Demography - Census & Sample Survey

Question 1

What is census?

Answer 1

The total process of collecting, compiling, analyzing, and publishing or otherwise disseminating demographic, economic, and social data pertaining to all persons in a country or in a well-delineated part of a country at a specified time

• Should be evaluated to estimate the quality of data.

Question 2

What are the essential features of modern census - enumeration?

Answer 2

• Individual enumeration
  Each person in the population must be counted separately and his/her characteristics recorded
• Universal enumeration
  A census should cover the entire country or territory and all persons resident or present irrespective of nationality, residence, religion

Question 3

What are the other essential characteristics of modern census?

Answer 3

Simultaneity
Ideally, a census should be undertaken in one day. The more prolonged the census, the difficulty to avoid omission and duplication.

Well defined territory
The census should take place within a delimited, defined territory; a country, district, city, village, etc.

Periodicity
A census should be undertaken at regular intervals (say every 5 or 10 years) to describe the present and estimate the future

Question 4

What does a census contain?

Answer 4

Demographic data
Eg age, sex, race, marital status

Economic data
E.g., labour force, occupation, place of work, income

Social
E.g., education, place of birth, place of residence, citizenship, disability, fertility, housing

Question 5

What are the two main methods of collecting data?

Answer 5

• Direct canvasser method
  – This is face-to-face interview with the respondent. The enumerator sits down with the interviewee and takes the answers to the questions being asked
  – This is useful in areas of high illiteracy though it is much costly and time consuming.
• Self Enumeration method
  –Questions are sent to houses and the heads fill and return them to the office

Question 6

What are the two main ways of conducting a census?

Answer 6

De jure
De facto
Can be done in combination

Question 7

Describe the De jure method of conducting a census

Answer 7

A de jure count is the enumeration of persons who usually reside in a given place whether they are present or not.

• Visitors who have usual residence elsewhere are excluded but counted at their usual place of residence.

It is important for administration and planning purposes such as housing, education, and taxation.

Question 8

Describe the De facto method of conducting a census

Answer 8

A de facto count is the enumeration of persons physically present on a census night in a particular household

• The problem is counting persons who happen to travel on a census day or who work at night and would not be found in any of the places where they usually live.
• It is simple and un-ambiguous.
• It is easy to record persons who slept at a place the previous night.
• Where census period is longer the de facto method is ineffective.
• Used in Ghana

Question 9

What are the advantages of censuses

Answer 9

1. Universal, hence small area data available
2. National effort
3. Provides frame for later sample surveys
4. Provides population denominators

Question 10

Disadvantages of censuses

Answer 10

1. Size limits content and quality control efforts
2. Cost limits frequency
3. Delay between field work and results
4. Sometimes politicized

Question 11

What is a sample survey and what does it provide?

Answer 11

• Sample survey seeks to collect information from a fraction of the population
• By using a carefully selected representative sample, demographers have been able to ask many and in-depth questions
• They provide psychological, social, economic, and even physical data that are necessary for calculation of rates and ratios

Question 12

What is the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey? Who conducts and coordinates it?

Answer 12

Part of the Worldwide DHS Programme designed to collect data on mortality, fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS, etc.

• Conducted in Ghana by the Statistical Service and co-ordinated by the Institute for Resources Development Systems Inc. in the USA

Question 13

Give the merits and demerits for sample surveys

Answer 13

Merits
- Covers a portion of the population and therefore at a lower cost
- More questions can be asked
- Fewer errors in the administration of the questionnaire
- Low coverage and content errors
- Possibility of experimenting with new questions

Demerits
- May suffer from sampling errors