Sources, Uses and Limitations of

Demographic Data

Dr. Kudzaishe Mangombe

University of Zimbabwe
Centre for Population Studies
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 Sources of Demographic Data
 Population Census;
 Sample Surveys;
 Registration of Vital Events/ Vital Statistics;
 Population Registers;
 Parish Registers;
 International Publications; and
 Administration records.

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 Major Sources and Limitations of
Population Data
Major Sources:
 Population Census
 Sample Survey
 Vital Registration System

Strengths and Weaknesses of each of these methods

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 Definition of a Census
 “Total process of collecting, compiling and
publishing demographic, economic and social data
pertaining, at a specified time or times, to all
persons in a country or delimited territory” (U.N.
1953).
 In short, it is the enumeration of the entire
population of a country or a region at a particular
time.

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 Objectives of a Census
 Provides current information on demographic and
related socio-economic characteristics of the
population at national, provincial, district, ward and
village levels;
 Information to be used for planning, monitoring, and
evaluation of gov’t development programmes; and
 Is a basis for estimation of population growth,
internal migration and other basic interpretations for
the dissemination of data in the manner that ensures
their effective applications by decision-makers, gov’t
planners and other census data users.
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 Population Census
 It is the most fundamental source of demographic
data.
 Provides population statistics on:
 Population size and structure;
 Population distribution;
 Internal migration;
 Activity and labour force
 Education
 Housing Characteristics
 Fertility
 Mortality and Orphanhood

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 Population Census …
 The original purpose of a census in ancient times was
to identify persons who could be taxed, forced to
work or recruited for military service.
 The major weakness – it left out women and children
– the scope therefore was rather limited.
 A modern census is however comprehensive in its (i)
coverage and (ii) its emphasis on individual enumeration.

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 Population Census …
 Census-taking is usually the responsibility of
central government - the main sponsor is the
gov’t because of its magnitude.

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 Importance of Population Census
 Planning Purposes
 Censuses provide information on a variety of
community needs e.g. hospitals, water and sanitation
and sewage treatment facilities, schools etc.
 All these must be planned for, hence the need for
adequate information on the size, composition and
distribution of the local population.

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 Importance of Population Census …
 Identification of potential labour and other markets
Business people use census data to locate labour
markets and to identify consumer products needs.
 One cannot invest in a beer hall in an area dominated by
people of the vapostori sect.
 One cannot also invest in an industry that makes hipsters,
spaghetti tops in an area of predominantly the aged.
Examples

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 Importance of Population Census …
 Distribution of resources
 Census statistics help central governments in determining
resources to allocate to different provinces (or states in cases
of federal governments)
 Census data provides socio-economic data such as the
age, race, sex, residence, religion, education, occupation
of the population, which are all essential for development
 Measuring the levels and trends in the standard of living
of the population.
 Allocation of parliamentary seats.

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 Importance of Population Census …

 Census & Public Health

 Census data is the main source of denominator data
for epidemiological studies.
 This data indirectly affects health when population
size is used to determine the funds allocated for
programmes funded by central government or when
planning programmes.

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 Estimates of Population
 There are at least two different estimates of
population size, i.e. de facto and de jure population:
 De facto population – counts people physically at a
specified place on census day/night. A person is
counted wherever that person spent the census
night.
 De jure population - counts people who usually
reside in a given place. This is more suitable for
administration and planning purposes, such as
taxation, housing and education.

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 Limitations of Census
 No system of collecting demographic data is
completely free of error.
 Two most common kinds of errors:
1. Coverage error
2. Content Error

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 Limitations of Census …
 Errors of Coverage – where people are missed - census is
designed to cover everyone.
 These result from excluding people who should not be part of the
exercise (street kids, refugees, slaves/ minority groups).
 Omissions
- People could not have been at home when the enumerator came.
- Some people may deliberately avoid being counted e.g. criminals,
illegal migrants
 Some people are left out because of inaccessibility of their areas
of residents.

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 Limitations of Census …
 Issues of research design – some households may not
be listed on the census schedule.
 Avoidance of certain questions by some respondents.
 Double counting of people – at their place of
residence and at their temporary place of residence.

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 Limitations of Official Statistics
 Content Error
 Problems in the accuracy of data obtained in the
census.
 Errors of reporting, editing or tabulating.
i. Simply wrong answers to the questions asked.
ii. The person recording/ transcribing the information
may make a mistake.

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 Limitations of Official Statistics …
 Content Error
iii. Respondent may give inaccurate responses to
some questions
- Respondent may lie on their actual income in
order to avoid paying tax
- Illiterate people may not know their exact date of
birth or how old they are.
 Errors made in the final processing of the data –
coding errors or erroneous tabulations.

