The Effect of Programs to Increase Response in Census 2010

• Activity Number: 446
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Robin Amie Pennington*+
• Companies: U.S. Census Bureau
• Keywords: participation rates ; bilingual questionnaires ; replacement questionnaires

Abstract

Following up on non-respondents is one of the most costly aspects of any survey. On the scale of the decennial census, the cost of obtaining household data from these non-respondents through field work becomes astronomical. Many methods for increasing the mail response rate were instituted into the 2010 Census. The most visible were publicity and advertising efforts, including Census Bureau website postings of daily mail participation rates at various geographic levels. There were also two major methodological changes to the census aimed at increasing response. In particular, English/Spanish questionnaires were delivered in areas where data indicated a concentration of housing units in which at least one adult in the household spoke Spanish and did not speak English very well. In addition, replacement questionnaires were mailed in areas where low response rates were expected. In this paper we will discuss 2010 Census mail participation and response rates, as well as some results on the impact of our use of the English/Spanish questionnaire and the replacement questionnaire.