Full Citation
Title: The Polls-Review Inaccurate Age and Sex Data in the Census Pums Files: Evidence and Implications
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2010
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Abstract: We discover and document errors in public-use microdata samples ("PUMS files") of the 2000 Census, the 2003-2006 American Community Survey, and the 2004-2009 Current Population Survey. For women and men age 65 and older, age- and sex-specific population estimates generated from the PUMS files differ by as much as 15 percent from counts in published data tables. Moreover, an analysis of labor-force participation and marriage rates suggests the PUMS samples are not representative of the population at individual ages for those age 65 and over. PUMS files substantially underestimate labor-force participation of those near retirement age and overestimate labor-force participation rates of those at older ages. These problems were an unintentional byproduct of the misapplication of a newer generation of disclosure-avoidance procedures carried out on the data. The resulting errors in the public-use data could significantly impact studies of people age 65 and older, particularly analyses of variables that are expected to change by age.
User Submitted?: No
Authors: Alexander, J.Trent; Stevenson, Betsey; Davern, Michael
Periodical (Full): Public opinion quarterly
Issue: 3
Volume: 74
Pages: 551-569
Data Collections: IPUMS CPS
Topics: Aging and Retirement, Gender, Methodology and Data Collection, Other
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