Methodology and Quality Update

Latest Update on Methodology and Quality 

18/02/2025

Statistical Presentation

Data description 

The Household Culture and Entertainment Survey presents data on the participation of individuals aged 15 and above in cultural and entertainment activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Household Culture and Entertainment Survey is conducted to collect data on the main characteristics as follows:
•    Individuals' preferences for visiting cultural events and activities.
•    Individuals' preferences for visiting entertainment events and activities.
•    Individuals' practices of reading habits.

Classification system

The following classifications are applied in the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey
Saudi Classification of Specializations and Educational Levels:
A statistical classification based on the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED_11) and (ISCED_13) for education and training, issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It serves as the reference classification for organizing educational programs and qualifications according to their levels and fields of study. It comprehensively covers all educational programs, levels, and methods, spanning from early childhood education to higher education levels.
This classification is used in the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey to classify individuals 15 years and older according to their majors and education levels.
National Code of Countries and Nationalities (3166 ISO – codes Country):
A statistical classification based on the international standard (ISO 3166_Country codes), which is a standard issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO of the UN), and this classification gives numeric and literal codes for the world’s (248) countries, based on the classification of countries.  
The classification is used in the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey to classify Saudi or non-Saudi individuals.
Metadata are collected through interviews, so that outputs can be produces in accordance with all relevant classifications.
The classifications are available on the GASTAT’s website:  www.stats.gov.sa

Sector coverage

Not applicable.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Terminologies and concepts of the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey:
•    Culture:
Culture is a social behavior and a standard present in human societies. It encompasses everything that humans have been able to create in their environment throughout history. Culture includes customs, language, etiquette, values, knowledge, tools, systems, and economic, social, political, judicial, and educational levels. Indigenous culture reflects the historical uniqueness of a particular nation, that nation's perception of the universe, life and death, human potential, how those potentials are utilized, and the boundaries that should be observed.
•    Entertainment
Entertainment refers to leisure-time services provided by institutions specializing in entertainment activities, such as amusement parks, parks, and sporting events. This definition refers to the entertainment industry, which does not produce its own products but utilizes goods and services from other sectors to create entertainment experiences.
•    Cultural Activities:
Activities aimed at promoting and introducing culture within a specific community, encompassing a wide range of activities that support arts, traditions, and cultural expression.
•    Entertainment Activities:
Activities are undertaken for enjoyment or relaxation, for amusement and self-entertainment.
•    Event:
An occurrence that provides entertainment and enjoyment, including activities such as shows, festivals, concerts, plays, and entertainment exhibitions.

Statistical unit

The statistical unit of the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey is the individual.

Statistical population

The statistical population of the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey consists of individuals (Saudis and non-Saudis) aged 15 years and above who regularly reside in the Kingdom.

Reference area

The Household Culture and Entertainment Survey covers 13 administrative regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Time coverage

The data is available from 2018 as a triennial survey, and the survey periodicity was changed in 2023 as an annual survey.

Base period

Not applicable.

Unit of measure

All results are reported as percentage (e.g.: The participation rate of individuals in cultural activities).

Reference period

References period to the variables or dataset as following:
•    The demographic data is based on the date of the household's visit/contact and its interview.
•    The attendance and participation data in activities is based on the 12 months before the date of contact.
•    The data on audio-visual media and music is based on the three months before the date of contact.

Confidentiality 

Confidentiality - policy

According to the Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07-12-1397, data must always be kept confidential and must be used by GASTAT only for statistical purposes.
Therefore, the data are protected in the data servers of the Authority.

Confidentiality - data treatment

Data of SMEs survey are presented in right tables in order to summarize, understand, as well as extract their results. Moreover, to compare them with other data, and to obtain statistical significance about the selected study population. However, referring to such data indicated in tables is much easier than going back to check the original questionnaire that may include some data like names and addresses of individuals, and names of data providers, which violates data confidentiality of statistical data.
“Anonymity of data” is one of the most important procedures. To keep data confidential,
GASTAT removed information on individual persons, households, or business entities such a way that the respondent cannot be identified either directly such as: (Names, addresses, contact numbers, or identification numbers. etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents: (age, occupation, education etc.).

