September, 2013

Best Practices in Data Dissemination

Public Use Data files (PUF)

Mohammed SahmoudProgrammer & Web Developer

Dissemination & Documentation Departmentmsahmoud@pcbs.gov.ps

PCBS’ dissemination Strategy

The PUF (digital files)

The Proactive Dissemination

The Social Responsibility

The Core

User Producer Dialogue

PCBS’ dissemination Strategy

As part of PCBS dissemination strategy, the focus is on empowering users through:

1. Micro data for public use (PUF)

2. Micro data for special use

3. Statistical library Empower

users

PCBS’ dissemination Strategy

1. Census micro data is available for public use for everyone with detailed information on the contents posted on PCBS’ web site

2. Micro data usage is regulated by special agreement and a license: Site, personal, and group license

3. All local universities have free copies of PCBS’ digital data files including the census

What is PUF:

1. Data in digital formats based on surveys and censuses as part of user empowerment

2. Data is treated to ensure the preservation of data confidentiality

3. Data is documented in user friendly manner along with the corresponding metadata to enable effective utilization of data by users

4. Use of data is regulated by agreement and license between the user and the PCBS

Why to PUF:

1. Break the rigid relation between surveys and type of output from 1-1 relation to 1-many: One surveys gives variety of outputs

2. Empower users mainly researchers, academic institutions, post graduate students

3. Data Feeder for on-line statistical databases as a By Product Output (PUF as input to statistical databases)

4. Reduce the burden off PCBS – Reduce data requests for detailed and customized data

The PUF System

Input OutputProcess

Survey Data

Census Data

Methodologies

Treatment of data according to predefined standards

•Public Use Data File (ASCII; SPSS)

•Documentation (User Manual)

Balancing between user’s needs and data confidentiality

The beginning of the PUF experience.……

1. Census 1997 as learning experience for the whole organization

2. Final results disseminated in nine months from census enumeration

3. Census was the first experiment in preparing microdata. Since then, all of PCBS surveys are disseminated in digital formats

Output of Census 1997

PLUS 20% sample as PUF

Census 1997 – The characteristics of the PUF

The micro data file was a sample with the following characteristics:

• The sampling frame consists of a list of all households that have been counted during the population, housing and establishment census 1997. These households cover all households living, during the census, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip except those living in the annexed part of Jerusalem.

• Regarding sample design, a systematic random sample of 20% of the households is selected, then all household members of the selected households are selected.

• Regarding sampling weights, they are calculated and added to the data file, and they should be used when calculating estimates from the data file.

The PUF of Census 1997 – Selected International Publications

1. Taraki L (editor). Living Palestine. Family Survival, Resistance, and Mobility under Occupation. Syracuse University Press, New York 2006.

2. Hill, AG, CJ Clark, IM Lubbad and C Bruderlein (2006) Hope and despair over health in Gaza. British Medical Journal 333 (21):845-6.

3. Lubbad, I, CJ Clark and AG Hill (2006) Population Projections for Socio-economic Development in the Gaza Strip, Harvard Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research.

4. Hill, AG. Demographic and health prospects in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. A Congressional Briefing on Changing Demographics of the Middle East: How Policies and Programs Affect Stability in the Region sponsored by the Office of Representative Danny Davis (D-IL), the Office of Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ), The Office of Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL), Rayburn Building,

The PUF of Census 2007 – The approach

• First step: surveying data users who used PUF 1997 about their views and feedback to incorporate their needs into the PUF of Census 2007

Some of the comments received by users………….

1. Our demand is for digital files which contain all of the data for particular locales, especially cities. This is because we have noted varied urbanities emerging in the OPT, ranging from Ramallah to Hebron and Gaza, which are important to study in detail in order to assess what is currently taking place now, and to plan for the future

2. Census micro data was like a dream come true for us as researchers

3. To have census digital data files posted on our intranet at the university for utilization by our graduate students is something that we are very proud of.

The PUF of Census 2007 – The approach

• Second step: Technical committee to prepare the PUF

1. The PUF was prepared in 2009

2. The Sample is 20%

3. Data available in ASCII and SPSS formats

4. Since 2009, it is available for PUBLIC USE

5. Provided to IPUMS projects so it is available for users worldwide

1. The PUF is compulsory output of every survey

2. More than 190 PUF data sets based on surveys and censuses

3. The closure of survey’s project not complete without the PUF

4. PUF release date is specified in PCBS statistical calendar

PCBS’ census PUF - International

PCBS’ PUF – The Web Portal : http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/site/601/default.aspx

Digital data

PUF )PUF++ (Researchers

Standard; All usersStandard PUFMore variablesMore details (Less grouping of variables)

Best Practices in Data Dissemination

Public Use Data files (PUF)

September, 2013

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