relate only to the presentation of data and not to their collection and storage

Variations exist in three main areas: group size (number of years grouped together), group boundaries (age defining groups), age range (highest and lowest)

Common elements were: widespread use of 5 to 10 year age groups, group boundaries generally beginning at multiples of 5, and 10 and ending at 4 and 9

That there be a specific age classification for 12 specific topics (e.g. Population, Family Formation, Learning and Education Services and Earning Activities and the Inactive) and that each topic will have three levels of age classifications:

Highest - provides the highest level of detail. It uses combinations of single and five year groupings ending on 4 and 9

Medium - uses combinations of 5 and 10 year groupings

Lowest - deals with six broad population groups - roughly equivalent to infancy, youth, young adulthood, middle adulthood, older adulthood and average retirement (under 1, 1-14, 15-24, 25-44, 45-64 and 65 and over).

11. ABS practices compare reasonably well to these guidelines as ABS output for age is generally in either single, five or ten year age groupings. Some variations occur where emphasis is required for specific populations or topics (e.g. survey on the elderly).

12. The ABS recognises that it may not always be possible, for statistical or other reasons, such as legal age requirements, to adhere strictly to these guidelines. It is particularly important, however, to ensure that as many categories as possible are multiples of 5 years, or capable of aggregation to such groupings, to facilitate maximum comparability of age data from different sources.