Surveillance and Data Resources Unit

This unit has two sections: the Data Resources Section and the Demographic Research Section. The first is responsible for receiving, cleaning, checking, entering and archiving of the surveillance data collected by the Division. These come from two rural surveillance areas, Mirsarai in the Chittagong District (surveillance population: 40,000) and Abhoynagar in the Jessore District (34,000), where structured interviews - which collect data on fertility, mortality, migration, contraception, vaccinations, marriage, occupation and education of household members - are administered every are collected every three months from every fourth household. Recently demographic surveillance has been added to other surveillance taking place in the urban site of Kamalapur, where demographic data are collected once a year. Kamalapur is a part of Dhaka with about 200,000 inhabitants, many of them living in slums. Surveillance for special studies takes place among a sample of the population of this area. This is the only urban health and demographic surveillance in Asia.

The Data Resources Section is also responsible for the data management of the other units of the Division. This includes assistance with the questionnaire design and preparation of the data entry and editing programs for surveys, as well as tabulation and the provision of statistical analysis expertise to different protocols. The section takes care of all data archiving and documentation. In addition the section has a computer engineer, who provides hard- and software assistance to the staff of the division.

The Demographic Research Section is responsible for demographic research in the Division. This includes the analysis and publication of the routine surveillance results. The latest report can be accessed through the following link: Health Systems and Infectious Diseases Surveillance System report, 2002-2003. In addition, it is responsible for or participates in the demographic analysis of other studies undertaken in the surveillance areas or elsewhere by divisional staff.

The HSID Surveillance is a member of INDEPTH, an International Network of field sites with continuous Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in developing countries.

Staff