Patterns of time use in Tanzania: how to make public investment in ...

Annex 4 – Methodology
Data description (TUS/ILFS 2006)
As already mentioned in the introduction, this paper is based on the time use
module of the Tanzanian Integrated Labour Force Survey (ILFS). The TUS
2006 is the first of its kind in Tanzania. One out of every five households who
took part in the ILFS was interviewed for the time use module as well. The
sample consists of 10,553 individuals aged 5 years or above (corresponding to
more than 3,000 households) weighted in order to be representative at the
country level. Respondents were interviewed for 7 consecutive days 11 and
asked what they had done during the 24 hours (a unique time slot was
created for the night hours 12am-4am). The data contains 20-1 hour time- slots
per day in which respondents could name up to five activities indicating
whether the activities were carried out simultaneously or separately from
other activities (Budlender, 2008).
Refer to Annex 1 for the detailed categorization of activities.
Aggregation of activities: rationale
For the purpose of this paper we have aggregated activities into broader
categories. The aggregations are shown in table A1 of Annex 2 and Table A2
of Annex 3.
First of all, given the TUS sample is rather small if compared to the real
population (aged 5 years and above) too detailed disaggregations would not
generate reliable results (Budlender, 2008). This is one of our reasons for
aggregating activities: activities were either aggregated or highlighted with a
star to indicate that caution in interpretation of the results whenever activities
were carried out by less than 5% of the population.
Moreover, the main aim of the paper, as well as that of the TUS, is to single
out activities where gender distribution is skewed the most. Analyzing those
activities which are often not included in the standard definition of
employment and are usually carried out by women is vital considering the
important role that they play for the welfare of the country (Analytical
Report-key findings). Aggregation of activities was carried out in such a way
as to highlight such gender patterns.
Calculation of activities in a day, and how to deal with simultaneity
11 Not all respondents have been interviewed for the same number of days; diary information
on activities is reported for most of the respondents for 6 or 7 days.
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