IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/dem/demres/v51y2024i37.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sample selection bias in adult mortality estimates from mobile phone surveys: Evidence from 25 low- and middle-income countries

Author

Listed:
  • Sahar Ahmed

    (Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics (CED))

  • Georges Reniers

    (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)

  • Bruno Masquelier

    (Université catholique de Louvain)

  • David A. Sánchez-Páez

    (Universidad de Valladolid)

  • Julio Romero-Prieto

    (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)

  • Tom Pullum

    (ICF International)

Abstract

Background: Mobile phone surveys are gaining traction in low- and middle-income countries, but mobile phone ownership (MPO) is not universal, potentially introducing sample selection bias in ensuing estimates. Objective: To evaluate MPO-associated sample selection bias in adult mortality estimates from sibling survival histories (SSH) administered to women of reproductive age. Methods: Using data from 25 Demographic and Health Surveys, we (1) used logistic regression to assess the association between MPO and sociodemographic background characteristics; (2) used SSH to compare the probability of dying in adulthood (45q15) in a general population sample of women of reproductive age and a subsample of women who own a mobile phone, (3) and evaluated the use of post-stratification weighting to correct bias in adult mortality estimates derived from the subsample of mobile phone owners. Results: MPO correlated with sociodemographic characteristics in a predictable fashion. Summary indices of adult mortality (45q15) using data on siblings from respondents who owned a mobile phone aligned with the general population estimate in 20 out of 25 countries. Significant bias was identified in Papua New Guinea, Burundi, Rwanda, Haiti, and Zimbabwe, with the estimate being typically lower when based on reports of mobile phone owners. Where it existed, bias was most pronounced at either end of the age spectrum (15–24 and 45–59). Post-stratification weighting alleviated this bias to levels that were no longer statistically significant, but the correction was not always in the desired direction. Conclusions: MPO-associated selection bias in adult mortality estimates from SSH is generally modest. Post-stratification weighting on respondents’ background characteristics does not always produce a correction in the expected direction and is to be used with caution. Contribution: This study advances our understanding of sample selection bias in mobile phone survey estimates of demographic indicators.

