1285.0 - Demographic Variables, 1999

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

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Contents >> Age >> Collection methods

Standard question module

22. 'Age' can be derived from a single question in most collections.

23. The ideal question for most collections is:

Q. What was [your] [the person's] [(name)'s] date of birth?

24. The recommended format for the collection of age data using a self-enumerated questionnaire is:

Date of Birth: _ _ / _ _ / _ _ _ _

25. This provides the greatest amount of detail and flexibility as it can easily be converted to completed days, weeks, months and years as required. It also improves data quality and should be used wherever possible (see topic Measurement issues and related classifications).

26. However, in some collection methodologies (eg. Any Responsible Adult), this question may not be feasible and alternative questions are:

Age last birthday?

What was [your] [the person's] [(name)'s] age last birthday?

What is [your] [the person's] [(name)'s] age in complete years?

27. In some collections age details are obtained from administratively produced data. In these instances the data are taken from the relevant registers and documents.

Standard input categories

28. Input categories should be 'date of birth' as the first preference or 'complete years' as the second.

29. 'Age' should always be stored at the most detailed level possible (date of birth or complete years) as this gives the greatest flexibility for derivation of new data items, cross classification with other variables and in the production of output categories.