Column P5 -- Age
83. This is one of the most important questions in the questionnaire. It is also one of the most difficult to answer correctly. Take particular care with it.

84. Ask, "How old is this person?" If the age is not known, ask for the year of birth. If this is provided, use it to get the person's age. Record the age of the person in completed years i.e. age as at last birthday). For children under one year of age, write "00". For example, a person aged 26 years and four months should be entered as "26". A child aged three months should be entered as "00".

85. Many people will not know their ages. If neither the person's age nor the year of birth is known, you must refer to the "Events Calendar" and try to relate the person's age to an event in the calendar. For example, ask the person whether he was born by the time of the Second World War (the so-called Burma War). If the answer is "Yes", then probe further and ask, "How big were you at that time?" This way, his/her age will be estimated.

86. When you have made the best estimate you can, you should check that it is compatible with the person's position in the family. For example, a child cannot be older than its father, a mother aged 22 cannot have a child aged 17, and a woman aged over 50 is unlikely to have a child aged "00".

87. Some people have fixed and wrong ideas about their ages. Do not accept any answers that are obviously wrong. Try and get accurate answers. Be careful to probe if you observe a tendency for people to consistently give ages ending in particular digits e.g. 0 and 5).

P5 Age in completed years: age at last birthday