Comparing two survey methods of measuring health-related indicators: Lot Quality Assurance Sampling and Demographic Health Surveys

Anoke, Sarah C., Mwai, Paul, Jeffery, Caroline ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8023-0708, Valadez, Joseph ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6575-6592 and Pagano, Marcello (2015) 'Comparing two survey methods of measuring health-related indicators: Lot Quality Assurance Sampling and Demographic Health Surveys'. Tropical Medicine & International Health, Vol 20, Issue 12, pp. 1756-1770.

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Abstract

Objectives
Two common methods used to measure indicators for health programme monitoring and evaluation are the demographic and health surveys (DHS) and lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS); each one has different strengths. We report on both methods when utilised in comparable situations.
Methods
We compared 24 indicators in south-west Uganda, where data for prevalence estimations were collected independently for the two methods in 2011 (LQAS: n = 8876; DHS: n = 1200). Data were stratified (e.g. gender and age) resulting in 37 comparisons. We used a two-sample two-sided Z-test of proportions to compare both methods.
Results
The average difference between LQAS and DHS for 37 estimates was 0.062 (SD = 0.093; median = 0.039). The average difference among the 21 failures to reject equality of proportions was 0.010 (SD = 0.041; median = 0.009); among the 16 rejections, it was 0.130 (SD = 0.010, median = 0.118). Seven of the 16 rejections exhibited absolute differences of <0.10, which are clinically (or managerially) not significant; 5 had differences >0.10 and <0.20 (mean = 0.137, SD = 0.031) and four differences were >0.20 (mean = 0.261, SD = 0.083).
Conclusion
There is 75.7% agreement across the two surveys. Both methods yield regional results, but only LQAS provides information at less granular levels (e.g. the district level) where managerial action is taken. The cost advantage and localisation make LQAS feasible to conduct more frequently, and provides the possibility for real-time health outcomes monitoring.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries WA Public Health > Statistics. Surveys > WA 950 Theory or methods of medical statistics. Epidemiologic methods
Faculty: Department:	Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.12605
Depositing User:	Martin Chapman
Date Deposited:	03 Dec 2015 15:06
Last Modified:	06 Sep 2019 11:29
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/5443

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