Question 404: Age
Age is of vital importance in demographic data, because it is the basic for calculating fertility, mortality, population projections, and other demographic indicators.
Age must be estimated even if it is only a best estimate
Ask the age of the respondent and write the answer in the box provided. Age is calculated in years and rounded downwards or age at the last birthday. Age is calculated based on the Gregorian calendar. Experience indicates that respondents tend to round their age upwards. For this reason, asked if he/she has reached that age.
Explanation:
1. If the respondent's age is 27 years and 9 month, record the age as 27 years.
2. If the age is less than 1 year, record the age as 0 years.
If the respondent does not know his/her exact age, try to obtain an estimate of the age by the following methods:
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1. Ask the respondent to show some birth documents, such as, a birth certificate or a letter from someone who can certify the birth. For children younger than 5 years, ask for a doctor's record, an immunization card, health card, or other record made by the parents. Pay attention to whether the document mentions the age at the time the documents was prepared or the date of birth.
2. Convert Arabic or other calendars to the Gregorian calendar. In some areas where the majority of the population is Moslem, they may only be able to remember some important religious events, for example, fasting month, Idul Fitr, Idul Adha, or prophet day. Use the Age conversion guide (see Appendix 1).
3. Make a correspondence between the respondent's birth and the date, month, and year of important national and/or regional events in Indonesia. Some examples of important events are volcano eruptions, floods, fires, election of chief of the village, start of the Japanese occupation (1942), Proclamation of Independence of the Republic of Indonesia (1945), first general election (1955), and the communist rebellion of 30 September 1965 (G30S/PKI 1965).
4. If the respondent is a child, the age of the child can be compared to age of other siblings. Start by estimating the age of the youngest child. Then compare that age to the second youngest child and ask how old this child was when the younger sibling was born or what was this child able to do (taking steps, sitting up, standing up, walking) when the younger child was born or at the beginning of the pregnancy of the younger child. Continue this procedure to estimate the age of the older children.
5. Compare the age of the child to a neighbor child or other relative whose exact age is known. Estimate how many months older or younger this child is compared to the child in question.
Since only two boxes are provided to record the age, for those who are younger than 10 years put a zero in the first box and for those older than 95 years, write "95".
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Example:
11 months: "00"
5 years, 11 months: "05"
102 years: "95"
Question 603: Age (year)
Calculate the respondent's age based on the information in Q 602. If the answer is different from that written in Q 404, the enumerator must ask the respondent again to confirm his age and correct the age in Q 602.
Appendix 1
Age conversion guide
There are two methods of calculating age:
1. Calculate the respondent's age if date, month, and Gregorian year is known.
2. Calculate the respondent's age, if the respondent knows the information in the Islamic, Javanese, and Sundanese calendars from 1338-1426 H (Islamic) or from 1920-2005 G (Gregorian).
The respondent's knowledge about when he/she was born is quite variable. To facilitate the calculation of the respondent's age, use the following table:
No. 1
Respondent's knowledge: knows the Gregorian date, month, and year
Method used: method 1
No. 2
Respondent's knowledge: knows the Gregorian month and year
Method used: method 1
No. 3
Respondent's knowledge: knows the Islamic month and year 1338-1426 H
Method used: method 2, method 1
No. 4
Respondent's knowledge: knows the Islamic month and Gregorian year 1920-2005 G
Method used: method 2, method 1
No. 5
Respondent's knowledge: knows the date and month in the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendar and the Islamic year, 1338-1426 H
Method used: method 2, method 1
No. 6
Respondent's knowledge: knows the date and month in the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendar and the year in the Gregorian year, 1920-2005 G
Method used: method 2, method 1
Method 1
Method 1 is used to determine someone's age who knows the date, month, and year he/she was born in the Gregorian calendar. There are three steps in this method.
1. Divide the year into two periods:
Period 1 = 1 January through the date of the enumeration
Period 2 = the day after the enumeration through 31 December
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2. Determine whether the date born falls into period 1 or period 2.
3. Calculate the age as follows:
a. If date born is in period 1, the age = year of the enumeration minus the year born.
b. If date born is in period 2, the age = year of the enumeration minus the year born - 1.
Example:
1. Aminah was born on 26 January 1963 and the enumeration is conducted on 31 October 2002. Calculation:
- 1 January through the date of enumeration = 1 January through 31 October. A day after the date of enumeration through 31 December = 1 November through 31 December.
- Because 26 January is in period 1 (1 January through. 31 October), then the respondent's age = 2002 - 1963 = 39 years.
- Thus, Aminah's age on 31 October 2002 = 39 years.
2. Siti was born on 12 December 1972 and the enumeration is conducted on 15 November 2002. Calculation:
- 1 January through the date of enumeration = 1 January through 15 November. A day after the date of enumeration through 31 December = 16 November through 31 December.
- Because 12 December is in period 2 (16 November through 31 December), then the respondent's age = 2002 -- 1972 - 1 = 29 years.
- Thus, Siti's age on 15 November 2002 = 29 years.
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Method 2
Method 2 is used to determine someone's age who knows the date, month, and year he/she was born in the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendar. There are four steps in this method.
1. Convert the date, month and year of the respondent's birth from the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendar to the Gregorian calendar by using the Calendar Conversion Tables.
2. Carry out the three steps to calculate the age as detailed in Method 1.
Calendar conversion tables
The age conversion table consists of 2 columns. Column (1) contains the year, month and date in the Gregorian calendar and column (2) contains the month and year in the Islamic calendar. The date and month in the Gregorian calendar in column (1) is matched with the first day of the month in the Islamic calendar in column (2).
Example:
1. Andi was born on 1 Sya'ban 1366 H and the enumeration is conducted on 23 October 2002. Calculation. Calendar conversion:
- Look for the Gregorian month in column (1) that corresponds with the Islamic month Sya'ban 1366 H in column (2).
