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An assessment of survey data on birthweight

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  • Moreno, Lorenzo
  • Goldman, Noreen

Abstract

The objective of this analysis is to determine whether useful information on birthweight can be obtained from a retrospective survey. The 1986 Peru Demographic Health Survey collected both numerical weights (in grams) and subjective assessments of relative size at birth, for infants born during 1981-1986. Simple tabulations suggest that reports of both measures are of reasonably high quality. However, a more detailed analysis demonstrates that exclusion of the large proportion (almost one-third) of missing responses on numerical weights can lead to biases in the resulting estimates of the incidence and correlates of low birthweight, of the level of infant mortality, and probably of the relative risk of mortality for low birthweight infants. The results emphasize the necessity of collecting data on the relative size of infants, in addition to information on numerical weights, in populations in which a substantial fraction of infants are born outside the formal health system. The subjective assessments allow the analyst to examine the extent to which infants with missing numerical weights are select and to assess the degree of bias in estimates which are based on the subsample of births with reported weights.

Suggested Citation

  • Moreno, Lorenzo & Goldman, Noreen, 1990. "An assessment of survey data on birthweight," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 491-500, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:31:y:1990:i:4:p:491-500
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Goldman, Noreen & Moreno Navarro, Lorenzo & Babakol, Ozer, 1991. "Uso de un calendario mensual para recolectar datos retrospectivos sobre anticoncepción: una evaluación de los estudios de terreno experimentales de las encuestas demográficas y de salud (DHS)," Notas de Población, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), April.
    2. Muhammad Nasir, 2018. "Prenatal Exposure to Shocks and Early-Life Health: Impact of Terrorism and Flood on Birth Outcomes in Pakistan," PIDE-Working Papers 2018:155, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics.
    3. Mark E. McGovern, 2019. "How much does birth weight matter for child health in developing countries? Estimates from siblings and twins," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(1), pages 3-22, January.
    4. Peabody, John W. & Gertler, Paul J. & Leibowitz, Arleen, 1998. "The policy implications of better structure and process on birth outcomes in Jamaica," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Ashlesha Datar & Arkadipta Ghosh & Neeraj Sood, 2007. "Mortality Risks, Health Endowments, and Parental Investments in Infancy: Evidence from Rural India," NBER Working Papers 13649, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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