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Child's age [message #10906]

Tue, 04 October 2016 08:38

lexgw
Messages: 31
Registered: October 2015
Location: United Kingdom

Member

Hi DHS experts,

Could anyone help me explain why the variable hc1 (child's age) has fewer observations that the age variable i generate by subtracting the date of the survey (v008) from the date of birth of the child (b3) i.e v008-b3. the later approaches the sample size for mothers. I need to know the difference to aid my analysis. My Unit of analysis is a mother whose child is alive and stays in the household.

thanks

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Re: Child's age [message #10967 is a reply to message #10906]

Thu, 13 October 2016 10:24

Trevor-DHS
Messages: 805
Registered: January 2013

Senior Member

It is not clear which survey you are working on, but it could be for a couple of reasons:
1) hc1 is from the PR file and only includes children living in the household. If you have matched the data to the KR or BR file then you would not have the age for any child living outside the household.
2) hc1 is related to the biomarker variables, and if the biomarker data are collected only for a subsample of households then hc1 would exist only for that subsample. Similarly hw1.
3) b3 exists for a children alive or dead, thus subtracting b3 from v008 would give you an "age" for dead children too (actually months since birth of the child).

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Re: Child's age [message #10972 is a reply to message #10967]

Thu, 13 October 2016 19:38

lexgw
Messages: 31
Registered: October 2015
Location: United Kingdom

Member

Thanks dear Trevor,

Yeah, I realize hc1 being a biomarker variable makes it have fewer obs (between 2000-2500 for Uganda DHS 2006 & 2011 PR and KR merged) compared to v008-b3 (between 7000-7222) after controlling for those not alive (using b5). So what remains of (7000-7222) that i need to remove are children not staying in the household.
a) I wonder whether b9 (whether a child stays with her mother) is the right variable to use and control for a child being in the household.
b) do we have any children 5 years old and above in DHS data? would be useful in my analysis.
c) if I want age of children, below 5 years living in the household with their mothers is (v008-b3, controlling for b5, b9) enough to account for all?

Thanks

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Re: Child's age [message #10973 is a reply to message #10972]

Fri, 14 October 2016 00:07

Trevor-DHS
Messages: 805
Registered: January 2013

Senior Member

See my point 2). The anthropometry is only collected in a subsample (one third) of households in both Uganda DHS 2006 and 2011. Thus hc1 is available for roughly one third of children.

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Re: Child's age [message #10974 is a reply to message #10973]

Fri, 14 October 2016 04:23

lexgw
Messages: 31
Registered: October 2015
Location: United Kingdom

Member

Great, thanks

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