Outline of the Fourth Longitudinal Survey of Babies in 21st Century

Overview

1.Objectives

This longitudinal, approval statistical survey follows the same subjects over a long period, and has been conducted since the Fiscal Year 2001. The purpose of this survey is to obtain basic data for planning and implementing various policy measures, including countermeasures against the falling birthrate, designed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, through monitoring the status of babies born in the first year of the 21 century, and their changes over the years.

2.Scope

This survey is targeted at babies, including each of the twins and triplets, who were born in Japan during the periods between January 10 - 17 and July 10 - 17, 2001. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare sampled the survey subjects based on the Vital Statistics Data.

3.Dates of the Survey

The survey was conducted on August 1, 2004 for infants born in January, and on February 1, 2005 for those born in July (The age of the infants: 42 months old).

4.Contents of the Survey

The survey items included: family members living together; caregivers; employment status of parents; particular points of care concerning the child health; status of discipline; response to bad behavior; bedtime and wakeup time; concerns about children's eating behaviors; illness and injuries; status of playing with other children; hours spent watching TV; hours playing computer games; paid lessons; children's characters; satisfactions from child rearing; burdens and worries about child rearing; whom to ask for advice about child rearing; and others.

5.Method of the Survey

The questionnaires were delivered and collected by post.

6.Collection of the Questionnaires

The numbers of questionnaires delivered and collected were as follows:

	Babies born in January			Babies born in July			Total
	No. of questionnaires delivered	No. of questionnaires collected	Rate of collection	No. of questionnaires delivered	No. of questionnaires collected	Rate of collection	No. of questionnaires delivered	No. of questionnaires collected	Rate of collection
1st survey	26,620	23,423	88.0%	26,955	23,592	87.5%	53,575	47,015	87.8%
2nd survey	23,391	21,923	93.7%	23,575	22,002	93.3%	46,966	43,925	93.5%
3rd survey	23,374	21,365	91.4%	23,523	21,447	91.2%	46,897	42,812	91.3%
4th survey	22,439	20,699	92.2%	22,398	20,858	93.1%	44,837	41,557	92.7%

7.Notes

Symbols used in tables

Magnitude zero	-
Data not available or the indication of data inappropriate	...
Minor proportion less than 0.05	0.0

The numbers indicated in this outline are rounded. The grand total may not equal the sum of the breakdown numbers.

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