Questionnaire Text

Questionnaire form view entire document:  text  image
Form B: Household questionnaire Part 3

Part 3: Fertility information of females aged 15 and over listed in column 2 of part 2

[Questions 1-8 were asked of females age 15 and older]

Fertility information

Number of children born (give number in two digits, like 01, 02... 10, 11, etc. If none, write 00)

[6] How many of them have died?

_ _ Male
_ _ Female
Questionnaire instructions view entire document:  text  image
82. Filling-in of Form B Household Questionnaire: Part 3: Fertility Information of Females Aged 15 and over Listed in Columns 2 of Part 2
This part of the questionnaire relates to fertility information. These questions will be asked in the case of female aged 15 and over in the household who have already been enumerated in part 2 of Form B household Questionnaire. Note that fertility information should be collected in column 4 to 6 for all women ages 15 and about in the household irrespective of their age or marital status. In other words, this will include elderly women and women who were never married, widowed, divorced, or separated.

86. Column 4, 5, 6: Number of children born.
The questions in these Columns have been designed in such a way as to elicit the vital information we require without embarrassing the respondents. We have to find out the total number of children born to a woman, number of children living and number of children dead among them. Please remember that the nature of responses you will obtain will depend, to a great extent, on how tactfully you put these questions. Great care must be taken to choose words which, while retaining the exact meaning of the questions will not give rise to any emotional feelings Finally, please note that the word "children" in the questions refer to the woman's own offspring of whatever age and sex and not the children of a brother, sister or husband or other relative or non-relative or adopted ones who may be living with her. You should also note that some of the respondents may be old and their memory weak. You should, therefore, exercise patience and help them to recollect the correct number of children born to them. If no child is reported for any of the questions, write 00 in the Column concerned.
Note: It is common experience that the birth of child may not be reported readily if the child is not actually surviving at the time of enumeration. Infant deaths are still high in the country. There is a chance of a number of such cases being missed unless specifically questioned about. It is necessary to record all live births even if the child has died soon thereafter or had not survived to the day of enumeration. Where a woman first answers that no child was ever born to her, you may perhaps question as follows: "It has been found in some houses that a child was born and had died soon after or a few days or month later and such cases had not been reported. It is my hope that there are no such cases here. Am I right?". This may bring in the required response. If she reports 'No' then you can be sure that no birth has been missed.

89. Column 6: (e) and (f) How many of them have died? (Separately for male children dead in Column (e) and female children dead in Column (f)
Record in the space provided the number of the woman's own children by sex who are dead. Note that some women may not easily remember the number of their children who have died. Therefore, you should help the respondent to find the correct number by counting your fingers as she mentions the names of the children dead. This is a sensitive question and you must ascertain the answer without wounding the feelings of the respondent.
Note: Make sure that no child is counted more than once or omitted. Please remember that the number of children born alive to a woman should be equal to the total of number of children living and number of children dead.
Column 4 (a) = Column 5 (c) + Column 6 (e) Column 4 (b) = Column 5 (d) + Column 6 (f)