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.
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