2901.0 - Census of Population and Housing: Census Dictionary, 2016  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/08/2016   
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2016 Census Dictionary >> Glossary >> Item non-response

Item non-response

Item non-response occurs in two situations:
  • where a household or person returns a form but does not answer one or more questions (items) - these are "item non-response", and
  • where key variables for a non-responding person have been imputed, the remainder of questions (items) are either set to "item non-response" or "not applicable", dependant on the imputed age of the person.

Item non-response is calculated by dividing the number of households or persons who provided a response to a particular question (item) by the number of persons for whom the question (item) would have been applicable, and is expressed as a percentage.

Item non-response rate =
Number of households or persons who did not provide a response to a Census question (item) x 100
Total of all households or persons for whom that Census question (item) was applicable


Item non-response rates include households and persons who did not answer a question (item) as well as imputed (non-responding) households and persons.

See also Dwelling non-response, Person non-response.





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