03112015Wed
Last updateFri, 06 Mar 2015 4pm

Census takers gear up for four-week household surveys

Personnel employed by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) will hit the streets Monday, March 2 to initiate a four-week survey covering 6.1 million home addresses nationwide.  The program will encompass door-to-door visits in target neighborhoods, subdivisions and gated communities located in Guadalajara and the Lake Chapala area, including the homes of full and part-time expatriate residents.

The purpose of the Encuesta Intercensal survey is to collect a sampling of fresh data to update and complement information gathered in the 2010 national census. Compiled information will reflect current population distribution by age and gender, socio-economic profiles of the nation’s inhabitants, and the characteristics and conditions of their abodes, critical for defining government programs, policies, and decision-making.

In the hope that foreign residents (particularly those living in the Lake Chapala area) will participate in the midterm statistical exercise, regional Inegi coordinator Joaquín Silva Aguilar contacted the Reporter to provide readers with basic information on what to expect if  the agency’s canvassers knock on your door. 

He stressed that all census takers may be easily identified by their distinctive uniforms comprising a vest, cap and backback bearing Inegi insignia. In addition, each one will show an individual  photo ID badge worn around the neck that includes his or her name, personal CURP code number and a hologram seal.  To verify the authenticity of the ID, you may call 01-800-111-4634 or consult the website www.inegi.org.mx. 

Those who agree to taking part in the survey should anticipate spending approximately 45 minutes to respond to the questionnaire.  Silva indicated that English-speaking personnel or a written translation should be available to facilitate the process for persons who are not fluent in Spanish. 

The battery of questions will include the number, age, gender and family ties of persons living in each domicile visited, as well as their ethnic background, native language, education level, occupation, dietary habits, access to health care services and other details of daily life.

The second part of survey delves into specific characteristics of the home, such as its size, type of building materials, content of household appliances, access to utilities and public services, and  usage of electronic communications. 

Survey participants are asked not to give their names or other sensitive personal information to protect privacy and assure strict confidentiality.

The local encuesta will be conducted in selected neighborhoods of Chapala and its satellite communities, along with fraccionamientos and condo complexes such as La Floresta, Villa Formosa, Chula Vista Norte, Las Brisas, Nueva Chapala  and Los Galapagos, among others.