The value of time-diary data to policy research CTUR The value of time-diary data to policy research Kimberly Fisher Centre for Time Use Research University of Oxford

Outline Why diary data is useful for policy analysis CTUR Why diary data is useful for policy analysis Overview of current policy uses of time use data Demonstrations of power of time diary data Future policy uses of diary data

Value of diary data for policy analysis CTUR Value of diary data for policy analysis Objective measures of behaviours Puts behaviour data in context of location, weather, presence of others, timing in day/week/year, timing in relation to activities of others, sequences to encourage/discourage behaviour, as valuable to know circumstances in which behaviour occurs as whether it occurs

Value of diary data for policy analysis CTUR Value of diary data for policy analysis Particularly useful to assess exposure to harmful or beneficial factors Environment (sun light, pollutants, passive smoke) Lifestyle (patterns of sleep, how down time and meals scheduled) Flexible for a wide range of analysis

Value of diary data for policy analysis CTUR Value of diary data for policy analysis Useful for cross-national and cross time comparison European countries world leaders in data harmonisation – HETUS, MTUS Time series data for Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, UK

Common policy uses of diary data CTUR Monitor gender equality Measure/value unpaid economic activity especially child care and adult care Measure consumption of goods Time spent using ICTs Time spent travelling and means of travel Measure change in physical activity Measuring work-life balance and the impact of paid work patterns on lifestyle

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CTUR Average Time in Minutes in Active Housework and Walking Dogs for British People Aged 15-24, Change from 1961 to 2000-01 Walking Dogs Active Housework 1961 2000-01 All men aged 15-24 All women aged 15-24 All aged 15-24 2 min 11 min 53 min 33 min 12 min 22 min 17 min Male participants Female participants All participants 40 min 32 min 36 min 45 min 52 min 48 min 38 min 1 hr 30 min 1 hr 14 min 47 min Sources: Office for National Statistics (London), National Time Use Study, 2000-01, BBC (London), The People’s Activities, April 1961.

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Might pets inspire less harried lifestyles in the USA? CTUR Might pets inspire less harried lifestyles in the USA? calculated average minutes between downtime (time for taking a break or rest, including meals, drinks, breaks at work, light leisure, sleep, rest) in completed downtime cycles [downtime] + [other activity] + [downtime]

CTUR note what predicts time between downtime cycles varies in each survey, R2 values very low OLS ß co-efficients 1965-66 -23.4 (0.000) 1985 -10.4 (0.067) 2003 -26.2 (0.000) suggests people who perform pet care push themselves for less time before they take a break

Wind-down on work days CTUR Part of work looking at leisure patterns with Almudena Sevilla Sanz Focus group with busy full-time workers about leisure time – key issue raised lack of opportunity to wind down with a leisure activity that lets their mind switch off from paid work – participants sometimes felt unable to escape work Example of how diary data allows testing of prevalence of a focus group finding

Wind-down on work days CTUR Selected for completed work days 0 – 1 variable for no wind down, 1 means No free time on work day Last episode of paid work after last episode of free time Paid work 1+ hours Asleep or activities that precede sleep Asleep or activities that follow sleep

Loss of wind-down days in USA CTUR Loss of wind-down days in USA

Future policy uses of diary data CTUR Future policy uses of diary data Measuring medical outcomes Monitor social interaction of groups at risk of social exclusion Measure community response to actual crime and fear of crime by comparing time on streets or time in homes Element in energy efficiency standards

Key note on policy uses of diary data CTUR Key note on policy uses of diary data Diaries are excellent tool to measure: behaviour change over the long term patterns of behaviour People are reluctant to change daily habits, many behaviour changes take place over long periods – diaries are not ideal for short-term outcome measures

Issues for future policy uses of time-diary data CTUR Issues for future policy uses of time-diary data Training in use of time data, especially use of sequences (Clustal G, optimal matching and the like) Continued collection of diary data from multiple countries at regular intervals Make use of new technologies (such as geographic tracking) alongside diaries Make better use of time use resources which already exist