Statistics Estonia

Population and Social Statistics Department

Tatari 51, Tallinn, Estonia 10134

The EU survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals is an annual survey conducted since 2002. In Estonia, the survey has been conducted since the year 2014.

In 2022, the survey collects data on the access to information and communication technologies (ICT), on the use of the internet, e-government, e-commerce, internet of things, as well as green ICT.

Estonian: Infotehnoloogia leibkonnas

English: Information technology in households

The following common concepts and definitions apply under the Integrated European Social Statistics (IESS):

• the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 2011 published in the following breakdowns: low (ISCED levels 0-2: no formal education, primary education or lower secondary education), medium (ISCED levels 3-4: upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education) and high (ISCED levels 5-6: tertiary programmes which normally need a successful completion of ISCED 3 or 4, or second-stage tertiary education leading to an advanced research qualification);
• the International Standard Classification for Occupation ISCO-08 at the 2-digit level;
• the Classification of Economic Activities (NACE Rev.2-2008), at section level;
• the Common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS), at NUTS 3 level;
• the SCL - Geographical code list;
• information about household income is provided at lower level of detail. 

Additional classifications used in the national questionnaire: 

The Estonian Classification of Economic Activities (EMTAK) is the national version of the international harmonised NACE classification.

Estonian Administrative and Settlement Classification (EHAK)is meant for identifying territorial units. Each classification object has a unique four-digit code. 

The ICT survey in households and by individuals covers those households having at least one member in the age group 16 to 74 years old. Internet access of households refers to the percentage of households that have an internet access, so that anyone in the household could use the internet.

Deviations are not observed

The survey is collecting data of internet users, individuals who have used the internet in the three months prior to the survey. Regular internet users are individuals who used the internet, on average, at least once a week in the three months prior to the survey.

This annual survey is used to benchmark ICT-driven developments, both by following developments for core variables over time and by looking in greater depth at other aspects at a specific point in time. While the survey initially concentrated on access and connectivity issues, its scope has subsequently been extended to cover a variety of subjects (for example, the use of e-government and e-commerce) and socio-economic analysis (such as regional diversity, gender specificity, differences in age, education and the employment situation). The scope of the survey with respect to different technologies is also adapted so as to cover new product groups and means of delivering communication technologies to end-users.

For more details on the methodology applicable in each survey year, please consult the Methodological Manual for the respective year on CIRCABC - Methodological Manual - Information society statistics (europa.eu).

Deviations from standard ICT concepts:

No observed deviations 

Households and Individuals

In the ICT usage survey, the target population for the different statistical units is:

- individuals: all individuals aged 16 to 74;

- households: all (private) households with at least one member aged 16 to 74. 

Target population composed of households and/or individuals:

• Number of households:  561 655
• Number of individuals:  975 717

Non-compulsory age groups also included in the target population:

Entire territory of Estonia.

Year 2022

Not applicable

Percentages of ‘Households’ and Percentages of ‘Individuals’

Mainly - last three months before the interview time (Jan – Jun 2022)

Partly – last 12 months

CAWI:  1.04.2022 – 30.04.2022

CATI:   1.05.2022 – 30.06.2022

The legal basis for the 2022 EU survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals is the Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 October 2019 establishing a common framework for European statistics relating to persons and households, based on data at individual level collected from samples (OJ  L 261 I, 14.10.2019, p. 1), as implemented by the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1223 of 27 July 2021 specifying the technical items of the data set, establishing the technical formats for transmission of information and specifying the detailed arrangements and content of the quality reports on the organisation of a sample survey in the use of information and communication technologies domain for reference year 2022 pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 2269, 27.07.2021, pp. 1-45).

Complementary national legislation constituting the legal basis for the survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals:  Official Statistics Act

Not applicable.

The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided in § 34 and § 35 of the Official Statistics Act.

The treatment of confidential data is regulated by the Procedure for Protection of Data Collected and Processed by Statistics Estonia.

Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website. On 1 October each year, the release times of the Statistical Database, news releases, main indicators by IMF SDDS and publications are announced in the release calendar (in case of publications – the release month).

https://www.stat.ee/en/calendar

All users have been granted an equal access to official statistics: this means that the dissemination dates of official statistics have to be announced in advance and no user category (including Eurostat, state authorities and mass media) can have access to the official statistics (results of official statistical surveys) before other users. Statistical information is first published in the Statistical Database. In case a news release is published based on the same data, the information provided in the relevant news release is simultaneously published in the Statistical Database. Official statistics are available on the website at 8.00 a.m. on the date announced in the release calendar.

Annual

There was one press release regarding the survey conducted in 2022. The news can be found under the following link: https://www.stat.ee/en/node/258577

Not applicable

Statistical database: https://andmed.stat.ee/et/stat

Not applicable.

The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 34, § 35, § 36, § 37, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act.
Microdata accessibility and anonymisation rules are regulated by "Procedure for transmission of confidential data for scientific purposes".

