Data Sources: Vital Registration and Census

Question 1

What data do we need to measure population health?

Answer 1

• Health status, e.g. chronic diseases, infectious diseases, physical/mental health indicators
• Lifestyle factors, e.g. physical activity, diet, tobacco/alcohol consumption
• Demographic factors, e.g. sex, age, marital status, births/deaths
• Social and economic indicators, e.g. social class, employment, education, income housing, ethnicity, geography

Question 2

Define ‘vital registration’.

Answer 2

The system by which a government records the vital events of its citizens and residents, e.g. births, marriages and deaths.

Question 3

List key features of vital registration.

Answer 3

• Universal
• Compulsory

Question 4

List advantages of vital reigstration.

Answer 4

• Best and most-reliable source for fertility,
  mortality, life expectancy and cause-of-death
  statistics

Question 5

List a disadvantage of vital registration.

Answer 5

Requires expensive infrastructure.

Question 6

What are the differences in global birth registrations between countries?

Answer 6

In industrialised countries, 98% of births are registered however in places like sub-saharan Africa, only 45% of birtha are registered.

Question 7

Define a ‘census’.

Answer 7

Count of a national population at a single point
in time that is collected at regular intervals, e.g. UK every ten years.