A code set representing whether any component of a reported date was estimated.
Context:
Provision of a date is often a mandatory requirement in data collections. However, at times, the actual date or part thereof is not known (e.g. date of birth or date of injury). This metadata item is designed to flag that part or parts of a date have been estimated (i.e. a date provided is based on an approximation of the date in question rather than reporting of the actual date). This metadata item may assist with record linkage processes (for example when the date of birth is a component of the linkage key). Reporting that a date is estimated makes it possible to reduce underestimation of total service user numbers and overestimation of service users' ages.