Quality Statement
Sexual identity refers to the ways in which a person thinks of their sexuality and which terms they identify with. It is one aspect of sexual orientation, which also includes sexual attraction and sexual behaviour. These three aspects are related to each other and can change independently.
Poor quality
Data quality processes section below has more detail on the rating.
Priority level 3
A priority level is assigned to all census concepts: priority 1, 2, or 3 (with 1 being highest and 3 being the lowest priority).
‘Sexual identity’ is a priority 3 concept. Priority level 3 concepts are given third priority in terms of quality, time, and resources across all phases of the census. Priority level 3 concepts are those that are:
- data that census would not be solely run for, and information about population groups that could not be captured without being in a census
- data that is important to certain groups
- data that can be used to create sampling frames for other surveys.
Sexual identity has no historical priority level as it is a new concept in the 2023 Census.
The 2023 Census: Final content report has more information on priority ratings for census concepts.
Census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over
‘Subject population’ means the people, families, households, or dwellings that the variable applies to.
Sexual identity is classified into the following categories:
Census Statistical classification of sexual identity V2.0.0 - level 1 of 2
| Code | Category |
| 1 | Heterosexual |
| 2 | Homosexual |
| 3 | Bisexual |
| 5 | Sexual identity not elsewhere classified |
| 6 | Prefer not to say |
| 9 | Not elsewhere included |
Sexual identity uses a 2-level hierarchical classification with level 1 presented in the table above.
The level 1 residual category ‘Not elsewhere included’ contains the level 2 residual categories ‘Don’t know’, ‘Response unidentifiable’, ‘Response outside scope’ and ‘Not stated’.
Follow the link above the table to examine the classification in more detail.
Standards and classifications has more information on what classifications are, how they are reviewed, where they are stored, and how to provide feedback on them.
Sexual identity data is collected from the individual form (question 29 paper form).
In the 2023 Census, new questions were introduced asking gender, sex at birth, sexual identity, and variations of sex characteristics.
There were differences in the way a person could respond between the modes of collection (online and paper forms).
On the online form:
- respondents could only select one answer.
On the paper form:
- respondents could fill in multiple conflicting answers.
Data from the online forms may therefore be of higher overall quality than data from paper forms. However, processing checks and edits were in place to improve the quality of the paper form data.
Stats NZ Store House has samples for both the individual and dwelling paper forms.
Data from this variable is used to:
- give a representative picture of the diversity of the New Zealand population
- provide data to assist people in advocating for the needs of their communities
- inform planning, service provision, and policy development by central and local government
- understand how wellbeing and outcomes differ between people of different sexual identities.
The table below shows the distribution of data sources for sexual identity data. All data was from census forms as no alternative data sources were available.
| Data sources for sexual identity data, as a percentage of census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over, 2023 Census | |
|---|---|
| Source of sexual identity data | Percent |
| 2023 Census response | 84.4 |
| Historical census | 0.0 |
| Admin data | 0.0 |
| Deterministic derivation | 0.0 |
| Statistical imputation | 0.0 |
| No information | 15.6 |
| Total | 100.0 |
| Note: Due to rounding, individual figures may not always sum to the stated total(s) or score contributions. | |
Editing, data sources, and imputation in the 2023 Census has more information around how data sources are improved by editing.
Missing and residual responses represent data gaps where respondents either did not provide answers (missing responses) or provided answers that were not valid (residual responses).
Percentage of ‘Not stated’ for the census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over:
- 2023: 15.6 percent
For output purposes, the residual category responses are grouped with ‘Not stated’ and are classified as ‘Not elsewhere included’.
Percentage of ‘Not elsewhere included’ for the census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over:
- 2023: 16.0 percent
Overall quality rating: Poor
Data has been analysed to assess whether it meets quality standards and is suitable for use.
Three quality metrics contributed to the overall quality rating:
- data sources and coverage
- consistency and coherence
- accuracy of response.
The lowest rated metric determines the overall quality rating.
Data quality assurance in the 2023 Census provides more information on the quality rating scale.
Data sources and coverage: Poor quality
The quality of all the data sources that contribute to the output for the variable have been assessed. To calculate data sources and coverage quality score for a variable, each data source is rated and multiplied by the proportion it contributes to the total output.
The rating for a valid census response is defined as 1.00. Ratings for other sources are the best estimates available of their quality relative to a census response. Each source that contributes to the output for that variable is then multiplied by the proportion it contributes to the total output. The total score then determines the metric rating according to the following range:
- 0.98–1.00 = very high
- 0.95–<0.98 = high
- 0.90–<0.95 = moderate
- 0.75–<0.90 = poor
- <0.75 = very poor.
There were no alternative data sources or imputation used for this variable. The high level of ‘No information’ means it has received a data sources and coverage rating of poor.
| Data sources and coverage rating calculation for sexual identity data, census usually resident population count aged 15 years and over, 2023 Census | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Source of sexual identity data | Rating | Percent | Score contribution |
| 2023 Census response | 1.00 | 84.39 | 0.84 |
| No information | 0.00 | 15.61 | 0.00 |
| Total | 100.00 | 0.84 | |
| Note: Due to rounding, individual figures may not always sum to stated total(s) or score contributions. | |||
Consistency and coherence: Moderate quality
As sexual identity was collected for the first time in the 2023 Census, there is no census time series data to compare it with. Comparisons to inform understanding of consistency and coherence took into consideration other sources of this concept, such as other Stats NZ household surveys and the New Zealand Health survey (Ministry of Health NZ). These surveys are interviewer-administered, compared with the census which is a self-complete survey.
Overall, the data for this concept is in line with other comparable data sources, with some differences observed, likely due to differences in collection format and the output subject population. As this is the first collection of this data in the census, it will provide a baseline for further comparison.
Accuracy of responses rating: Very high quality
The data has no data quality issues that have an observable effect on the data. The quality of coding is very high. Any issues with the variable appear in a very low number of cases (typically less than a hundred).
Sexual identity information from the census is suitable for use at higher levels of geography, such as nationally, by regional council and by territorial authority and local board. It can be cross-tabulated with other census concepts at these higher levels of geography.
Where low level analysis is undertaken, data users should be aware of the levels of missing information in smaller geographic areas (statistical area 2 or below) or demographic groupings, due to the absence of alternatively sourced information for this concept and potentially small numbers.
Due to the small size of the groupings of ‘bisexual’, ‘homosexual’, and ‘sexual identity not elsewhere classified’ (ranging from 0.6 to 2.4 percent of the stated population at a national level), some caution is recommended when analysing these categories in detail, as counts may be impacted by levels of the census response for relevant groupings.
Data for sexual identity is also available through the Rainbow/LGBTIQ+ indicator.
Comparisons to other data sources
Comparing 2023 Census sexual identity data with other data sources should be done with care. Consideration needs to be made for the differences between collections, such as the census being a self-completed questionnaire.
Sexual identity is a new concept in the 2023 Census.
Contact our Information centre for further information about using this concept.
