4. What is (the person)?s age?Age in completed years: _ _
P4. How old are you?
This is one of the most important questions of the Census, since all data analysis is done on the basis of information crossed with the age of the respondents. For example, rates of illiteracy, unemployment, mortality, etc., are calculated using data on age. Therefore, one must correctly identify and write down the age of each household member.
The age of each person should be given in number of completed years. For example, if the person has less than 1 year of age (had not yet completed one year of age in August 1, 1997), then you should write: |0|0|.
If the person is 9 years old, write this: |0|9|, etc.
Keep in mind that:
Age is recorded in 2 digits. If registered to vote has one younger than 10 years, type 0 before the age. For example, a person with 7 years of age, write down: 07.
If age is over 99 years (e.g. 100, 101) you can write the last digit in two boxes for example, |1|0|1|
To determine the age you should:
1 - Ask the age and year of birth of the person.
2 - Ask for ID Card, Voter Registration Card, or equivalent document which can be recorded the age or year of birth (SEE TABLE FOR CONVERSION) of the respondent.
If using this method you are still not able to determine the age, the Enumerator should try to get it through comparisons with other surveyed with a known age or by the following:
a) Use dates of historical local or national events who can recall their age or date of birth. From the age that the person had at the time of the historical event you should add the years since that time and calculate his/her current age.
b) Compare the physical characteristics of the person whose age is unknown, with another person with known age
- Special attention should be given to children (see if they already run - 1 year or already speak - 2 years).
c) To determine the age of a child, and the mother has more children, you should proceed as follows:
- Knowing the age of one of them,
- Following the order and interval in which the mother gave birth, calculate the age of the child whose age is unknown.
d) In cases where it is difficult to estimate the age you should not look for an arbitrarily solution assigning ages ending in zero or five. You should always distinguish between the ages year by year, for example: 36, 43, 78, etc..