21. Total children surviving
[] 00 None
[] Number ____
[] 99 Unknown
The purpose of question 20-23 is to obtain information allowing research on fertility and relevant characteristics related to population growth. They are also designed to obtain information about the level of and past trends in mortality rates in the population of Guatemala.
To investigate such important questions requires you to be sensitive and extremely clever during the interview.
Ask question 20-23 of all females aged 15 years or older, regardless of their civil status.
[p. 82]
If possible, ask these questions of the girls and women directly. They may sometimes forget to declare live-born children who died, and those who are still alive. Keep this in mind to avoid any omissions.
Important: It has been noted that some enumerators assume that unmarried women do not have children and thus they do not ask them the pertinent questions. This approach is incorrect and results in poor-quality data that cannot be used to study population growth.
Question 21: total surviving children
Ask this question of all females aged 15 and older, regardless of their civil status.
1. How to ask the question:
Ask, "How many of these children are living?"
Keep in mind the following definition as you ask this question:
A living child is one who is alive on the census date, regardless of whether or not the child lives with the mother or resides in another geographic area, or abroad.
2. How to record a response:
For girls or women who have no surviving children, mark an "X" in box 00, "none."
In the case of girls or women who state they have one or more surviving children, write the appropriate number after the word "number."
If the respondent does not know if the girl or woman in question has any surviving children, mark an "X" in box 00, "unknown."
3. Example:
[This box contains question 21 of the section VI, "people in the census household."]