Confidentialised Unit Record Files Research Articles

The steady progress of Non-English-Speaking migrant women’s labour market participation in Australia

This study deals with the labour force participation of Non-English-Speaking migrant women and draws a comparison with that of Australian-born women, using the 2016 Australian Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF) Microdata based on a 1% sample from the Australian 2016 Census. A general probit model is used to estimate the probability of labour market participation of both groups, as well as for each of the groups separately, attributable to various factors. The results suggest that the participation rate of Non-English-Speaking migrant women (58.9%) is increasing over time, but is still much lower than for Australian-born women (69.5%), with the gap narrowing over time. Further, it also shows a reduced chance of participation in the labour market when they are old, married, and have children. However, Non-English-Speaking migrant women are more likely to participate than Australian-born women when they are old, married, and have children due to economic needs. Providing excellent English, education, recognition of overseas qualifications and experiences together with easy access to childcare might help Non-English-Speaking migrant women to further increase their chance of participation in the Australian labour market.

Reaching at-risk rural men: An evaluation of a health promotion activity targeting men at a large agricultural event.

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of an Australian Men's Shed Association's 'Spanner in the Works?' health promotion tent in reaching at-risk rural men during a large agricultural event in rural Australia. Men who self-presented to the health promotion tent had basic health measurements and risk scores recorded. These were linked to a short survey asking about their primary health care engagement. To determine the 'reach' afforded to health professionals through their presence at the agricultural event, the mean systolic blood pressure and waist circumference measures of participants were compared to those of rural men nationally using the ABS' National Health Survey 2017-2018 Basic Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF). Of the 401 men who visited the health promotion tent, 346 (86.3%) consented to participate in the study. The median age of participating men was 56years. The majority (94.0%) were from rural areas. Of participating men, 58.9% had high blood pressure, and their mean systolic blood pressure was significantly higher than that of rural men nationally: both overall (Mean difference=15.37mm Hg), and at all age groups. Participants also had significantly higher waist circumference overall (Mean difference=2.06cm), but this was only significantly different for the 45-54 age group. The 'Spanner in the Works?' initiative was effective in reaching both healthy and at-risk rural men from a range of ages. SO WHAT?: Aligned with the National Men's Heath Strategy 2020-2030, this evidences that agricultural events are an effective social setting for the provision of health promotion to 'at risk' rural men.

Cost of high prevalence mental disorders: Findings from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The aim of this project was to detail the costs associated with the high prevalence mental disorders (depression, anxiety-related and substance use) in Australia, using community-based, nationally representative survey data. Respondents diagnosed, within the preceding 12 months, with high prevalence mental disorders using the Confidentialised Unit Record Files of the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing were analysed. The use of healthcare resources (hospitalisations, consultations and medications), productivity loss, income tax loss and welfare benefits were estimated. Unit costs of healthcare services were obtained from the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Labour participation rates and unemployment rates were determined from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Daily wage rates adjusted by age and sex were obtained from Australian Bureau of Statistics and used to estimate productivity losses. Income tax loss was estimated based on the Australian Taxation Office rates. The average cost of commonly received Government welfare benefits adjusted by age was used to estimate welfare payments. All estimates were expressed in 2013-2014 AUD and presented from multiple perspectives including public sector, individuals, private insurers, health sector and societal. The average annual treatment cost for people seeking treatment was AUD660 (public), AUD195 (individual), AUD1058 (private) and AUD845 from the health sector's perspective. The total annual healthcare cost was estimated at AUD974m, consisting of AUD700m to the public sector, AUD168m to individuals, and AUD107m to the private sector. The total annual productivity loss attributed to the population with high prevalence mental disorders was estimated at AUD11.8b, coupled with the yearly income tax loss at AUD1.23b and welfare payments at AUD12.9b. The population with high prevalence mental disorders not only incurs substantial cost to the Australian healthcare system but also large economic losses to society.

Generating a Dynamic Synthetic Population – Using an Age-Structured Two-Sex Model for Household Dynamics

Generating a reliable computer-simulated synthetic population is necessary for knowledge processing and decision-making analysis in agent-based systems in order to measure, interpret and describe each target area and the human activity patterns within it. In this paper, both synthetic reconstruction (SR) and combinatorial optimisation (CO) techniques are discussed for generating a reliable synthetic population for a certain geographic region (in Australia) using aggregated- and disaggregated-level information available for such an area. A CO algorithm using the quadratic function of population estimators is presented in this paper in order to generate a synthetic population while considering a two-fold nested structure for the individuals and households within the target areas. The baseline population in this study is generated from the confidentialised unit record files (CURFs) and 2006 Australian census tables. The dynamics of the created population is then projected over five years using a dynamic micro-simulation model for individual- and household-level demographic transitions. This projection is then compared with the 2011 Australian census. A prediction interval is provided for the population estimates obtained by the bootstrapping method, by which the variability structure of a predictor can be replicated in a bootstrap distribution.

