U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

American Time Use Survey

Caring for and Helping Nonhousehold Members

Caring for and helping nonhousehold members includes activities persons do to care for or help those—either children (under age 18) or adults—who do not live with them (except for volunteer activities that are done for or through an organization). Care of nonhousehold children, even when done as a favor or helping activity for another adult, is always classified as caring for and helping nonhousehold children, not as helping another adult. For a more detailed description of this activity category, see the ATUS 2011 Technical Note.

Tables on this page:

Other sources of ATUS data

Caring for and helping nonhousehold members on weekdays and weekend days in 2011

Time spent caring for and helping nonhousehold members (1) and percent of the civilian population caring for and helping nonhousehold members, averages per day on weekdays and weekends, 2011 annual averages
Activity	Average hours per day, civilian population		Average percent engaged in the activity per day		Average hours per day for persons who engaged in the activity
Activity	Weekdays	Weekends and holidays (2)	Weekdays	Weekends and holidays (2)	Weekdays	Weekends and holidays (2)
Total, caring for and helping nonhousehold members	.20	.23	11.1	13.0	1.76	1.80
Caring for and helping nonhousehold children	.08	.07	4.4	4.7	1.71	1.58
Caring for and helping nonhousehold adults	.06	.09	7.2	8.8	.87	1.05
Caring for nonhousehold adults	.01	.01	.7	.8	1.62	1.03
Helping nonhousehold adults	.05	.08	6.8	8.2	.76	1.03
Travel related to caring for and helping nonhousehold members	.06	.07	9.0	10.2	.64	.66

Footnotes:
(1) All estimates refer to time spent caring for and helping nonhousehold members as a main (primary) activity. Other activities done simultaneously are not included.
(2) Holidays are New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. In 2011, data were not collected about Christmas Day.
NOTE: Data refer to persons 15 years and over.

These and other detailed activity estimates are also available in:

Table A-2. Time spent in detailed primary activities, and percent of the civilian population engaging in each detailed primary activity category, averages per day by sex on weekdays and weekends, 2011 annual averages (PDF)

For a further description of ATUS data and methodology, see the ATUS 2011 Technical Note.

Caring for and helping nonhousehold members done by men and women in 2011

Time spent caring for and helping nonhousehold members (1) and percent of the civilian population caring for and helping nonhousehold members, averages per day by sex, 2011 annual averages
Activity	Average hours per day, civilian population			Average percent engaged in the activity per day			Average hours per day for persons who engaged in the activity
Activity	Total	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women
Total, caring for and helping nonhousehold members	.21	.19	.22	11.7	10.9	12.5	1.77	1.75	1.80
Caring for and helping nonhousehold children	.08	.05	.10	4.5	3.7	5.3	1.67	1.37	1.87
Caring for and helping nonhousehold adults	.07	.08	.06	7.7	7.5	7.8	.93	1.05	.82
Caring for nonhousehold adults	.01	~0	.02	.7	.3	1.1	1.42	1.32	1.45
Helping nonhousehold adults	.06	.07	.05	7.2	7.3	7.1	.85	1.02	.69
Travel related to caring for and helping nonhousehold members	.06	.06	.06	9.3	9.1	9.6	.65	.66	.64

These and other detailed activity estimates are also available in:

Table A-1. Time spent in detailed primary activities, and percent of the civilian population engaging in each detailed primary activity category, averages per day by sex, 2011 annual averages (PDF)

For a further description of ATUS data and methodology, see the ATUS 2011 Technical Note.

Other sources of ATUS data

ATUS news releases

ATUS tables

ATUS charts

ATUS papers and publications

Last Modified Date: June 22, 2012