For all persons
[Columns P01 to P10B were asked of all persons]
(P06) Date of birth _ _ _ _ _ _
Record the date of birth or where appropriate the age declared in completed years. If the age declared is less than one (1) year, record 00. If the age declared is more than 98, record 98
A- Sociodemographic characteristics
Column P06: Date of birth or age
Column P06 is intended to record either the date of birth (by preference), or the age (if the date of birth is not known). This column must be completed for all the members of the household. Identity or civil status documents or failing that birth certificates for the newly born will be of great use.
[p. 24]
To do this, you should proceed as follows:
First, seek to record the date of birth:
- If the date of birth is not known, seek to record the age of the person surveyed.
- If the date of birth is declared put dashes in the boxes reserved for age. If age is declared, put dashes in the boxes reserved for date of birth.
Age
If the person does not know their date of birth, pose the following question: "What age is [the respondent]?" Record the age declared in the appropriate boxes and put dashes in the boxes reserved for the date of birth.
You should record the age for every person who does not know their date of birth; and you will do it in two different ways according to the type of information available:
a) The person knows their age: you should record the age in complete years in the corresponding boxes:
- For children of less than one year (less than 12 months), record in the boxes: /_0_0/
- For 27 and a half years, record: /_2_7/
- For those surveyed aged 98 or more, record: /_9_8/
b) The person does not know their age or date of birth: you should try to estimate their age. Several procedures are possible:
- Compare the age of the person surveyed to that of a member of the household whose age is known in a more reliable fashion;
- Try to estimate the age of the person surveyed by referring to the historic calendar.
NB 16:
- The age of a father should be more than 15 years at least than that of his first child.
- The age of a mother should be more than 12 years at least than that of her first child.
For persons aged 98 or more, record 98 in the boxes reserved for age.