Do the Determinants of Employability and Earnings Returns Produce Similar Outcomes in Metropolitan and Regional Labour Markets? The Case of New South Wales, Australia

Mallik G., Basu P. K., Hicks J. and Sappey R. Do the determinants of employability and earnings returns produce similar outcomes in metropolitan and regional labour markets? The case of New South Wales, Australia, Regional Studies. This paper analyses and compares the determinants of employability and earnings return outcomes in two diversified labour markets in Australia. Using advanced econometric techniques to analyse Confidentialised Unit Record Files (CURF) data from the 2006 Census, the paper identifies educational qualifications, broad occupational group, immigration status and age as the major determinants. In general, the metropolitan Sydney market places a greater value on higher education qualifications than do labour markets in the regions; immigrants, particularly from non-English speaking countries, are more likely to be disadvantaged in Sydney; and ageing provides a mixed impact in regional areas where on average older people work longer, but at lower wages.

Estimation of Regression Parameters from Noise Multiplied Data

This paper considers the scenario that all data entries in a confidentialised unit record file were masked by multiplicative noises, regardless of whether unit records are sensitive or not and regardless of whether the masked variables are dependent or independent variables in the underlying regression analysis. A technique is introduced in this paper to show how to estimate parameters in a regression model, which is originally fitted by unmasked data, based on masked data. Several simulation studies and a real-life data application are presented.

Perception of Workplace Discrimination Among Immigrants and Native Born New Zealanders

Despite considerable research on differences in labour market outcomes between native born New Zealanders and immigrants, the extent of discrimination experienced by the foreign born in the workplace remains relatively unexplored. We use micro data from the Confidentialised Unit Record File of the 2008 New Zealand General Social Survey (n = 8,721) to examine the determinants of self-reported discrimination in the workplace. We find that immigrants are significantly more likely than New Zealand-born employees to report that they experience discrimination in the workplace. There are noticeable gender differences in determinants of perceived discrimination, which interact with birthplace. The highest likelihood of self-reported workplace discrimination is found amongst migrants from Asia and the Pacific Islands. Discrimination is more likely to be reported by those with higher education and those who are mid-career. We test and correct for selection bias in measuring the impact of factors influencing perceived discrimination and find such bias to be present for men but not for women.

Applying SDAC 2009 to the OECD Integration Scenario for Disability Employment

The paper analyses Confidentialised Unit Record Files (CURF) data from the 2009 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Survey of Ageing, Disability and Carers (SDAC) to estimate the proportion of Australians with disability and an employment restriction who are not in the labour force and who want to work. This result was 24-26 per cent depending on the treatment of various survey responses. This represents a pool of 200,000 persons not in the labour force with disability who state they can work. This work intention rate is higher than the [European Union] EU average overall, but tends to be lower than the EU average for older men and higher for younger women with disability outside of the labour market. The OECD integration model for persons with disability has relied upon the EU average work intention rate. This analysis applies the SDAC work intention rate to the OECD model. The SDAC data combined with updated population and labour force projections validate the previous conclusion of the OECD model: that in Australia allowing people with disability who want to work to enter employment would reduce the fiscal gap caused by the ageing of the population by roughly a quarter.

Company Births, Deaths and Marriages: Flaws in Age Fields in Business Microdata

In identifying gazelles (generally defined in the literature as young, fast growing businesses) researchers traditionally rely on commercially available databases not designed for scholarly work, to identify a pool of suitable study participants. This paper discusses systemic biases in the most commonly-deployed databased used in gazelle studies, the Dun and Bradstreet database, with a focus on the Australian market.

Urban and Rural Estimates of Poverty: Recent Advances in Spatial Microsimulation in Australia

AbstractThis paper reports on the calculation of poverty rates for small areas in Australia using a spatial microsimulation model. The spatial microsimulation methodology used involves reweighting data from confidentialised unit record files (CURFs) from surveys conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to small area census data, also from the ABS. The method is described in this paper, and then maps of poverty using poverty rates derived from this small area estimation method are shown for the eastern coast of Australia and its capital cities. Further analysis of poverty rates in capital cities is then conducted. We find that areas of higher poverty risk can be clearly identified within Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. We also find that areas of high poverty are frequently ‘buffered’ by areas of moderate poverty. This is not always the case since, in some areas, we find a high poverty area neighbouring a low poverty area but, generally, there appears to be a moderate poverty ‘buffer’ in most capital cities.

