Evaluation of a village-informant driven demographic surveillance system in Karonga, Northern Malawi

Andreas Jahn, Basia Zaba, Amelia C Crampin, Judith R. Glynn, Venance Mwinuka, Elenaus Mwaiyeghele, Johnbosco Mwafilaso, Keith Branson, Paul EM Fine and Nuala McGrath
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Andreas Jahn: Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU)
Basia Zaba: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Amelia C Crampin: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Judith R. Glynn: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Venance Mwinuka: Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU)
Elenaus Mwaiyeghele: Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU)
Johnbosco Mwafilaso: Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU)
Keith Branson: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Paul EM Fine: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Nuala McGrath: University of Southampton

Demographic Research, 2007, vol. 16, issue 8, 219-248

Abstract: This paper describes and evaluates the first demographic surveillance system (DSS) in Malawi, covering a rural population of 30,000. Unlike others, the Karonga DSS relies on trained village informants using formatted registers for the primary notification of vital events and migrations. Seven project enumerators subsequently collect detailed data on events notified by the village informants, using stringent identification procedures for households and individuals. Internal movements are traced systematically to augment event registration and data quality. Continuous evaluation of data collection is built into the methods. A re-census conducted after 2 years indicated that the routine system had registered 97% of 1,588 births, 99% of 521 deaths and 92% of 13,168 movements.

Keywords: migration; Malawi; methods; evaluation; vital registration; demographic surveillance system; Karonga; village informant; INDEPTH network (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J1 Z0 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dem:demres:v:16:y:2007:i:8

DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2007.16.8

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