American Time Use Survey


The American Time Use Survey, sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and conducted by the United States Census Bureau, is a time-use survey which provides measures of the amounts of time people spend on various activities, including working, leisure, childcare, and household activities. The survey has been conducted annually since 2003.

Methodology

Eligible survey participants are households that have completed all eight months of the Current Population Survey. Of the eligible households, those representing a range of demographic characteristics are selected to participate in the survey. Between 2–5 months after the household's eighth and final CPS interview, one randomly-selected person of at least fifteen years of age is selected from each household to be interviewed for the ATUS and asked questions about their time use.

Sample size

Since December 2003, the ATUS sample has been 2,190 households per month. The ATUS sample was initially 3,375 households per month, but was reduced to lower costs. The selected households are categorized into one of twelve strata based on race/ethnicity and household type.

Data

The ATUS data includes:
From 2005–2010, the ATUS included questions relating to overnight trips. In January 2011, the overnight trips questions were replaced by questions relating to eldercare.

Modules

The ATUS sometimes includes special questions, called modules, at the end of the interview. The ATUS added an Eating & Health module from 2006–2008 and 2014–2016, a Well-Being Module in 2010, 2012, and 2013, and a Leave module, relating to workers' access to leave, in 2011.

Data uses

ATUS data is used by the Bureau of Economic Analysis to account for the value of household production, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics in their Passenger Travel: Facts and Figures report, and the Economic Research Service to examine how time use patterns of eating affect health.
ATUS data has also been used to help research worker productivity, social isolation, and how working parents balance the activities in their lives.