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Appendix 1a: Summary of HILDA Survey Content, Waves 1 to 6

The following tables provide a guide to topics covered in the HILDA Survey across the first six waves. If you are interested in which specific variables are available each waves, you should refer to the cross-wave index provided with the documentation on Release 6 of the HILDA DVD.

HOUSEHOLD FORM Wave
1 2 3 4 5 6
SexA X X X X X X
Date of birthA X X X X X X
Fraction of time spent living at address X          
English language ability of household members X          
Disabilities of household members X X X X X X
Marital status of household members X          
Employment status of household members X   X X X X
Household relationships X X X X X X
Entrants – reasons for, and date of, joining household   X X   X X
Movers – reasons for, and date of, leaving household   X X X X X
  A Pre–printed in Wave 2 onwards. Back to where you were

 

HOUSEHOLD QUESTIONNAIRE Wave
1 2 3 4 5 6
Child Care            
Difficulties with child care (12 itemsB) X X X X X X
Care during school term time – hours and cost by type XC X X X X X
Care during school holidays – hours and cost by type XC X X X X X
Care for children not yet at school while working – hours and cost by type XC X X X X X
Care while not working – hours and cost by typeD   X X X X X
Receipt of Child Care Benefit X X X X X X
Receipt of Family Tax Benefit     X X X X
Housing            
No. of bedrooms X X X X X X
Ownership status X X X X X X
Landlord type X X X X X X
Rent payments X X X X X X
Boarders X X X X X X
How housing provided if live rent free X X X X X X
Notional rent (if live rent free) X X X X X X
Dwelling typeE X X X X X X
Condition of dwelling (interviewer assessed)E X X X X X  
Housing Wealth            
Owner IDs and share owned   X       X
First home buyer X X        
Year home purchased   X       X
Purchase price of home   X       X
Current value of home X X X X X X
Value of housing debt X X X X X X
Value of housing loans repayments X X X X X X
Year expect housing loan to be paid off X X X X X X
Value of initial housing loans   X       X
Value of housing loan when last refinanced           X
Other Household Assets [special module]            
Value of other properties   X       X
Value of equity investments   X       X
Value of trust funds   X       X
Value of children’s bank accounts   X       X
Value of other cash–type investments   X       X
Value of business assets   X       X
Value of vehicles   X       X
Value of life insurance   X       X
Value of collectibles   X       X
Other Household Debts [special module]            
Value of business debt   X       X
Overdue household bills           X
Other            
Number of motor vehicles X          
Weekly expenditure on groceries / foodF X   X X X  
Weekly expenditure on meals outF X   X X X  
Adequacy of household income X          
Total household income (bands)       X X X
  B One item added from Wave 3 onwards. Back to where you were
  C In Wave 1 all child care items related to employment–related child care, with questions restricted to households where all carers in household were employed. Back to where you were
  D Questions split by school–aged children and children not yet at school from Wave 5 onwards. Back to where you were
  E Collected as part of the Household Form in Wave 1. Back to where you were
  F These expenditure itesm are collected in the Self–Completion Questionnaire from Wave 6 onwards. Back to where you were

 