Suggested Citation

  • Sahar Ahmed & Georges Reniers & Bruno Masquelier & David A. Sánchez-Páez & Julio Romero-Prieto & Tom Pullum, 2024. "Sample selection bias in adult mortality estimates from mobile phone surveys: Evidence from 25 low- and middle-income countries," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 51(37), pages 1167-1182.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:51:y:2024:i:37
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2024.51.37
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol51/37/51-37.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.4054/DemRes.2024.51.37?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ian Timæus & Momodou Jasseh, 2004. "Adult mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from demographic and health surveys," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 41(4), pages 757-772, November.
    2. Stéphane Helleringer & Gilles Pison & Almamy Kanté & Géraldine Duthé & Armelle Andro, 2014. "Reporting Errors in Siblings’ Survival Histories and Their Impact on Adult Mortality Estimates: Results From a Record Linkage Study in Senegal," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(2), pages 387-411, April.
    3. Bruno Masquelier & Mufaro Kanyangarara & Gilles Pison & Almamy Malick Kanté & Cheikh Tidiane Ndiaye & Laetitia Douillot & Géraldine Duthé & Cheikh Sokhna & Valérie Delaunay & Stéphane Helleringer, 2021. "Errors in reported ages and dates in surveys of adult mortality: A record linkage study in Niakhar (Senegal)," Population Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 75(2), pages 269-287, May.
    4. Kelly L’Engle & Eunice Sefa & Edward Akolgo Adimazoya & Emmanuel Yartey & Rachel Lenzi & Cindy Tarpo & Nii Lante Heward-Mills & Katherine Lew & Yvonne Ampeh, 2018. "Survey research with a random digit dial national mobile phone sample in Ghana: Methods and sample quality," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. José Henrique Costa Monteiro da Silva & Helena Cruz Castanheira, 2024. "Using household death questions from surveys to assess adult mortality in periods of health crisis: An application for Peru, 2018–2022," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 51(8), pages 215-228.
    2. Dennis M. Feehan & Mary Mahy & Matthew J. Salganik, 2017. "The Network Survival Method for Estimating Adult Mortality: Evidence From a Survey Experiment in Rwanda," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 54(4), pages 1503-1528, August.
    3. repec:pri:rpdevs:vogl_family_size is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Isabel Günther & Kenneth Harttgen, 2010. "Deadly Cities? A Note on Spatial Inequalities in Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa," Courant Research Centre: Poverty, Equity and Growth - Discussion Papers 52, Courant Research Centre PEG.
    5. Gourlay, Sydney & Kilic, Talip & Martuscelli, Antonio & Wollburg, Philip & Zezza, Alberto, 2021. "Viewpoint: High-frequency phone surveys on COVID-19: Good practices, open questions," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    6. Stephane Helleringer & Daniel Arhinful & Benjamin Abuaku & Michael Humes & Emily Wilson & Andrew Marsh & Adrienne Clermont & Robert E Black & Jennifer Bryce & Agbessi Amouzou, 2018. "Using community-based reporting of vital events to monitor child mortality: Lessons from rural Ghana," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, January.
    7. Joshua Brubaker & Talip Kilic & Philip Wollburg, 2021. "Representativeness of individual-level data in COVID-19 phone surveys: Findings from Sub-Saharan Africa," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(11), pages 1-27, November.
    8. repec:lic:licosd:29111 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Belgi Turan, 2020. "Life expectancy and economic development: Evidence from microdata," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 949-972, August.
    10. Jason Thomas & Samuel J. Clark, 2011. "More on the Cohort-Component Model of Population Projection in the Context of HIV/AIDS: A Leslie Matrix Representation and New Estimates," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 25(2), pages 39-102.
    11. Emmanuel Souza & Funny Muthema & Georges Reniers & Stephane Helleringer & Monica Jamali & Michael Chasukwa & Julio Romero-Prieto & Jethro Banda & Malebogo Tlhajoane & Jacob Saikolo & Boniface Dulani, 2024. "Interrogating the quality and completion of mortality mobile phone interviews conducted in Malawi during COVID-19: An examination of interviewer–respondent interactions," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 51(46), pages 1471-1490.
    12. Yamauchi, Futoshi & Buthelezi, Thabani & Velia, Myriam, 2006. "Gender, labor, and prime-age adult mortality: evidence from South Africa," FCND briefs 208, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    13. Tom Vogl, 2013. "Differential Fertility, Human Capital, and Development," Working Papers 1452, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Research Program in Development Studies..
    14. Emmanuela Gakidou & Gary King, 2006. "Death by survey: Estimating adult mortality without selection bias from sibling survival data," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 43(3), pages 569-585, August.
    15. Monteiro Amaral,Sofia Fernando & Dinarte Diaz,Lelys Ileana & Dominguez,Patricio & Perez-Vincent,Santiago M. & Romero,Steffanny, 2022. "Talk or Text ? Evaluating Response Rates by Remote Survey Method during COVID-19," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9999, The World Bank.
    16. Phil Anglewicz & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2009. "Overestimating HIV infection:," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 20(6), pages 65-96.
    17. Emily Oster, 2012. "Routes Of Infection: Exports And Hiv Incidence In Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 10(5), pages 1025-1058, October.
    18. Bruno Lankoandé & Gilles Pison & Bruno Masquelier & Abdramane B. Soura & Pascal Zabre & Géraldine Duthé & Hélène Bangré & Sié Ali, 2022. "Estimating mortality from census data: A record-linkage study of the Nouna Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Burkina Faso," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 46(22), pages 653-680.
    19. repec:bpj:pepspp:v:18:y:2012:i:3:p:12:n:15 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Damien De Walque & Deon Filmer, 2013. "Trends and Socioeconomic Gradients in Adult Mortality around the Developing World," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 39(1), pages 1-29, March.
    21. Wang, Ruixin, 2015. "Essays on development economics and public economics," Other publications TiSEM e1779514-5b71-4726-925b-2, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    22. Emily Smith-Greenaway & Christie Sennott, 2016. "Death and Desirability: Retrospective Reporting of Unintended Pregnancy After a Child’s Death," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 53(3), pages 805-834, June.
    23. González Alejandro López & González-González María Jesús, 2018. "Third demographic transition and demographic dividend: An application based on panel data analysis," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 42(42), pages 59-82, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    adult mortality; selection bias; mobile phones; data collection; sibling survival histories;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:51:y:2024:i:37. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Editorial Office (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.demogr.mpg.de/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.