Supplementary questionnaire on the 2011
Population and Housing Census
POLAND
Supplementary questionnaire on the 2011 Population and
Housing Census
Fields marked with * are mandatory.
INTRODUCTION
As agreed during the last meeting of the "Working Group on Population and Housing Censuses" (4-5
June 2013), the transmition of the metadata on the 2011 census is split in two flows. In addition to the
metadata provided using the ESS-MH (ESS Metadata Handler), Member States are asked to
provide the set of additional information included in this questionnaire. The reason why these
questions were not included in the ESS-MH is that they do not naturally fit into the ESMS (Euro-SDMX
Metadata Structure), i.e. the standard structure for metadata transmission in the ESS.
0. Contact information
Please insert the contact details of the person filling in this questionnaire
Name / Surname*
1$
E-mail*
1$
1. Usage of estimation methods
According to Annex II to Reg. (EU) No 519/2010, Member States shall report, for each census topic,
on the methodology used to estimate data for that topic. For convenience, this question is applicable
only to those topics for which estimation methods were used.
1.1. Were estimation methods used to estimate any topic in 2011 census?*
Yes
No
If "Yes", please indicate for which topics estimation methods were used and provide a short
description of the estimation methodology
General comments: The census was carried out as a full-scope survey, which covered the entire
population of Poland and involved the verification of data obtained from registers and informational
systems done by respondents through Internet self-enumeration and a sample survey which was
carried out on a large sample accounting for approx. 20% of dwellings in the country. Information
obtained from the full-scope survey and from the sample survey have been integrated and included
in one database. The results of the sample survey have been generalised to the entire population.
The structure of the population by sex and age, which had been identified in the full-scope survey
was employed to establish the reference population. The topics required by the Regulation No
763/2008 (data on persons (excluding sex and age), on households, on family nuclei, conventional
dwellings) were developed on the basis of a sample survey. Data on living quarters were developed
based on data from administrative sources. Description of estimation method: While processing the
sample survey results, two generalisation (weighing) stages of the results were distinguished: Stage
I – weighing through adjusted “fraction” weights, constituting the opposite of the sampling fraction,
for housing units of the survey, Stage II – weighing through calibrated weights for survey units
(persons) The primary weights were established as the opposite of the sampling fraction for nearly
70.5 thous. strata. The aim of stratification was to identify as homogenous groups of sampling units
as possible. Weights applied within each stratum were identical. In order to obtain correct
generalisations, it was necessary to adjust initial weights, based on the random sampling scheme
used. The adjustment took into account both , non-response and information concerning the
reasons for failing to obtain data from some of surveyed units. The adjusted weights established
during Stage I were used to generalise the census results concerning dwellings. Separate weights
were derived for households and families. Such weights were calculated on a secondary basis
through calibrated weights for persons forming households. Given the need to integrate the sample
survey results with the full -scope census (in terms of underlying variables such as sex, age and
place of residence at the powiat level (LAU2), including the distinction into its urban and rural parts),
it was indispensable to derive calibrated weights for particular persons. The calibrated weights were
used to generalise the sample survey results concerning the population statuses and structures
2. Usage of register-based data sources for the 2011 census
This section of the questionnaire applies only to those Member States that used register-based data
sources to produce the 2011 census data (possibly in combination with other data sources).
Provisions concerning this part of the questionnaire are contained in Annexes I and II of Reg. (EU) No
1151/2010.
2.1. Which register-based data sources were used for which topics? (Please tick the appropriate
boxes)
Social
Employment/
Building/
Source /
Population
security/tax
occupation/
Education
Business
dwelling/
Topic
register
register(s)
unemployment
register(s)
register(s)
housing
register(s)
Sex
Age
Current
Activity
Status
Place of work
Size of the
locality
Marital status
Occupation
Status in
employment
Educational
attainment
Place of birth
register(s)
Other
administrative
register(s)
Country of
citizenship
Year of the
arrival in the
country
Residence
one year
before
Household
status
Family status
Housing
arrangements
2.2. Are there known problems of specific population sub-groups likely to be over or under
covered by the registers?