- The date 1 Sya'ban 1366 H corresponds with 20 June, 1947 in the Gregorian calendar in column (1).
Method 1:
- The date 1 January through date of enumeration = 1 January through 23 October. A day after the date of enumeration through 31 December = 24 October through 31 December.
- The date 20 June 1947 is in period 1 (1 January through 23 October); the calculation of the age is 2002 - 1947 = 55 years.
- Thus, Andi's age on 23 October 2002 = 55 years.
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2. Dewi was born on 2 Zulhijah 1374 H and the enumeration is conducted on 5 November 2002.
Calculation: calendar conversion:
- Look for the Gregorian month in column (1) that corresponds with the Islamic month Zulhijah 1374 H in column (2).
- The date 1 Zulhijah 1374 H corresponds with 27 November 1954.
- The date 2 Zulhijah 1374 H = 27 November + 1 = 28 November 1954.
Method 1:
- The date 1 January through the date of enumeration = 1 January through 5 November. A day after the date of enumeration through 31 December = 6 November through 31 December.
- The date 28 November is in period 2 (6 November through 31 December); the calculation of the age is 2002 -- 1954 - 1 = 47 years.
- Thus, Dewi's age on 5 November 2002 = 47 years.
3. Kiki was born on 5 Rajab 1378 H and the enumeration is conducted on 25 October 2002.
Calculation. Calendar conversion:
- Look for the Gregorian month in column (1) that corresponds with the Islamic month Rajab 1378 H in column (2).
- The date 1 Rajab 1378 H corresponds with 11 January 1959.
- The date 5 Rajab 1378 H = 11 January + 4 = 15 January 1959.
Method 1:
- Period 1 = 1 January through 25 October; period 2 = 26 October through 31 December.
- The date 15 January is in period 1; the calculation of the age is 2002 - 1959 = 43 years.
- Thus, Kiki's age on 25 October 2002 = 43 years.
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4. Rian was born on 5 Ramadhan 1996 G and the enumeration is conducted on 27 November 2002. (Date and month are in the Islamic calendar, while the year is in the Gregorian calendar)
Calculation. Calendar conversion:
- Look for the Gregorian month in 1996 in column (1) that corresponds with the Islamic month Ramadhan in column (2).
- The date 1 Ramadhan in column (2) corresponds with the date 22 January 1996 in the Gregorian calendar in column (1).
- The date 5 Ramadhan = 22 January + 4 = 26 January 1996
Method 1:
- Period 1 = 1 January through 27 November; period 2 = 28 November through 31 December.
- The date 26 January is in period 1; the calculation of the age is 2002 - 1996 = 6 years.
- Thus, Rian's age on 27 November 2002 = 6 years.
5. Indah was born on 20 Rabiul Akhir 1375 H and the enumeration is conducted on 23 November 2002. Calculation. Calendar conversion:
- Look for the Gregorian month in column (1) that corresponds with the Islamic month Rabiul Akhir 1375 H.
- The date 1 Rabiul Akhir 1375 H corresponds with the date 17 November 1955.
- The date 20 Rabiul Akhir = 17 November + 19 = 36 November.
- Because November has only 30 days, then 36 November 1955 = 36 - 30 = 6 December 1955.
Method 1:
- Period 1 = 1 January through 23 November; period 2 = 24 November through 31 December.
- The date 6 December 1955 is in period 2; the calculation of the age is 2002 - 1955 -1 = 46 years.
- Thus, Indah's age on 23 November 2002 = 46 years.
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The number of months in one year of the local calendars (Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese) is the same as the number of months in one year of the Gregorian calendar. The name of the months in the Islamic, Javanese and Sundanese calendars are presented in the table below:
Name of the months in Islamic, Javanese, and Sundanese calendars
Month no. 1
Islamic: Muharram
Javanese: Suro
Sundanese: Sura
Month no. 2
Islamic: Syafar
Javanese: Sapar
Sundanese: Sapar
Month no. 3
Islamic: Rabiul Awal
Javanese: Mulud
Sundanese: Mulud
Month no. 4
Islamic: Rabiul Akhir
Javanese: Bakdomulud
Sundanese: Silihmulud
Month no. 5
Islamic: Jumadil Awal
Javanese: Jumadil Awal
Sundanese: Jumadil Awal
Month no.6
Islamic: Jumadil Akhir
Javanese: Jumadil Akhir
Sundanese: Jumadil Akhir
Month no. 7
Islamic: Rajab
Javanese: Rajab
Sundanese: Rajab
Month no. 8
Islamic: Sya'ban
Javanese: Ruwah
Sundanese: Rewah
Month no. 9
Islamic: Ramadhan
Javanese: Pasa
Sundanese: Puasa
Month no. 10
Islamic: Syawal
Javanese: Sawal
Sundanese: Sawal
Month no. 11
Islamic: Zulkaidah
Javanese: Selo
Sundanese: Hapit
Month no. 12
Islamic: Zulhijah
Javanese: Besar
Sundanese: Rayagung
Before using Method 2 the following points must be noted:
- In the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendar the number of days ranges from 29 to 30.
- The number of days in corresponding months of the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendars is not always the same if the years are different.
- The sequence of months in the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendars does not always correspond with the sequence of months in the Gregorian calendar.
- Example: The months of Suro/Sura/Muharram do not always correspond with the month of January.
- One month in the Islamic/Javanese/Sundanese calendar can fall within two consecutive months in the Gregorian calendar.
Method 1 and Method 2 are only used to determine the date, month, and year of birth in the Gregorian calendar.
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[The Gregorian and Islamic calendar conversion tables 1920-2005 are not reported here]
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