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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, designated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, through monitoring the status of babies born in the first year of the 21st century, and changes affecting this status over the years.

2. Scope

This survey is targeted at babies, including each sibling of 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, 2005 for infants born in January, and on February 1, 2006 for those born in July (The age of the infants: 54 months old).

4. Contents of the Survey

(1) Family status

Family members living together, caregivers and the employment status of the parents

(2) Childrenfs living status

Attendance at nursery school/kindergarten, living hours, eating behaviors, living behaviors, hours spent watching TV, hours spent playing computer games, paid lessons, and illnesses and injuries

(3) Impressions from child rearing

Particular points of care concerning childrenfs play, smoking status of the parents, time spent with the children, satisfaction from child rearing, burdens and worries about child rearing, burden of child-rearing expenditures

*Refer to gList of Survey Itemsh for survey items in the 1st through 5th surveys.

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%
5th survey 21,735 19,820 91.2% 21,824 19,989 91.6% 43,559 39,809 91.4%

7. Notes

(1) Symbols used in the tables
Magnitude zero -
Statistical item not applicable E
Data not available or the indication in the data is inappropriate ...
Minor proportion less than 0.05 0.0

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

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