Yes
No
If "Yes", please specify population subgroups likely to be over or under covered and for which
registers?
The description applies to the population register, the so-called PESEL (dataset as of 1 January
2011), which was the basis for the establishment of the addresses and dwellings list. This list,
covering houses, housing units, collective living quarters, and the database persons who have a
PESEL number (PIN-Personal Identification Number) were the basis for carrying out the census.
The underestimation of the population at the level of country, regions and voivodships - due to lack
of registration in the PESEL register - was affecting the following sub-groups of population: Newborn children without a PESEL number - Foreigners who have registered after January 1, 2011
- Homeless persons without a PESEL number The group of emigrants for permanent stay or
temporary residence at least 12 months is under -estimated in the PESEL register as some of these
persons do not report the fact of going abroad. The group of immigrants living in Poland without
being registered (mostly it refers to illegal or undocumented stay) is also under-estimated. At the
regional level the underestimation / overestimation could result from a failure to take all internal
movements into account. .
2.3. Are there known reasons for people delaying registration/deregistration?
Yes
No
If "Yes", please provide a short explanation of the known problems of late
registration/deregistration
Not applicable - to the extent described in the Timeliness of registration / deregistration section
However, there are problems associated with residents not-complying with the obligation to register
and deregister. These problems are due to the following reasons: - lack of penalization in the
existing national legislation -lack of incentives to respect the provisions regarding the obligation to
register/deregister -personal reasons. The persons who go abroad (with the intent to stay
temporarily or permanently) , do not report their departure because they want to retain the ability to
use a variety of social benefits (eg children under the age of 15 benefit from free health care, if they
are registered in Poland )
2.4. Has the extent of any problems in the completeness and timeliness of
registration/deregistration been evaluated?
Yes
No
If "Yes", please provide a short description of the results of this evaluation
Timeliness of registration/deregistration In accordance with the Act of 10 April 1974 on Registration
of Population the entities, which register occurrences of migration, birth, death, acquisition/loss of
citizenship are obliged to transmit data to the PESEL register immediately - by means of electronic
communication, but not later than within 2 working days from the date on which the obligation to
register the fact was established. Timeliness of registering the events was not assessed - it was
assumed that the provisions of the Act on Registration of Population are being complied with; in
addition, there is no alternative source that would allow such evaluation. Completeness of
registration/deregistration : The data in the PESEL register in terms of recorded events have
different completeness indicators depending on the type and time of registration of a variable
(generally, for the very aged persons -provided they have not changed the place of residence or
marital status - the data accuracy is worse). The data from the PESEL register were assessed in the
first phase of the census work - the administrative sources were checked for their possible use in the
census. For this purpose a global (average) rate of dataset internal completeness as the most
important factor for the suitability assessment of the registry was defined. For the PESEL register
(January 2009) the rate amounted to 86.27%, in which the rate for the variables of sex and age was
close to 100%.
2.5. Were individual records matched across different registers? Yes
No
If "Yes", which identifying variables were used for matching data records?
PESEL numer (PIN)
3. Usage of sample surveys for the 2011 census
According to item 2.2.2. of Annex II of Reg. (EU) 1151/2010 some additional metadata are requested
in case that Member States use sample surveys to derive part of the data of the 2011 census.
3.1. For which topics in the 2011 census were sample surveys used to collect
statistical information?
Topic
Sex
Age
Current activity status
Place of work
Marital status
Occupation
Industry
Status in employment
Educational attainment
Place of birth
Country of citizenship
Year of arrival in the country
Residence one year before
Household status
Family status
Housing arrangements
3.2. Please provide a short description of the sampling design used in these survey-based data
sources
Stratified random sampling was used, with dwellings (housing units) as statistical units drawn from
the frame. Overall sample size was fixed to 20% of all the dwellings in Poland. Sample of 20%
dwellings (about 2680 thousands) was split between 379 poviats (NUTS 4 geographical levels) in
proportion to the square root of the population number of dwellings. This solution ensures a
compromise between the need for an equally good precision of the results for all the poviats, and
the possibility of sample realization in the field. Poviats are both large urban areas and areas with
small number of the population. Separate solution was adopted for the Warsaw due to the need to
obtain the information for individual city districts; the sample size has been significantly increased in
Warsaw. Before drawing the sample, in each poviat the dwellings were grouped into strata.