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

https://www.stat.ee/et/avasta-statistikat/metoodika-ja-kvaliteet/esms-metaandmed/20506

Not available

Official Statistics Act §7 on "Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics"

To assure the quality of processes and products, Statistics Estonia applies the EFQM Excellence Model, EU Statistics Code of Practice and the ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF). Statistics Estonia is also guided by the requirements provided for in § 7. "Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics" of the Official Statistics Act.

Statistics Estonia performs all statistical activities according to an international 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 can take many forms, including feedback from users, process metadata, system metrics and suggestions from employees. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report which outlines all the quality problems related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Main strengths:

• The data is comparable from 2014 and onwards;
• The data is used by the media, several organisations (e.g. Information System Authority, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Economic Affairs)

Comparability: The methodology has changed and several questions were previously asked about the last 12 months of digital activities and now about the last 3 months

• Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
• Ministry of Education and Research
• Information Aystem Authority

Users need the following information: cyber security, awareness of security risks, digital skills development.

Since 1996 Statistics Estonia conducts reputation surveys and user surveys. 
All results are available on the website https://www.stat.ee/en/statistics-estonia/about-us/user-surveys 

All of the variables required for transmission have been included in the microdata.

100% 

The type of survey and the data collection methods ensure sufficient coverage and timeliness.

The estimation method for the sampling error used is the Taylor linearization. The equation for the sampling error is described in the document available in the annexes below.

No specific tool is used and no specific effects are taken into account when estimating the sampling error. 

The sampling method used for the ICT survey is the Model Assisted Survey Sampling (Särndal, Swensson, Wretman, 1991).

The estimates that are based on less than 20 persons in the sample are considered as not sufficiently reliable. All indicators in annex table 13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators are based on more than 20 persons, therefore are reliable.

Precision estimates for the question "Individuals having ordered goods or services for private use over the internet in the last 12 months" (individuals who ticked 'Within the last 3 months' or 'Between 3 months and a year ago' in question D1 of the 2022 model questionnaire):

Number of respondents (absolute value for ‘Yes’ answers):   2781

Estimated proportion (in %):   70.8% 

Standard error (in percentage points):   0.72%

Details of the breakdowns are available in the Table 13.2.1 in the Excel file "SIMS_2022_annexes_EE" available in the Annexes. 

See more details on non-sampling error below.

Not available

Not available

Not requested in the ICT survey.

1)       Measurement errors:  

The IT terms are difficult for older respondents to understand. 

2)       Questionnaire design and testing:  

Cognitive interviews are conducted before designing new questions.

3)       Interviewer training:  

All interviewers receive both substantive and technical training.

4)      Proxy interview rates:  0%

Information about non-respondents: Not available

The unit response rate is the ratio of the number of in-scope respondents (= the number of achieved interviews or the net sample size to the number of eligible elements selected from the sampling frame).

Unit non-response rate for

• Households:   36.6
• Individuals (aged 16-74):  36.6

Comments: The proportion of CAWI interviews has continuously increased since the beginning of the survey. In 2022 the CAWI portion was 34.5%, which is the highest since the beginning of the survey. The respondents, who do not complete the survey in CAWI will be contacted by phone - the proportion of those respondents was 4.7% in 2022. The CATI proportion of the interviews was 60.8%.

1)       Methods used for dealing with unit non-response:  

Non-response correction weights are applied to compensate different response probabilities.

2)       Methods used for minimizing unit non-response: 

The improvements of our contact databases and registers, effective interviewers’ trainings and gifts for respondents are used to reduce the unit non-response. To respond, each respondent will receive an email (if an e-mail is available) and a paper notification letter. If the respondent does not answer the questionnaire, up to 7 reminder letters will be sent. If the telephone call is not answered, the CATI interviewer will call the respondent's different telephone numbers up to 5 times.

3)       Substitution permitted: No

4)       Substitution rate (in %):  0%

Items with low response rates (observed rates in %):  Not available

Not available

Not requested for ICT Survey

Not available

The data has been published at the time announced in the release calendar.

The data has been published at the time announced in the release calendar.

At Estonian level, the data is geographically comparable across the counties and Tallinn. At European level, the data is geographically comparable by country, population density and rate of urbanisation. The questions and concepts used in the survey, and the data are comparable with the European level; differences occur only in Estonian national questions.

Not relevant

Possible limitations in the use of data for comparisons over time:  

The data is comparable over time. The differences in data from 2013 and 2014 can be caused by changes in methodology due to transition from survey conducted as part of the Labour Force Survey to a separate survey.

In 2021, the way of collecting economic activity of the local unit for the main job changed. Previously, the questionnaire asked about the economic activity of the job, in 2021 this data was taken from the register.

The length of comparable time series depends on the module and variable considered within each of the modules of the survey.

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

All statistics is coherent within the dataset

MANDATORY questions in the Eurostat model questionnaire 2022:

The table in the annex lists the questions that do not reflect the coverage of subjects and characteristics of Annex 2 of the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1898 of the 20 July 2021. 

