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Data Element Detail

Person-main language other than English spoken at home (ASCL 2016)
Identifying and Definitional Attributes
QH 040848 v2
Data Element
Data Element
Draft
06-Dec-2017		Current
30-Jan-2018
Standard
Information Management Strategic Governance Committee (IMSGC), Queensland Health
01-Jul-2017
The language reported by a person as the main language other than English spoken by that person in his/her home (or most recent private residential setting occupied by the person) to communicate with other residents of the home or setting and regular visitors.
Main language other than English spoken at home
Representational Attributes
Numeric Character
Code
N(4)
4
4
Permissible Values

Permissible_values

A valid code from the current Corporate Reference Data System (CRDS) Language (ASCL 4 digit) data set maintained by Statistical Standards & Strategies, Statistical Services Branch (SSB).
Supplementary Values

Supplemenary_values

-
Collection and Usage Attributes
The Australian Standard Classification of Languages (ASCL) has a three-level hierarchical structure. The most detailed level of the classification consists of languages which are represented by four-digit codes. The second level of the classification comprises narrow groups of languages (the Narrow group level), identified by the two-digit and three-digit codes. The most general level of the classification consists of broad groups of languages (the Broad group level) and is identified by one-digit codes. The classification includes Australian Indigenous languages and sign languages.

For example, the Lithuanian language has a code of 3102. In this case 3 denotes that it is an Eastern European language, while 31 denotes that it is a Baltic language. The Pintupi Aboriginal language is coded as 8713. In this case 8 denotes that it is an Australian Indigenous language and 87 denotes that the language is a Western Desert language.

Language data may be output at the Broad group level, Narrow group level or the language level of the classification. Also, significant Languages within a Narrow group can be presented separately with the remaining languages of the Narrow group aggregated. The same principle can be adopted to highlight significant Narrow groups within a Broad group.
Where extensive data on main language other than English spoken at home is needed, one of the two questions below may be used:

Alternative 1
Do you/Does the person/Does (name)/ Will (name of child under two years) speak a language other than English at home? (If more than one language, indicate the language that is spoken most often.)
No, (English only) [ ]
Yes, Mandarin [ ]
Yes, Italian [ ]
Yes, Arabic [ ]
Yes, Cantonese [ ]
Yes, Greek [ ]
Yes, Vietnamese [ ]
Yes, Spanish [ ]
Yes, Hindi [ ]
Yes, Tagalog [ ]
Yes, Other (please specify) ____________

The above list includes languages based on their statistical frequency in Australia, based on data from the Census of Population and Housing.

Alternative 2
Do you/Does the person/Does (name)/ Will (name of child under two years) speak a language other than English at home?
No, English only [ ]
Yes, Other - please specify ____________
Where there is no requirement for detailed language data, the following question may be suitable:
Do you/Does the person/Does (name)/ Will (name of child under two years) speak a language other than English at home?
No, English only [ ]
Yes, Other [ ]

Family of Youth (FOY) Questionnaire Data Supply Requirement (DSR):
Must not be blank if Person-child usually speaks English at home indicator = code 2 No.
This metadata item is consistent with that used in the Australian Bureau of Statistic's (ABS) Census of Population and Housing and is recommended for use whenever there is a requirement for comparison with Census data.
This data element is important in identifying those people most likely to suffer disadvantage in terms of their ability to access services due to language and/or cultural difficulties. In conjunction with Indigenous status, Proficiency in spoken English and Country of birth this data element forms the minimum core set of cultural and language indicators recommended by the ABS.
Data on main language other than English spoken at home are regarded as an indicator of 'active' ethnicity and also as useful for the study of inter-generational language retention. The availability of such data may help providers of health and community services to effectively target the geographic areas or population groups that need those services. It may be used for the investigation and development of language services such as interpreter/ translation services.

 
Relational Attributes
Related Metadata References

Related Metadata References_IR

  • 1 - 5
ViewRelationshipMetadata Item TypeMetadata Item SubtypeNameIdentifier & VersionApproval Status
SupersedesData ElementData ElementMain language other than English spoken at homeQH 040848 Version 1Superseded
Relates toData ElementData ElementPerson-country of birth (SACC 2016)QH 040161 Version 9Superseded
Relates toData ElementData ElementPerson-preferred language (ASCL 2016 Index)QH 040722 Version 3Current
Relates toData ElementData ElementPerson-preferred language (ASCL 2016)QH 041586 Version 3Current
Relates toData ElementData ElementPerson-proficiency in spoken EnglishQH 040849 Version 1Current
Implementation in Metadata Sets

Implemented

No Metadata Items
Source and Reference Attributes
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
METeOR data element: Person-main language other than English spoken at home, code (ASCL 2016) N[NNN], Identifier 659402, Health standardisation pending 08/11/2016 https://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/659402/meteorItemView/long
English proficiency; Language;