A proposed computer programme for determining infant survival status in demographic surveys

Abstract EN

Determining infant survival status in demographic surveys is of great importance in analysis of infant mortality.

Missing data representing age at death in complete months and complete years, if any, will affect the accuracy of any related measurement.

A computer programme to reduce the percentage of such missing data is proposed.

Mortality studies have received increased attention in recent years.

The intensity of mortality varies from country to country and also within most countries.

In recent decades developing countries have experienced a substantial decline in mortality.

Infant mortality has for a long time been regarded as a true reflection of socio-economic and health condition of a country (WHO, 1977).

In most child mortality studies, demographers and other researchers are usually interested in determining the infant survival status i.e, whether the child survived the first year of life (infancy period) or not.

Also, for having in depth view, they give great importance to mortality happens during the first complete month of life (neo-natal period) and between the first and the eleventh complete months of life (post neo-natal period).

Mortality rates could be calculated to such periods or shorter (Shryock and Siegel, 1976; WHO, 1977; Newell, 1980; David et al, 1990).

Fertility, Demographic and Health surveys often include required data related to child survival status in a birth history segment.

These data are : 1) age at death in complete months (AGDM) and 2) age at death in complete years (AGDY).

According to different reasons some.