Improving the Coverage of Children in the 2010 U.S. Census

• Activity Number: 7
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Sunday, August 4, 2013 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Daniel Weinberg*+
• Companies: US Census Bureau
• Keywords: census ; children ; undercount ; coverage

Abstract

Evaluation of the 2000 decennial census using a post-enumeration survey determined that the net undercount of the household population was much less than for the 1990 Census, down from 1.58 percent to -0.49 percent (an overcount) in 2000. One goal of 2010 Census was to maintain or improve the quality of the census - that is, to equal or reduce (the absolute value of) the net undercount. That goal was not easy - making improvements in say reducing omissions without reducing duplicates as well might well drive up this particular measure of quality. This paper will describe the major activities that the Census Bureau undertook to meet that goal, including an extensive coverage edit follow-up program. The result was a net undercount of the household population by the 2010 decennial census of just -0.01 percent. One key component of the overcount in 2000 was an overcount of children 0-9 of 0.46 percent. Unfortunately, only a little progress was made in reducing (the absolute value of) the net undercount for children.