The population and housing censuses conducted in the past in Israel were
"traditional censuses". In these censuses information was gathered on
questionnaires by enumerators who visited the homes of the residents.
In several countries in the world they have begun conducting
"administrative censuses", in which information is collected from various
organizations in which it is stored in computerized form for ongoing
administrative needs.
The integrated census is based on an integrated use (hence its name) of data
from administrative sources, together with sample data gathered in surveys,
i.e., in the census field work.
The field work, which includes enumeration in the field and completion
of the information by telephone, is called the Population Census Survey;
it began at the end of 2008 and was concluded in July, 2009.
The goals of the integrated census have remained similar to those of the
traditional census: to provide demographic, social and economic information,
updated to the census day for the entire population of the country,
detailed enough to make it possible to characterize sectors and geographic
areas as small as possible. The main difference is the means and technology
used in order to collect the information.
Advantages of the integrated census
The integrated census provides the missing dimension in the traditional
census and the administrative census, and combines the advantages of both
systems. The "traditional census" is expensive, and is at times perceived
as annoying the public; whereas the "administrative census" cannot be
conducted at this time, because the administrative data existing in Israel
today are not up-to-date enough and do not include all the census information
required.
The advantages of the integrated census are:
1. Easing the public's burden
of response - in the integrated census only part of the public
is required to answer the questionnaire, whereas in the traditional census the entire
population is required to participate. In addition, the questionnaire
focuses only on those subjects for which the population is the only source of
information. These two elements lighten the burden of responding on the public.
2. Improvement in the quality
of information - the combination of two information sources makes it
easier to reduce errors in the data published.
Processes of producing the integrated census
The integrated census combines a number of processes which
complement each other.
A. Statistical and administrative processes
1. Creation of an Improved Administrative File (IAF)
The first
stage in the work process of the integrated census is the creation of an Improved
Administrative File (IAF) that contains the framework of the census population.
This file is created by combining the file of the Population Register with
additional administrative files.
2. Sampling
For
purposes of conducting the census, an investigation is performed on two
independent samples: a sample of field cells and a sample of the population
listed in the IAF.
Field
cell sample - in order to create the sample, the country is divided into "cells".
A cell is a continuous geographical space which contains an average of
approximately 50 households. From the cell list, a random sample of field cells
is chosen, in which the enumerators poll the population in the households,
using the "traditional census" method.
A
sample of the population - a sample of individuals whose address in the IAF
is found in the field cells that were sampled.
B. The population census survey
1. Enumeration of households in the sampled space
At this
stage the enumerators go over all the buildings and all the dwellings with
cells that were sampled, and collect data from the residents by filling out a
computer-supported questionnaire in the home of the person being sampled.
After
receiving the data from the field, a comparison is conducted between the
address where each person was enumerated and their address in the IAF. From this
comparison information is received regarding the
Population Undercoverage
at the address recorded in the IAF.
2. Completion of information by telephone
All the
individuals included in the population sample who were not found in the field,
are questioned by telephone, to identify the address at which they live. This
investigation produces information on the Population Overcoverage at the addresses listed in the IAF.
C. Production of data
1. Integrated Census File (ICF)
The integrated census file is
composed of details belonging to the IAF. The file includes demographic
characteristics of individuals, and each individual's entry is assigned a
weighting coefficient (weight) which specifies the number of people it
represents in the population. An individual that received a "weight" of 2
represents 2 people; i.e., at the listed address one person who resides there
is missing and listed at another address. An individual that received a weight
of 0.5 represents two people listed at the address; however, one of them
actually resides at another address.
2. The Socio-economic File (SEF)
The socio-economic file is
composed of households and individuals who were enumerated in the field, and
includes demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Each individual's
entry is assigned a weighting coefficient (weight)
which expresses the number of people in the population which it represents. The
weight in the SEF file is adapted to the ICF. So that if we total, for example,
the weight of all the infividuals enumerated in Tel Aviv, we will receive the
same number of residents as in the ICF and SEF files.
3. Production of products
From the ICF and SEF files are
produced a range of products available to the public. Among them: a
cross-section of the characteristics of statistical-geographic localities and
areas, tables which contain information on various subjects such as education
and work, files of unidentified individual entries for data processing, etc.
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