Supporting research and protecting confidentiality. ABS microdata access: Current strategies and future directions

Access to microdata for social and economic research and analysis is a key part of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) mission to encourage informed decision making, research and discussion. Since 1985, the ABS has been making microdata available for statistical purposes in the form of Confidentialised Unit Record Files (CURFs). Microdata use is governed by the requirement to protect respondent confidentiality, as enshrined in the Australian Census and Statistics Act 1905. Confidentialisation of the data prior to its release is the foremost ABS strategy to protect respondent confidentiality. To date, ABS policy provides that the most highly confidentialised Basic CURFs are available through the least controlled CD-ROM mode; the more detailed Expanded CURFs are accessible through the more controlled Remote Access Data Laboratory (RADL); and the most detailed Specialist CURFs are available only through the ABS Data Laboratory (ABSDL) in ABS Offices. In 2009 ABS commenced a long term project that will meet user demand for access to more detailed unit record data, across a wider array of datasets and through means that are more flexible than the current services. Development of a Survey Table Builder is underway, to be followed by a new microdata analysis service.

2001 Regional Disability Estimates for New South Wales, Australia, Using Spatial Microsimulation

Estimating disability levels in older Australians and their demographic and socio-economic profiles is essential for identifying the need for aged care services and for the development and implementation of effective social policy on ageing. Small area estimates are produced from the spatial microsimulation model ‘CareMod’ which is based on the 1998 ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC; ABS (1999). Disability, Ageing and Carers: User Guide, Australia. Canberra: ABS), and up-rated to 2001. Estimates are generated by reweighting the SDAC confidentialised unit record file to create ‘synthetic’ datasets for each Statistical Local Area in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Disability levels and the need for aged care in NSW was determined across a range of age groups. The results show that there is significant variation across NSW in disability levels and the need for aged care services by older persons. With increasing age, the presence of severe or profound disability increases and, as a consequence, this subgroup of aged persons has a greater potential need for high level care. The coastal areas of NSW have a greater requirement of care provision with respect to overall numbers, as a consequence of the greater overall population. However, many inland towns have greater rates of disability amongst the elderly. The research findings will assist in the strategic planning and improved targeting of aged care services, especially in identifying areas of unmet need at the small area level.

Determinants of Innovation

The study examines how firm size, market structure, profitability and growth influence innovative activity in small to medium sized Australian manufacturing businesses, using the recently released Confidentialised Unit Record File drawn from the Business Longitudinal Survey of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Regression analysis is conducted to determine the factors that effect subsequent innovative activity for the full sample of businesses, as well as for sub-samples of firms from high and low-technological opportunity industries. Most variables, including size, R&D intensity, market structure and trade shares are found to be conducive to further innovative activity for the full sample and for high-tech firms. For low-tech industries, fewer variables are significant.

Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in Australia: findings in the population sample of the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

To investigate the distribution and risk factors for trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in the Australian population sample taken for the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. The confidentialised unit record file (CURF) was prepared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics from the survey sample of 10 641 adults. It was interrogated for the lifetime experience of specific trauma and the 12-month prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder according to DSM-IV and ICD-10. Univariate and multivariate analyses were applied to quantify risks for traumatic experience and for DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder. Fifty-seven per cent of the population reported lifetime experience of the specified trauma. Men were more likely to experience most traumas and multiple traumas except for sexual assaults. The twelve-month prevalence of DSM-IV posttraumatic stress disorder in the overall adult population was 1.5%. It occurred in 3.8% of women and 2.0% of men who had experienced trauma. While female gender, youth, lower education and residence in poorer areas predicted posttraumatic stress disorder after trauma, multivariate analysis showed that the nature of trauma (especially sexual assault) predominated. Gender ceased to be a significant contributor to the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder when analysis controlled for type and number of trauma, and for the passage of time. Trauma is ubiquitous in the community and posttraumatic stress disorder is comparatively less common, persisting into the past year in 2.8% of those who have experienced lifetime trauma. The conventional models of female susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder are not supported in this sample. The type of trauma appears the most important determinant of progression to posttraumatic stress disorder. These com-munity prevalence statistics complement causal understanding that comes from studies of clinical and other special populations in which posttraumatic stress disorder and selection for treatment may be confounded.

A New Arrangement for Confidentialised Unit Record Files

A New Arrangement for Confidentialised Unit Record Files