Conference Paper International Association for Time-Use Research Conference

Harmonising Simultaneous Activities in the USA Heritage Time Use Files

Authors

Publication date

28 Oct 2004

Abstract

While much cross-time and cross-national comparative time use research has examined results of harmonised main activity data, little research has investigated issues arising when harmonising secondary activities. This paper is drawn from work on the development of harmonised heritage time use files (from surveys collected in 1965-66, 1975-76 and 1985) for comparing changes in the national accounts of the United States with the new continuous American Time Use Study. We first investigate the potential impact the diary designs on the recording of secondary activities in these studies. We also examine variations in the reporting of secondary activities across these studies. Finally, we assess the potential implications for measuring time in child and adult care arising from the harmonisation of these activities when they are recorded as secondary activities.

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