TESTING SELF-REPORT TIME-USE DIARIES AGAINST OBJECTIVE INSTRUMENTS IN REAL TIME

This study provides a new test of time-use diary methodology, comparing diaries with a pair of objective criterion measures: wearable cameras and accelerometers. A volunteer sample of respondents (n = 148) completed conventional self-report paper time-use diaries using the standard UK Harmonised Eur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inSociological methodology Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 318 - 349
Main Authors Gershuny, Jonathan, Harms, Teresa, Doherty, Aiden, Thomas, Emma, Milton, Karen, Kelly, Paul, Foster, Charlie
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA Sage Publications, Inc 01.08.2020
SAGE Publications
American Sociological Association
Subjects
Accelerometers
Activities of daily living
Approaches to Longitudinal Data Analysis and Measurement
Autobiographical literature
Cameras
Diaries
Exercise
Self report
Time use
data calibration
time-use diary
wearable camera
accelerometer
physical activity
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Summary:This study provides a new test of time-use diary methodology, comparing diaries with a pair of objective criterion measures: wearable cameras and accelerometers. A volunteer sample of respondents (n = 148) completed conventional self-report paper time-use diaries using the standard UK Harmonised European Time Use Study (HETUS) instrument. On the diary day, respondents wore a camera that continuously recorded images of their activities during waking hours (approximately 1,500–2,000 images/day) and also an accelerometer that tracked their physical activity continuously throughout the 24-hour period covered by the diary. Of the initial 148 participants recruited, 131 returned usable diary and camera records, of whom 124 also provided a usable whole-day accelerometer record. The comparison of the diary data with the camera and accelerometer records strongly supports the use of diary methodology at both the aggregate (sample) and individual levels. It provides evidence that time-use data could be used to complement physical activity questionnaires for providing population-level estimates of physical activity. It also implies new opportunities for investigating techniques for calibrating metabolic equivalent of task (MET) attributions to daily activities using large-scale, population-representative time-use diary studies.
ISSN:0081-1750
1467-9531
DOI:10.1177/0081175019884591