Time use diary design for our times: the importance of multiple independent fields, using the example of child care
Prof. Oriel Sullivan, Prof. Jonathan Gershuny and Dr. Juana Lamote de Grignon Perez
Abstract
We present a multi-field digital time-use diary design matching the information collected in best practice pen-and-paper designs such as the Harmonised European Time Use Survey (HETUS). Many diary tools for online self-administration use a survey-style iteration of repetitive questions, and have consequently had to compromise on the amount of information collected in an effort to reduce respondent burden.
A general-purpose design, incorporating multiple independent diary fields, is important because it offers versatility, providing data for a wide-ranging and still growing corpus of substantive and policy applications.
The online design developed at CTUR mimics the ‘light diary’ visual presentation, including all the fields of the HETUS diary. Methodological work to date suggests that this visually intuitive design does not lead to an erosion of data quality or increased respondent burden. A CATI version of this diary has also been developed (also possible in CAPI, with the advantage that respondent and interviewer can look together at the diary day).
We show how the general-purpose multiple independent field design is important in the estimation of several key policy-related issues, using combinations of traditional and online diary designs:
1) ICT use (‘computing’ as a primary or secondary activity, plus time spent using ICT devices can be compared, and/or added to demonstrate the penetration of digital devices into our daily lives);
2) Behavioural risk assessment for the transmission of infectious disease (combinations of activity, location and co-presence permit the assignment of daily risk for different population subgroups);
3) Child-related time (primary and secondary care activities, together with child copresence can be used to generate a full picture of ‘child-related time’). We present analyses showing the effects of the combination of these fields on estimates of child-related time, showing the increasing reporting of child copresence.