Hello,
I am currently trying to get access to IPUMS DHS data on caesarean section including timing of the caesarean section. I know these are v401 (I sometimes use m17_1) and m17a_1 in the original DHS data sets; with the corresponding IPUMS DHS variables being DELCESRLAST and DELCESRDEC. However, while I can get some data for the former, it appears the IPUMS DHS doesn’t have the data for the latter (on timing). Is this the case or am I missing something? And, if I want the two variables, which file is best for getting them from the original DHS data? KR or BR? I have been using the BR (births recodes) but I have seen another study that used the KR and they say they found 21 countries in SSA which included data on the timing of caesarean section but I can’t seem to replicate their analysis. NB: My analysis is different and has nothing in common with that analysis.
Thank you,
Paul
IPUMS DHS does offer this variable on the child’s record (KR) via the DELCESRDEC as you noted; I linked to the availability tab so you can see which samples we currently offer for this variable. I can also share that the next IPUMS DHS release, which I would expect to be available in the near future, will add additional samples for this variable.
The variable is also available on the birth records in the original DHS data, but IPUMS DHS has not yet integrated the variable for that unit of analysis. You may be interested in this IPUMS DHS user note on linking between IPUMS and DHS Program versions of the data. Whether it is better to source this data from the child or the birth record likely depends on your research question and desired unit of analysis. I am not aware of any systematic way to determine if there is broader geographic coverage of the measure via the BR or KR unit of analysis. Using the DHS Program StatCompiler, I could create a table of % delivery by caesarean section planned before onset of labor, but I did not see a way to identify if these were based on the birth or the child records.
Hello KariWilliams, Thanks for your response. Yes, I think the KR file is perhaps the best. I am very much interested the variable on the timing of the caesarean section, and in particular the caesarean section conducted after the onset of labour. I have looked at the link you created and I couldn’t recreate it and it covers the before onset of labour which, while is okay, is not entirely what I want. I am only able to recreate the overall caesarean section by country. I have attached two screenshots there. As you can see, the second one shows the availability of the variable in selected samples, which are what I want too, but when I select it, it shows that it’s not available in those same samples.
I may probably have to use the option of linking IPUMS DHS with raw DHS data sets and hopefully I will get matching data sets.
If you find anything else, kindly let me know and I will be more than happy to receive.
Best regards,
Paul
Thanks for the helpful screenshots. It appears that this variable’s availability display within the broader Caesarean Section variable topic list is broken. This should be fixed with an upcoming IPUMS DHS release.
Despite the broken display on the variable topic group list, this variable is indeed available for the samples listed on the “Availability” tab. I logged into IPUMS DHS, selected “child” as my unit of analysis, and added the samples listed on the DELCESRDEC “Availability” tab to my extract. The “Codes” tab for the variable indicates that the variable is available for these samples – I have included a screenshot of “Codes” tab with Xs to indicate availability (rather than the case count view, for brevity).
Please try adding the variable to your extract despite the misleading display, and let me know if you run into any issues.
Hello KariWilliams,
I don’t know if I should raise these as a new topic or follow on from here. It’s more of a general concern. I see that some variables, especially those for estimating some adverse birth/pregnancy outcomes (eg timing of last caesarean section, birthweight, micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy - folic acid/iron, etc) are often available when the unit of analysis is a child rather than births. Perhaps a little clarificztion here would help: from the DHS, I get the following descriptions for the KR and BR recodes:
Children’s Data - Children’s Recode (KR)
This dataset has one record for every child of interviewed women, born in the five years preceding the survey. It contains the information related to the child’s pregnancy and postnatal care and immunization and health. The data for the mother of each of these children is included. This file is used to look at child health indicators such as immunization coverage, vitamin A supplementation, and recent occurrences of diarrhea, fever, and cough for young children and treatment of childhood diseases. The unit of analysis (case) in this file is the children of women born in the last 5 years (0-59 months).
Births’ data - Birth’s Recode (BR)
This dataset has one record for every child ever born to interviewed women. Essentially, it is the full birth history of all women interviewed including its information on pregnancy and postnatal care as well as immunization and health for children born in the last 5 years. Data for the mother of each of these children is also included. This file can be used to calculate health indicators as well as fertility and mortality rates. The unit of analysis (case) in this file is the children ever born of eligible women.
Could you kindly explain if the BR and KR recodes, if restricted to the last five years preceding the survey are similar, and that the child as unit of analysis will include any births in the 5 years preceding that survey that, for example, ended in preterm-birth, low-birth weight, etc even if the child is dead at the time of the interview?
Best wishes,
Paul
Hi Paul,
The child unit of analysis (KR) contains an observation for each child born within the preceding five years while the births unit of analysis (BR) includes an observation for each birth regardless of the time period. The observations in the KR can be thought of as a subsample of those in the BR since each child in the KR will have their birth as a record in the BR data. Additionally, both the KR and BR identify children who have since passed away in the variable KIDALIVE.
These adverse birth/pregnancy outcome variables you mention are typically only asked about recent births, which is why they are available in the KR but not the BR. It is possible to link across these units of analysis to add KR variables to an extract with BR data. To do this, you will want to identify each mother using IDHSPID and each of her children with BIDX (birth history index number) as linking keys.
