The document discusses demographic surveillance systems (DSS), which are used to track longitudinal demographic changes and health data in populations, particularly in developing countries. It highlights the origins of DSS, the establishment of INDEPTH in 1998, and the objectives aimed at improving health and social issues through collective initiatives. The document also covers the methodology, advantages, and limitations of these systems, emphasizing their role in evaluating health care interventions.

1. DEMOGRAPHIC
SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEMAISHWARYA.A
NISHA
HARI PRASAD REGMI
R.KAMALESH
Binod Sharma

2. INTRODUCTION
 To study a population there is a need for collection of information through various
sources of data.
 Collection of information about population is based on either
1) Census
2) Surveys
 Demographic Surveillance Systems (DSS) began in the 1960s as a means of
tracking longitudinal demographic changes to populations in developing countries.

3. DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEM
 Demographic surveillance is the process of defining risk and corresponding dynamics in rates of
birth, deaths, and migration in a population over time.
 Demographic Surveillance systems are often
set up around specific intervention studies and later convert into
standing DSS sites that can form a platform for further studies.
 The term DSS has recently been changed to HDSS with ‘h’ standing for ‘health’ .
 The first DSS was established in 1963 MATLAB in Bangladesh.

4. DSS (cont)
 Members of a geographically defined community are tracked over time.
 The population size of a DSS site depends on the particular research focus of the
site and cost and capacity.
 DSS sites collect data on births, deaths, causes of death, and migration which
provide an important resource for evaluating health care interventions within the
site.

5. DSS : METHODOLOGY
 An initial baseline census is taken in the community, after which all marriages, pregnancies, births,
deaths, and migration dynamics are tracked over time.
 Deaths that occur to residents within the DSS boundaries are reported by a key informant, and Verbal
autopsy interviewers visit households where a death has occurred to administer the verbal autopsy
questionnaire.

6. INDEPTH
 International Network of Field Sites with Continuous
Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in Develo
ping Countries or INDEPTH was
established in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in 1998 .
 INDEPTH focuses to foster the
established HDSS, promote the creation of new sites, coordinate ac
tivities, support uniform field procedures, allow
comparative analyses, share know-
how, and stimulate collaboration with international research instituti
ons.
 INDEPTH covers 45 member health research centres in 20
countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania

7. INDEPTH:AIM AND ITS OBJECTIVES
 INDEPTH aims to harness the collective potential of the world's community-based longitudinal
demographic surveillance initiatives in low- and middle-income countries to provide a better
understanding of health and social issues and to encourage the application of this understanding to
alleviate major health and social problems.
Strategic Objectives
 To strengthen the capacity of INDEPTH member centres to conduct longitudinal health and
demographic studies.
 To stimulate, co-ordinate and conduct cutting-edge multicentre health and demographic research.
 To facilitate the translation of INDEPTH findings to maximise impact on policy and practice

8. MEMBERS OF
INDEPTH

9. DIFFERENT HDSS IN
WORLD

10. MATLAB (Bangladesh)
 Matlab started since 1966.
 Mission is to develop and disseminate solutions to
health and population problems facing the world
 Population characteristics :
 Population density.
 Religion (90% Muslims)
 Education / literacy rate (69% illiterate)
 Housing, drinking water (tube well 95%)
 Sanitation (open latrine)
 Occupation (agriculture, fishing)
 Transport (foot/ rickshaw/ boats)
 Immunisation coverage (high)

11.  Objectives
 Provide small area registration system suitable for
assessment of effectiveness, safety, acceptability of
MCH and family planning intervention.
 Research related to diarrhoeal diseases, measurement
and determinants of fertility and mortality.
 Develop demographic field site for training of programme
planners, researchers and implementers.
People involved
 Dias (weekly household visit)
 Health assistant (visited household every 6 week)
 Female CHW were hired for family planning among
treatment and comparison group.
 Supervisors

12.  Monitoring system covers all household and data is
collected only from households.
 Birth, death, migration recorded since 1966.
 Health data now covers:
 Reproductive status
 Contraception
 Tetanus
 Children under five( immunisation, diarrhoea and
respiratory infections).
 Field procedures
 Initial census and regular update rounds.
 Continuous surveys
 Supervision and quality control
 Data management.

13. ADVANTAGES HDSS
 High quality data
 Using DSS is a good way to supplement information from other sources such as
mortality rates from a national census or sporadic information from a civil
registration system.
 DSS site data is that researchers can study the effects of interventions and monitor
and evaluate the effects of health care programs over time.
 Other types of demographic information can also be collected such as fertility
rates, population growth, and demographic characteristics of the population.

14. LIMITATIONS OF HDSS
DSS data is that it is not nationally representative.
DSS is not so cost effective.
DSS require the use of field personnel to collect data
as well as analysts to code and validate data for
what may be a relatively large geographic area.

15. REFERENCES
 Health and demographic surveillance systems: a step towards full civil registration
and vital statistics system in subSahara
 The Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in Nouna, Burkina Fas
o, 1993–2007
 INDEPTH Monograph: Volume 1 Part C
 http://www.indepth-network.org/