CONTINUING PERSON QUESTIONNAIRE Wave
1 2 3 4 5 6
Country of birth & language            
Country of birth X     X    
Year of arrival X     X    
English as first language X          
Aboriginality X          
Australian citizenship       X    
Permanent residence       X    
New Zealand citizen prior to arrival       X    
Refugee       X    
Visa category [recent arrivals only]       X    
Family background            
Lived with parents at age 14 X          
Why not living with parents X          
Parents ever separated / divorced X          
Age at time of separation X          
Age left home X          
Siblings X          
Whether eldest sibling or not X          
Father’s / mother’s country of birth X          
Father’s / mother’s occupation X          
Father’s unemployment experience X          
Father’s education         X  
Mother’s education         X  
Education            
Study status X X X X X X
Year left school X X X X X X
Type of school last attended X X X X X X
Qualifications studying for   X X X X X
Qualifications completed X X X X X X
Date completed qualification   X X X X X
Country in which completed qualification X X X X X X
Employment history & status            
Years since left FT education X          
Years in paid work X          
Years unemployed X          
Years out of labour force X          
Main activity when not in labour force X          
Employment status – ABS definition (9 questions) XG X X X X X
Current employment            
Usual weekly hours of work – all jobs X X X X X X
Preferred weekly hours of work – all jobs X X X X X X
Reasons for working part-time hours X X X X X X
Multiple job holding X X X X X X
Usual weekly hours of work – main job X X X X X X
Days of the week workedH X X X X X X
Shiftwork X X X X X X
Occupation X X X X X X
Occupation change   X X X X X
Occupation experience X X X X X X
Job tenure X X X X X X
Industry X X X X X X
Working at home (3 questions) X X X X X X
Trade union membership X X X X X X
Paid holiday leave X X X X X X
Paid sick leave X X X X X X
Employment contract type X X X X X X
Expectation of contract renewal X          
Labour hire X X X X X X
Expected quit probability X X X X X X
Expected dismissal probability X X X X X X
Expected probability of finding another job X X X X X X
Work–related training (3 questions)     X X X X
PAYE tax status X X X X X X
Supervisory responsibilities X X X X X X
Employer type X X X X X X
Workplace size X X X X X X
Firm size X X X X X X
Job satisfaction (6 items) X X X X X X
Job search while employed X X X X X X
Intended age of retirement X   X     X
Reason for ceasing last job   X X X X X
Characteristics of a previous job (5 items)   X X X X X
Persons not in paid employment            
Job search activity X X X X X X
Looking for work – When began looking for work X X X X X X
Looking for work – Hours spent in job search in last week   X X X X X
Looking for work – Intensive Assistance X X X X X X
Looking for work – Availability to start work X X X X X X
Looking for work – Difficulties finding a job X X X X X X
Looking for work – Number of job offers X X X X X X
Not looking for work – Main activity X X X X X X
Not looking for work – Preference to work X X X X X X
Not looking for work – Reasons for not looking X X X X X X
Not looking for work – Availability to start work X X X X X X
Reservation wage X X X X X X
Desired hours of work X X X X X X
Expected probability of finding a job X X X X X X
Reason for ceasing last job X X X X X X
Characteristics of a previous job (5 items) X X X X X X
Work–related training (3 questions)           X
Whether retired X X X     X
Year / age retired X X X     X
Age plan to retire X X X     X
Labour market calendar X X X X X X
Leave taking         X X
Mutual Obligation activity X X X X X X
Income            
Current wage and salary income X X X X X X
Current income from government benefits X X X X X X
Financial year income by source X X X X X X
Credit card use and payment strategy X X X X X X
Wealth [special module]            
Bank accounts   X       X
Credit card debt   X       X
Other debts   X       X
Superannuation   X       X
Home and property ownership history           X
Unpaid personal bills           X
Family Formation            
Number of children X X X X X X
Non-resident children characteristics X X X X X X
Financial support for non-resident children X X X X X X
Amount of contact with youngest non-resident child X X X X X X
Employment status of other parent     X X X X
Resident children characteristics X X X X X X
Financial support from other parent X X X X X X
Amount of contact other parent has with youngest child X X X X X X
Employment status of other parent     X X X X
Desire to have another child X X X X X X
Likelihood of having another child X X X X X X
Number of additional children intend to have X X X X X X
Year intend to have next child   X     X  
Fertility [Special module]            
Partner/self currently pregnant         X  
Time stopped/started work pre/post birth of baby         X  
Use of birth control         X  
Partnering / Relationships            
Changes in marital status   X X X X X
Current marital status X X X X X X
Current living circumstances   X X X X X
Single persons – Likelihood of marriage X X X X X X
De facto relationships – Year relationship started X X X X X X
Number of other de facto relationships   X X X X X
Retirement [special module]     X      
Health / Disability            
Whether has disability / health condition X X X X X X
Type of disability     X X X X
Whether disability commenced in last year X X   X X X
Year of onset of disability     X      
Impact of disability on work (2 questions) X X X X X X
Difficulties as a result of disability (3 questions)       X    
Need for help / supervision (4 questions)       X    
Use of aids       X    
Home modifications       X    
Employment difficulties       X    
Education difficulties       X    
DVA Treatment Entitlements Card       X    
Private health insurance (8 questions)       X    
Hospital visits in past 12 months (7 questions)     &n