Depending on the type of the poviat, and in poviats depending on the type of gminas (NUTS 5), a
different approach to the stratification was applied. The following variables available in the frame
were used in stratification: number of housing units in a multiple dwelling, location of the housing
unit in a multiple dwelling, number of persons in the housing unit, presence in the housing unit of a
working person (with social insurance), of a pensioner, or of an unemployed person, presence of a
user of an agricultural holding and of a utilised agricultural area. After creation of strata sample sizes
in strata in a given poviat were computed. The method of proportional allocation was used. This
meant that the sampling fraction computed for given poviat (using square root method) was applied
for all gminas and strata in this poviat. Sample was drawn independently from each stratum by
method of simple random sampling.
3.3. Please provide an assesment of possible biases in the estimation due to model assumption
errors
Model-based methods were not used.
3.4. Please provide a short description of the algorithm used to calculate the standard error
Calculation of standard errors was based on Taylor linearization method which is implemented in the
SURVEYMEANS procedure in the SAS system, and takes into account information about sampling
design and weights used for estimation.
4. Assessment of the data sources used for the 2011 census
According to item 2.4 of Annex I to Reg. (EU) 1151/2010, Member States shall report upon the extent
to which the data sources used for the 2011 census meet the "essential features" as listed in Art. 4(4)
of Reg. (EC) 763/2008 and defined in Article 2(2-6) of Reg. (EU) 1151/2010 .
4.1. To what extent do the data sources used for the 2011 census meet the "essential feature"
of:
A - Individual enumeration?*
Completely
To a large extent
Partially
Poorly
Not at all
B - Simultaneity?*
Completely
To a large extent
Partially
Poorly
Not at all
C - Universality within the defined territory?*
Completely
To a large extent
Partially
Poorly
Not at all
D - Availability of small-area data?*
Completely
To a large extent
Partially
Poorly
Not at all
E - Defined periodicity?*
Completely
To a large extent
Partially
Poorly
Not at all
5. Transmition of data concerning primary and secondary homeless
persons
According to Reg. (EU) 519/2010 "data on the total population shall include the number of all primary
homeless persons (persons living in the streets without shelter) and secondary homeless persons
(persons moving frequently between temporary accommodation). However, Member States are free
not to include the number of homeless persons in their data on the total population, or to include the
number on the homeless but not to break the data on the homeless down by any breakdown or
category (figure included only in the total and/or categorised under ‘Not stated’). If Member States do
not include the number of homeless persons in their data on the total population, they shall provide the
Commission with the best available estimate for the number of all primary and the number of all
secondary homeless persons in the whole Member State." This part of the questionnaire is designed
to respond to these requirements and, for sake of clarity, reporting on primary and secondary
homelessness is split into two separate sections.
5A) Primary homeless persons
5A.1. Which of the following sentences describes best the level of inclusion of primary homeless
persons in the data transmitted for the 2011 census?*
Census data include primary homeless persons with detailed information for all census
topics
Census data include primary homeless persons with detailed information only for limited
set of census topics
Census data include primary homeless persons with no detailed information on any
census topic
Census data do not include primary homeless persons
5B) Secondary homeless persons
5B.1. Which of the following sentences describes best the level of inclusion of secondary
homeless persons in the data transmitted for the 2011 census?*
Census data include secondary homeless persons with detailed information for all
census topics
Census data include secondary homeless persons with detailed information only for
limited set of census topics
Census data include secondary homeless persons with no detailed information on any
census topic
Census data do not include secondary homeless persons
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