Overview
Title
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Household Pulse Survey
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The people who count how many people live in the country want to change some questions they ask families about how they are doing because of COVID-19. They plan to make sure the questions they keep asking are still helpful.
Summary AI
The Department of Commerce, through the U.S. Census Bureau, intends to revise the Household Pulse Survey, which gathers information on household experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. These revisions will involve removing questions that have become less useful and adding new ones on topics like disability, child health access, telehealth, and childcare, based on previous public comments and consultations with other federal agencies. The survey, approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), will maintain the same level of public burden and is expected to start collecting data with the revised questions around March 1, 2021. The general public is invited to comment on these revisions within 30 days of the notice's publication.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document at hand is a notice from the Department of Commerce, specifically the U.S. Census Bureau, regarding proposed revisions to the Household Pulse Survey. The survey has been a tool for collecting data on household experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The revisions aim to remove outdated questions and incorporate new topics such as disability, child health access, telehealth, and childcare. This notice invites public comments within a 30-day period.
General Summary
The notice serves as an announcement of the U.S. Census Bureau's intent to update the Household Pulse Survey. Originally established to gather timely information during the COVID-19 pandemic, the survey will undergo changes to maintain its relevance. By adding new questions and removing less useful ones, the Department of Commerce aims to provide more pertinent data reflecting current household conditions.
Significant Issues and Concerns
Several issues within the notice merit attention:
Lack of Budget Details: The document does not disclose the amount of funding allocated for conducting the Household Pulse Survey, leaving uncertainty about the financial efficiency of the project.
Ambiguity in Question Changes: The notice mentions removing questions with declined utility but does not specify which questions are being removed or the criteria used to make these decisions.
Data Utilization: While new questions are to be added, the document lacks details about how the data from these new questions will be utilized, raising concerns about their potential impact and relevance.
Sample Size Justification: It does not explain why the target number of respondents is set at 3,150,000, nor how this sample size ensures the reliability of results.
Voluntary Participation: The survey is voluntary, but the notice does not discuss how this might affect participation rates and the quality of the collected data.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, these revisions to the Household Pulse Survey could mean that the information collected will be more aligned with current societal needs during the ongoing pandemic. However, the lack of clarity on budget and sample size might provoke concerns regarding the efficient use of public funds.
Impact on Stakeholders
Government and Policymakers: The revised survey could provide policymakers with updated information to make informed decisions about public health and economic assistance programs.
Households: Being the primary participants, households may benefit from the focus on pressing issues like childcare and telehealth, although the voluntary nature might lead to biases in data representation.
Researchers and NGOs: These entities could utilize the updated survey data for their analyses and advocacy work, though their efforts might be hampered by the absence of detailed data usage plans.
In essence, while the intention to update the Household Pulse Survey is commendable, more transparency concerning the changes and their implications is necessary to ensure public confidence and effective stakeholder engagement.
Issues
• The document does not clearly state the specific amount of funding or budget allocated for the Household Pulse Survey, making it difficult to assess potential wasteful spending.
• The potential impact on spending for the revisions to the Household Pulse Survey is not discussed, which could conceal wastefulness or inefficiency in resource use.
• The language regarding the changes to the survey questions ('removal of questions for which utility has declined over time') is somewhat ambiguous, as it does not specify which questions were removed or how that decision was made.
• The text does not provide detailed information about how the data collected from new questions will be used, which could raise concerns about relevance or effectiveness.
• The document does not explain why the number of respondents is specifically set to 3,150,000, nor does it detail how this sample size ensures accuracy and reliability of the results.
• While the document states the survey's obligation is voluntary, it could be clearer about how this affects participation rates and data collection quality.