Workshop on Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in SADC Region Blantyre, Malawi, 1 - 5 December 2008 Compilation of Vital Statistics

Workshop on Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in SADC RegionBlantyre, Malawi, 1 - 5 December 2008

Compilation of Vital Statistics at International Level

Session 10


Outline Introduction UN Demographic Yearbook How complete are the data sent from

countries? Response and quality of data provided to DYB Importance of collecting and providing data What are the challenges countries face? Census

Questions on Vital Statistics Ways forward


Introduction The UN international data collection

process is based on sending a set of questionnaires to national statistics authorities.

A great deal of this process depends on the replies received from countries.

The major vehicle for international dissemination of national population and vital statistics is the UN Demographic Yearbook (DYB).


Demographic Yearbook (DYB)

Questionnaires: Population estimates Vital Statistics

Population census General characteristics Economic characteristics Housing Household characteristics

International Migration and travel

Yearly

When a census has been conducted

Pilot test


Demographic Yearbook (DYB) Vital Statistics (VS) questionnaire:

Comprehensive collection of tables distributed in 10 sections:

1. VS summary by urban/rural residence for the last 5 year

2. Live births

3. Fertility rates

4. Life Tables

5. Deaths6. Infant deaths (deaths under 1 year of age)

7. Foetal deaths and Late foetal deaths

8. Legally induced abortions

9. Marriages

10. Divorces


Demographic Yearbook (DYB)

New characteristics of VS questionnaire: Pre-filled with available data from past years

for each country Password protected to avoid changes in

format which can impair data processing and validation

Currently being revised to reduce burden on countries


Demographic Yearbook (DYB) Metadata:

Table called “coding scheme” requesting information of the quality and methods of vital statistics being sent to DYB

None of the SADC countries filled in the metadata “coding scheme” in this year’s data collection


Demographic Yearbook (DYB) Sources of variation in data reliability

(and thus affecting international comparability): Completeness and accuracy of the data

produced by a national registration system vary from one country to another.

In some cases, the registration system covers only certain vital events.

Differences in statistical definitions of vital events.


Demographic Yearbook (DYB) … Sources of variation of data reliability

(and thus affecting international comparability): Differences in geographical coverage and

national groups. Diverse tabulation procedures Official estimates, frequently from sample

surveys: subject to sampling errors, non-sampling errors and completeness issues.


How complete are the data sent from countries?

DYB 2006 Natality Foetal mortality

Infant and maternal mortality

General mortality

Nuptiality and

divorces

Total By sex

Total Total By sex

Total By sex

Total

Angola Botswana 2/4 DR Congo Lesotho 1/3 Madagascar Malawi 1/3 3/4 Mauritius 1/3



DYB 2006 Natality Foetal mortality

Infant and maternal mortality

General mortality

Nuptiality and

divorces

Total By sex

Total Total By sex

Total By sex

Total

Mozambique 2/4 2/3 Namibia 2/3 2/4 2/3

South Africa 2/3 1/3 1/3 3/4 2/3 2/3

Swaziland 2/3 3/4 UR Tanzania Zambia 1/3 1/4 Zimbabwe 3/4



DYB 2006

No. of tables provided

05

0 0 0 0

32

0 0 0 0 0 0 00

10

20

30

40

Country



Table E01 – Live births by sex and urban/rural residence

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Angola

Botswana

DR Congo

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritius

A look at specific tables, last 5 years

Mozambique

Namibia

South Africa

Swaziland

UR Tanzania

Zambia

Zimbabwe



Table E02 – Live births by marital status of mother and sex

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Angola

Botswana

DR Congo

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritius


Mozambique

Namibia

South Africa

Swaziland

UR Tanzania

Zambia

Zimbabwe



Table G02 – Deaths by age, sex and urban/rural residence

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Angola

Botswana

DR Congo

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritius


Mozambique

Namibia

South Africa

Swaziland

UR Tanzania

Zambia

Zimbabwe



Last 10 years

G01 - Deaths by sex and urban/rural residence

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

% in

co

mp

lete

ne

ss

of

da

ta

Angola Botswana DR Congo Lesotho

Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique

Namibia South Africa Swaziland UR Tanzania

Zambia Zimbabwe


There’s a fair response within SADC region for general mortality and natality data.

But it is low for the rest of subjects. E.g. Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and

Zimbabwe provide mortality and natality tables but no other subjects

Quality Gaps in historical data

Response and quality of data provided to DYB


Informed public policy decisions Enabling of social studies to test

hypotheses Better representation of countries in the

international setting International comparability Global dissemination of data by UNSD

Importance of collecting and providing data


Information not collected within the country

Information collected within the country, but not reported to UNSD

Information collected and reported but because of lack of metadata, it cannot be published

What are the challenges for providing data?


Questions recommended on Vital Statistics (core topics) Children ever born alive Children living Date of birth of last child ever born alive Household deaths in the past 12 months

Census


Census – 2000 round

Children ever born alive

Children living

Angola

Botswana

DR Congo

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi (1998)

Mauritius (2000)

Children ever born alive

Children living

Mozambique (1997)

Namibia (2001)

South Africa

Swaziland (1997)

UR Tanzania

Zambia (2000)

Zimbabwe


Questions actually used by SADC countries 2006 Lesotho Census

Children ever born alive Date of birth of last child born alive Children living

2008 Malawi Census Children ever born alive Children living Household deaths in the past 12 months

Census - 2010 round


Questions actually used by SADC countries 2007 Mozambique Census

Children ever born alive Children living Household deaths in the past 12 months

2007 Swaziland Census Household deaths in the past 12 months Children ever born alive Children living

Census - 2010 round


How to improve level of response from countries to DYB?

Factors endogenous to DYB Factors associated to national circumstances and civil registration system

The DYB seeks to promote the dissemination and utilisation of national data at the international level.

How to improve quality of data provided to DYB?

What are the benefits to countries of responding to the DYB system?

Discussion of ways forward


Thank you

Documents

Workshop on Improvement of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in SADC Region Blantyre, Malawi, 1 - 5 December 2008 Compilation of Vital Statistics