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 Sample Surveys
 Sample surveys are conducted to supplement
population data, since the frequency of population
census is once in ten years.
 A ten-year interval is quite lengthy and a lot of
demographic changes will have occurred in-between.
 A demographic sample survey is a method of collecting
specific data on a particular aspect, in depth.
- Very sensitive information on health, employment,
poverty, family planning, etc. can be collected through
these surveys.

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 Sample Surveys …
 In Zimbabwe, several demographic surveys on a wide
range of aspects have been conducted by the Central
Statistical Office (CSO) now Zimbabwe National
Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT),
 Under the banner Zimbabwe Demographic and
Health Survey (ZDHS)
 These are carried out every 5 years.

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 Sample Surveys…
 Surveys carried out in Zimbabwe so far include:
 1984 Reproductive Health Survey (RHS)
 1988 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS)
 1994 ZDHS
 1999 ZDHS
 2005-06 ZDHS
 2010-11 ZDHS
 2009 Multiple Indicator Monitoring Survey (MIMS)
 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)
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 Sample Surveys …

 Unlike censuses, sample surveys are taken under

private auspices (MEASURE DHS, ICF International,
USAID.)
 World Fertility Survey (WFS) – is undertaken by the
International Statistical Institute and other agencies
(greatly enhances the knowledge and understanding
of the state of human fertility worldwide).

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 Advantages of Surveys
i) Surveys make it possible to experiment with new
questions.
- if a new question is not successful, the damage is less critical
in the case of sample surveys than in censuses.
ii) The issue under investigation can be investigated in detail
using a sample survey than a census. Why?
 the coverage of the survey is smaller
 the scope is in-depth – with a census, a wide range of issues are
under investigation and as a result scant information is
collected

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 Advantages of Surveys …
iii. Sample surveys usually make use of research
assistants who are better trained than in a census
and as such they yield “quality data”.
iv. Period for collection, processing and publication of
results is shorter than for a census.

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 Disadvantages of a Survey
i. Sampling Error
 The major disadvantage is that of sampling error. This is
when the statistic does not represent the parameter.
ii. Sampling Bias - This is when the selection of the
respondents is not objective. Probably, the
researcher considers convenience and ends up
interviewing respondents most close to them.
iii. The public may not co-operate well as in national
censuses which enjoy greater publicity coated with a
patriotic appeal.

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 Registration of Vital Events/VRS
 Vital events are those which are considered important
in the life of an individual right from birth to death.
 Such events include birth, marriage, divorce and death.
These continuously take place in society and must be
systematically recorded for different purposes.
 Recording of such events at prescribed places
(Registrar's Offices) is known as Vital Registration
System.
 Data that we get from such registrations is called Vital
Statistics.
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 Registration of Vital Events …
 At the recording of such events, the
Registrar/personnel is required to collect several
ancillary particulars related to the vital events
such as:
 Sex of the child,
 Age of the mother,
 Birth order,
 Occupation of father or head of H/hold, and
 Residential address in the case of a birth.

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 Registration of Vital Events …
 In the event of a death, the additional
information collected includes:
 Sex of the deceased,
 His/her age,
 Marital status,
 Occupation, and
 Cause of death.

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 Registration of Vital Events …
 Registration of these vital events is compulsory.
 Vital statistics derived from these vital records is not
only necessary for the calculation of the population
size, composition and distribution,
 But it is helpful in the formulation of appropriate
policies and programmes.

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 Limitations of VRS
 With VRS, people may not report births/deaths
 Out of ignorance
 A wish to avoid registration fee or tax
 Certain omissions may be because the
respondent might not have accurate information
 e.g. filling out a death certificate – respondent
may not know the deceased’s date of birth or
major occupation

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 Common Limitations of Censuses,
Surveys and VRS
 Errors of Reporting
Simply wrong answers to the questions asked.
i. The person recording/transcribing the
information may make a mistake.
ii. Respondent may give inaccurate responses to
some questions.

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 Common Limitations of Censuses,
Surveys and VRS …
iii. Respondent may lie on his actual income in order
to avoid paying tax.
iv. A woman may lie on her marital status so that her
children may not bear the stigma of illegitimacy.
v. Illiterate people may not know their exact date of
birth or how old they are.

