Page 29 - Invited Paper Session (IPS) - Volume 1

IPS30 Diana B.
The rehearsal of 2019 is piloting of a full-scale register-based census where
nearly all output characteristics are calculated on the basis of register
information.
This option facilitates testing of:
• availability of information in registers and transportability of the
data;
• quality and coverage of the register information in relation to the
total population;
• performance and accuracy of the algorithms developed for the
calculation of census characteristics;
• capacity of model-based indexes (residency index, partnership and
location index) to generate estimates that reflect the actual
situation.
The quality of the results of the pilot census will be assessed according to
developed rules and norms both with regard to individual characteristics as
well as sets of characteristics (cubes and marginal cubes).
If the pilot census produces adequate results and outputs that meet the
international requirements, it means that a register-based census is feasible in
Estonia in 2021.
If the results indicate that some census characteristics
• cannot be calculated on the basis of registers, or
• coverage or quality do not meet international requirements,
then another option for census will be implemented.
There is the strategic risk that the results of the register-based census will
not meet the needs of Estonian users, because it is difficult to find a workable
solution to the problem of data quality of the place of residence in the register.
Indexes were tested in a separate survey in 2018, which demonstrated that
despite the fact that indexes improve the deficiencies in the data, they are not
100% reliable. Data should be improved by another ca 5% in order to achieve
a better and acceptable consistency for the accuracy. New sources of data
should also be found for that.
For this reason, Statistics Estonia needs to explore additional data sources
to identify the potential ‘markers of life’ and ‘markers of partnership’ in order
to improve index-based methodology results.
All relevant census characteristics are available in the registers. We are
searching for solutions for the users; if these are not acceptable, we need to
find a method that will ensure the expected census output.

Conclusion
Developing methodology for the register-based census is a time-
consuming activity. Before using data from registers for censuses, the quality
of the data is verified in reference to basic statistical criteria. When data are

18 | I S I W S C 2 0 1 9