Release policy

Release calendar

The Household Culture and Entertainment Survey is included in the statistical calendar.

Release calendar access

The release calendar is available at: https://www.stats.gov.sa/statistical-calendar-releases

User access

One of GASTAT’s objectives is to meet its clients' needs better, so it immediately provides them with the publication’s results once the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey is published.
It also receives questions and inquiries of the clients about the Publication and its results through various communication channels, such as:
•    GASTAT official website:  www.stats.gov.sa
•    GASTAT official e-mail address:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Client support e-mail:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Official visits to GASTAT’s official head office in Riyadh or one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
•    Official letters.
•    Statistical telephone: (199009).

Frequency of dissemination

Annual.

Accessibility and clarity

News release

The announcements of each publication are available on release calendar as mentioned in 7.2. Release calendar access. The news release can be viewed on the website of GASTAT through the following link:  https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/news

Publications

GASTAT issues publications and reports on the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey on a regular basis within a pre-prepared dissemination plan and is published on GASTAT’s website. GASTAT is keen to publish its publications in a way that serves all users of different types, including publications in different formats that contain (publication tables, data graphs, indicators, and metadata) in both English and Arabic.
The results of the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey are available at: https://www.stats.gov.sa/statistics

On-line database

The data is published on the statistical database:
GASTAT (stats.gov.sa)

Micro-data access 

Microdata are unit-level data obtained from sample surveys, censuses, and administrative systems. They provide information about characteristics of individuals or entities such as: households, business enterprises, facilities, farms, or even geographical areas such as: villages or towns. 
The different types of microdata files to meet different information needs:
•    Public use: 
It consists of sets of records containing information on individuals, households, or business entities anonymized in such a way that the respondent cannot be identified either directly such as: (name, address, contact number, identity number etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents) such as: (age, occupation, education etc.).
•    Scientific use: 
These files established based on specific methodology asked by data requester to extract the datasets with specific characteristics used for strategic studies and decision making as well scientific research purposes on individuals, households and enterprises with no direct identifiers, which have been subject to control methods to protect confidentiality.
Eligible users can access microdata sets through secure interface built-in by GASTAT called “Etaha” with specific documentary requirements.

Other

Not available.

Documentation on methodology

Methodology of the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey:
Concepts, definitions, issues and classifications are based on internationally recognized standards by following the stages of statistical work contained in the General Model of Statistical work procedures (GSBPM) from the stage of identification of need to the stage of evaluation.  
Methodology of the Household Culture and Entertainment

Quality documentation

Quality documentation covers documentation on methods and standards for assessing, measuring, and monitoring the quality of statistical process and output. It is based on standard quality criteria such as relevance, accuracy and reliability, timeliness and punctuality, accessibility and clarity, comparability, and coherence.

Quality management

Quality assurance

GASTAT declares that it considers the following principles: impartiality, user orientated, quality of processes and output, effectiveness of statistical processes, reducing the workload for respondents. 
Quality controls and validation of data are actions carried out throughout the process in different stages such as the data input and data collection and other final controls.

Quality assessment

GASTAT performs all statistical activities according to a national model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final phase of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each phase or sub-process. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality issues related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Relevance 

User needs 

Internal users in the GASTAT for the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey data:
•    Population, gender, and diversity statistics.
Some several external users and beneficiaries greatly benefit from the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey data, including:
•    Government entities.
•    Regional and international organizations.
•    Research institutions.
•    Media.
•    Individuals.
The disseminated key variables used by external users:

User satisfaction

Not available.

Completeness 

The Household Culture and Entertainment Survey data are based on survey data to provide comprehensive information on:
•     Indicators of individuals' participation in cultural activities. 
•    Indicators of individuals' participation in entertainment activities.
 The data is complete.