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 Public Health and Sources of Data
 Census and Sample Survey data
 The census gives the total enumeration of the population
by age, race, marital status, education and employment
characteristics.
 The sample survey provides an up to date estimate of
population characteristics.
Purpose :
The census, to a large extent is the main source of
denominator data for epidemiologic studies. This data is
used to determine how much funds are to be allocated to
health programs funded by central govt.
 Public Health and Sources of Data
 Vital Statistics
 Data collected on vital events usually by physicians, other
health agencies or personnel.
 Includes the following categories of data: mortality,
fertility, adoptions, marriages and divorces.
Purpose :
- Provide a measurable estimate of the impact of a disease.
- Allow monitoring of population growth and useful for
studies of prematurity, low birth weight, congenital defects
and birth injuries.
 Public Health and Sources of Data …
 Medical Records
The range of information that may be found in medical
records includes:
- clinical, demographic, socio-cultural, sociological,
economical, administrative and attitude towards service
provided or to service providers.
Purpose :
Contributes data for morbidity, mortality and fertility
studies.
Limitation :
There is lack of uniformity in recording information.
Hospital data may not be complete for a given condition.
 Public Health and Sources of Data …
 Surveillance
 Data collected in a regular manner, using methods that are
practical, uniform and rapid.
 These data may be mortality or morbidity data, be from
epidemics or individual cases, may be data on the usage of
health services or on frequency of risk factors.
Purpose :
Main purpose of surveillance is to detect changes in
trend/distribution of health conditions or risk factors in order to
initiate investigative, control or preventive measures.
Limitations :
Results may not have a high degree of accuracy due to changes
in reporting conditions, facilities available to each state,
province or area, under- or over-reporting of clinically mild
illness, change in case definition and sampling techniques.
 Universal Population Register
 These are relatively rare – found in Israel, Belgium,
Sweden and Korea.
 Collects various statistics of a person on a permanent
basis.
 A person is entered into the system at birth.

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 Universal Population Register …
 Significant events (e.g. educational attainment,
occupation), and changes in life (marriage, change of
residence) are added on as and when they happen.
NB – They are not primarily set for population research
but for identification and administrative control
purposes.

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 Partial Population Register
 These are more common.
 They do not cover all the persons in the population on a continuous
basis.
 They are established for specific administrative purposes and
therefore collect information from those affected by the particular
program.
Examples of PPR are:
 National Social Security Systems
 Voter lists
 Lists of Migrants
 Lists of War Vets/Welfare Recipients

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 International Publications
 The UN organizations and its allied organizations
have been publishing the population data of the
world scenario periodically.
Such publications include:
i. Demographic Year Book
ii. World Population Data Sheets

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 International Publications …
 These contain population data such as:
 Population size & distribution
 Population growth & density
 Population characteristics & Birth and Death rates

 These are useful for academic research, public

health, policy makers, planners, administrators
and all interested in demographic studies.

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 Statistical Year Book
 Provides world information on aspects like
hospitals, doctors, food production, educational
facilities, national income, labour etc.

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 Administrative Records
 Administrative records, maintained in local
bodies, hospitals, churches, schools and places
of employment, provide demographic data.
 Hospitals – births and deaths statistics
 Churches – births, deaths and marriages.

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 Epidemiological and Vital Records
 Published by the World Health Organisation
(WHO)
 Contains information on:
 Death
 Cause of death
 Public health
 Prevention of Disease

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 Public Health and Sources of Data
Census and Sample Survey data
 The census gives the total enumeration of the
population by age, race, marital status, education and
employment characteristics.
 The sample survey provides an up to date estimate of
population characteristics
Purpose :
The census is, to a large extent, the main source of
denominator data for epidemiologic studies. This data
is used to determine how much funds are to be
allocated to health programs funded by central govt.
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 Public Health and Sources of Data …
Vital Statistics
 Data collected on vital events usually by physicians, other health
agencies or personnel.
 Includes the following categories of data: mortality, fertility,
adoptions, marriages and divorces.
Purpose :
 Provide a measurable estimate of the impact of a disease.
 Allow monitoring of population growth and useful for studies of
prematurity, low birth weight, congenital defects and birth
injuries.

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 Medical Records
 The range of information that may be found in medical records
includes:
 Clinical, demographic, socio-cultural, economical and
administrative.
Purpose :
Contributes data for morbidity, mortality and fertility studies.
Limitation :
There is lack of uniformity in recording information. Hospital
data may not be complete for a given condition.

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 Surveillance
 Data collected in a regular manner, using methods
that are practical, uniform and rapid.
 These data may be mortality or morbidity data, be
from epidemics or individual cases, may be data on
the usage of health services or on frequency of risk
factors.

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 Surveillance
Purpose
The main purpose of surveillance is to detect changes in
trend or distribution of health conditions or risk factors
in order to initiate investigative, control or preventive
measures.

Limitations
Results may not have a high degree of accuracy due to
changes in reporting conditions, facilities available to
each state, province or area, under- or over-reporting of
clinically mild illness, change in case definition and
sampling techniques.
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