Multistate Demographic Accounts: Measurement and Estimation Procedures

Abstract

Accounting frameworks developed in the field of economics are applied to the problem of measuring changes-in-state of populations. Examples of accounts in the educational sector, in the job market, and in a regional system are described. Proper estimation of multistate demographic accounts involves attention to data sources, much initial estimation of variables, construction of a model to estimate missing items, and use of the possible constraints on the accounts matrix. These steps in accounts estimation are illustrated for a set of accounts for British regions for 1970–1976. Data are assembled for a base period, 1970–1971. Alternative methods of constructing accounts are tested by running the estimation model in projective mode for 1971–1976. One method is selected and used to complete the set of accounts.