Accuracy and reliability 

Overall accuracy

•    The data collected is improved through the researchers, that have been selected according to a set of practical and objective criteria and training program related to the field of work.
•    Alert, prevention, and correction rules are applied during the data collection process on the electronic questionnaire for the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey to improve data quality.
•    Data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
•    The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized.
•    The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series is confirmed.

Timeliness and punctuality 

Timeliness 

GASTAT uses the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) issued by the International Monetary Fund. According to this Standard, all statistics agencies are required to publish data on an annual basis, and with a delay of not more than mid of year (180 days) after the end of the reference period. If the data are from different source, they may be published in a different frequency.

Punctuality

The publication is done according to the publication dates in the statistical calendar published for the Household Income and Expenditure Survey on the website page of the General Authority for Statistics.
The data are available at the expected time, as scheduled in the statistical release calendar, If the publication is delayed, reasons shall be provided.

Coherence and comparability

Comparability - geographical

Data is fully geographically comparable.

Comparability - over time 

The survey began in 2018 as a survey conducted every three years, and it monitors the major changes that have occurred in recent years.
•    2021:
 The survey was not carried out due to the presence of the Corona crisis.
•    2023:
The survey frequency was changed to become annual, and the questionnaire was developed to be more comprehensive.

Coherence- cross domain 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics 

Not applicable. 

Coherence- National Accounts 

Not applicable. 

Coherence - internal 

the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey estimates have full internal coherence, as they are all based on the same corpus of microdata, and they are calculated using the same estimation methods.

Used Resources

Data revision

Data revision - policy

only final results will be published.

data revision- practice

only final results will be published.

Statistical processing

Source data

The Household Culture and Entertainment Survey is the only source of data.
The main published variables of  the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey data are:
•    Nationality.
•    Sex.
•    Administrative regions 

Frequency of data collection 

Annual.

Data collection

Data collection from the survey:
Data for the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey is collected from a sample of Saudi and non-Saudi individuals aged 15 and older through computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI).
They will be stored in the authority's databases after auditing and reviewing according to established statistical methods and recognized quality standards, with reference to the data source in case any errors are discovered or if there are any observations regarding the data.

Data validation

Data are reviewed and matched to ensure their accuracy and precision in a way that suits their nature with the aim of giving the presented statistics quality and accuracy. 
The data of the current year publication are compared with the data of the previous year to ensure their integrity and consistency in preparation for processing data and extracting and reviewing results.
In addition to the data processing and tabulation to check their accuracy, all the outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by GASTAT to be reviewed and processed by specialists in Living Conditions, Lifestyles and Justice Statistics Department through modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.

Data compilation

Data Coding:
Interviewers in the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey collect from respondents, a detailed description of each field. This information is then coded in-house by an automated process, which is reviewed by a small-dedicated team of coding experts using a series of consistency checks.
Data editing:
Specialists of Living Conditions, Lifestyles and Justice Statistics Department have processed and analyzed data in this stage, and this step was based on the following measures:
•    Sorting and arranging data in groups or different categories in a serial order.
•    Summarizing detailed data into key points or data.
•    Combining many data segments and ensuring their interconnection.
•    Processing incomplete or missing data.
•    Processing illogical data.
•    Converting data into statistically significant data.
•    Arranging, presenting, and interpreting data.
Extrapolation and weighting: 
After processing the data collected from respondents, survey weights were generated to produce indicator tables by following two main steps in creating survey weights:
•    Adjustment of non-response.
•    Calibration weight
Applied statistical estimation:
GASTAT has relied on the formulas approved by the international standards in calculating the key indicators for the Household Culture and Entertainment Survey as follows:
•    Percentage of individuals attending cultural activities = (Number of individuals who attended any cultural activities / Total number of individuals) * 100
•    Percentage of individuals attending entertainment activities = (Number of individuals who attended any entertainment activities / Total number of individuals) * 100

Adjustment

Not applicable, only final results will be published.