Adoption of OPTIONAL questions and items in the Eurostat model questionnaire 2022:

The table in the annex lists the optional questions from the annual Eurostat model questionnaire 2022 included in the national questionnaire and their coverage for age groups beyond the standard scope. 

Additional questions introduced in the national questionnaire:

The file for the additional questions is added as an annex - 15.4.3 Additional questions introduced in the national questionnaire 2022.

Effects of deviations from the routing used in the Eurostat model questionnaire:  All statistics is coherent within the datasets

The data revision policy and notification of corrections are described in the section Principles of dissemination of official statistics of the website of Statistics Estonia.

The published data may be revised if the methodology is modified, errors are discovered, new or better data become available.

Not relevant

The source of the raw data is described with more details in the paragraphs below.

The sampling frame is based on the population and housing census and the population register of Estonia. The individuals under 16 or over 74, individuals with addresses abroad or institutionalized individuals are excluded from the sample. 

The sample from the population register is taken as of the 1st of January of the survey year. 

The objects in the sample are divided into four strata. The strata are based on the population size of the 15 counties of Estonia and Tallinn (I – Tallinn, II – four bigger counties, III – ten smaller counties, IV – Hiiu county) and different inclusion probabilities are used in stratas, the highest being for Hiiu county.

The survey is voluntary for the individual.

Since the year 2014 the survey has been a stand-alone survey. Prior to that the survey was included as a module in the Labour Force Survey.  

The sampling design for the survey is a stratified systematic sampling of individuals, whose households are included in the sample. 

The stratification of the sample is based on the population size and different inclusion probabilities of the counties in Estonia and of Tallinn. The 15 counties of Estonia and Tallinn are divided into four strata according to the population size (I – Tallinn, II – four bigger counties, III – ten smaller counties, IV – Hiiu county) and different inclusion probabilities are used in stratas, the highest being for Hiiu county.

Every sampled individual will answer the questions regarding the household and the individual themselves. Only one member of the household is interviewed. 

The individuals in sample taken from the population register of Estonia that were included in the sample of the ICT survey of the previous year will be excluded from the sample. 

Annual

1) Methods used to gather data:

CAWI and CATI

2) Short description of the survey method: 

CAWI 34.5%, CAWI+CATI 4.7%, CATI 60.8%

3) Variables completed from an external source: 

The data on loss of capacity for work and on degree of disability are received from the Social Insurance Board.

The data on a person’s highest level of education completed according to ISCED 2011 (International Standard Classification of Education) are received from Statistics Estonia’s population base (which is based on educational data of different national registers).

The data on a person’s ethnic nationality, citizenship and country of birth are received from the statistical person’s register of Statistics Estonia (which is based on data of different national registers).

Arithmetic and qualitative controls are used in the validation process, including comparison with other data. Before data dissemination, the internal coherence of the data is checked.

In the case of missing or unreliable data, estimate imputation based on established regulations will be used.

Variables and statistical units which were not collected but which are necessary for producing the output are calculated or linked with the help of statistical register of persons. New variables are calculated by applying arithmetic conversion to already existing variables. This may be done repeatedly, the derived variable may, in turn, be based on previously derived new variables.

Weights are calculated for statistical units and the data collected by a sample survey are expanded to the whole population.

Microdata are aggregated to the level necessary for analysis. This includes aggregation of the data according to the classification and calculating various statistical measures, e.g. average, median, dispersion, etc. Only estimates which are based on 20 or more respondents are published.

The collected data is converted into a statistical output. This includes calculating additional indicators.

For the target indicator "Individuals having ordered goods or services for private use over the internet in the last 12 months" (individuals who ticked 'Within the last 3 months' or 'Between 3 months and a year ago' in question D1 of the 2022 model questionnaire):

Imputation rate (% of observations): 0%

Imputation rate (share of estimate): 0%

Methods used to impute item non-response: 

Deductive imputation (regression with IVEware) for household income range and Hot-deck for household income total sum.

Grossing up procedures have been applied to: 'Households' and 'Individuals'

Description of the weighting procedures:

For households: The weights are formed in a sequence of steps. A weight resulting from the previous step is multiplied by the correction factor calculated at the current step. The correction factors are scaled in such a way that their sample average is unity at each step. As a result, the final weight is a product of the initial weight and correction factors. Also the calibration of the corrected weights is done. The three steps of calculating the weights are:

1. Calculating design weights. Design weight depends on the different inclusion probability due to stratification and due to household size. Design weight is inverse of the inclusion probability.

2. Non-response correction. Design weights are corrected according to different response probabilities according to place of residence (county and urban/rural), sex and 5-year age group.

3. Calibration of non-response corrected weights according to demographic data. Variables for calibration are sex and 5-year age group, place of residence (county and urban/rural).

For individuals: The grossing up procedure for individuals is similar to households. Inclusion probability of household depends on the size of the household. Individual non-response corrected weight is calculated by multiplying weight of respective household by household size.

Not relevant

Not relevant