12-02, 10:50–11:05 (Australia/Sydney), Zoom Breakout Room 1
We provide an overview of the correlates of telephone use in Australia and their implications for telephone surveys using data from the National Health Survey (NHS) 2017-18. The NHS is an in-person survey of Australian households (excluding very remote areas) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It includes questions on landline and mobile status. These questions provide insight into the correlates of telephone usage. The presentation examines age, state, Indigenous status, migrant status, education, area-level socio-economic status, housing tenure, smoking status and alcohol use. As is well known, age is strongly associated with telephone usage. By 2017-18, mobile coverage was sufficiently high that mobile-only was sufficient for general population surveys unless estimates of the age 75+ cohort were required. We identify low landline coverage in the Northern Territory and among Aboriginal Torres Strait Islanders, recent migrants, renters, current smoker and people at risk from alcohol consumption. The presentation will also review the likely impacts of the continuing shift to mobile phones identified in the ACMA Communications Report.
Ben Phillips is a survey researcher and methodologist with 18 years of experience in academic and private sector positions working with government and non-profit clients. He is Chief Survey Methodologist at the Social Research Centre, where he applies best practices and develop new methods to reduce survey errors and costs. Prior to joining the Social Research Centre, he was a Senior Associate/Scientist at Abt Associates, Cambridge, MA, USA and previously worked for Abt SRBI and Brandeis University, both in the U.S.
Dina is a professional statistician with over 20 years of experience and a track record of achievement in leadership and technical roles at the Social Research Centre, Monash University, Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Biostatistics and Clinical Trials Centre at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Dina’s statistical interests include the use of calibration and blending methods to improve accuracy of the non-probability samples, establishment and maintenance of the first Australian Online Probability panel and complex business survey design and weighting. Throughout her career she has worked through every stage of statistical data collection including design, system development, contact with respondents, data editing, estimation and output, in a wide variety of domains including demographic, labour, business and price index statistics. Dina’s educational background includes 1st Class Honours degree in Statistics and PhD in Business Systems from
Monash University with an emphasis in applied Operations Research and Process Engineering. Dina is Accredited Statistician (AStat) member of the Statistical Society of Australia (SSA) and is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR).
Darren has worked in social research and survey methodology since 1984 and is the Founder and past CEO of the Social Research Centre, 2000-2019. From 2010 to 2015 Darren played a leading role in the introduction of dual-frame telephone surveys to Australia and he was also the driving force behind the establishment of Australia's first probability-based online panel – Life in Australia™ in 2016. Darren is a Research Society Fellow. In 2014 he was awarded the Research Industry Council of Australia’s Research Effectiveness Award for Innovation and Methodology. In 2019 Darren was awarded the inaugural AMSRO Jayne Van Souwe Research Industry Leadership Award.