Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract Nationally representative household surveys collect geocoded data that are vital to tackling health and other development challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Scholars and practitioners generally assume uniform data quality but subnational variation of errors in household data has never been i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58776-5 |
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| author | Valentin Seidler Edson C. Utazi Amelia B. Finaret Sebastian Luckeneder Gregor Zens Maksym Bodarenko Abigail W. Smith Sarah E. K. Bradley Andrew J. Tatem Patrick Webb |
| author_facet | Valentin Seidler Edson C. Utazi Amelia B. Finaret Sebastian Luckeneder Gregor Zens Maksym Bodarenko Abigail W. Smith Sarah E. K. Bradley Andrew J. Tatem Patrick Webb |
| author_sort | Valentin Seidler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Nationally representative household surveys collect geocoded data that are vital to tackling health and other development challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Scholars and practitioners generally assume uniform data quality but subnational variation of errors in household data has never been investigated at high spatial resolution. Here, we explore within-country variation in the quality of most recent household surveys for 35 African countries at 5 × 5 km resolution and district levels. Findings show a striking heterogeneity in the subnational distribution of sampling and measurement errors. Data quality degrades with greater distance from settlements, and missing data as well as imprecision of estimates add to quality problems that can result in vulnerable remote populations receiving less than optimal services and needed resources. Our easy-to-access geospatial estimates of survey data quality highlight the need to invest in better targeting of household surveys in remote areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d139cff3d56f4300b0bc071eb2ce7b9c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-d139cff3d56f4300b0bc071eb2ce7b9c2025-08-20T02:19:57ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-58776-5Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan AfricaValentin Seidler0Edson C. Utazi1Amelia B. Finaret2Sebastian Luckeneder3Gregor Zens4Maksym Bodarenko5Abigail W. Smith6Sarah E. K. Bradley7Andrew J. Tatem8Patrick Webb9Central European UniversityWorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Sciencevundefined, University of SouthamptonUniversity of Edinburgh, Global Academy of Agriculture and Food SystemsVienna University of Economics and Business, Department of SocioeconomicsInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)WorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Sciencevundefined, University of SouthamptonAllegheny College, Department of Global Health StudiesIndependent Public Health DemographerWorldPop, School of Geography and Environmental Sciencevundefined, University of SouthamptonTufts University, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, BostonAbstract Nationally representative household surveys collect geocoded data that are vital to tackling health and other development challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Scholars and practitioners generally assume uniform data quality but subnational variation of errors in household data has never been investigated at high spatial resolution. Here, we explore within-country variation in the quality of most recent household surveys for 35 African countries at 5 × 5 km resolution and district levels. Findings show a striking heterogeneity in the subnational distribution of sampling and measurement errors. Data quality degrades with greater distance from settlements, and missing data as well as imprecision of estimates add to quality problems that can result in vulnerable remote populations receiving less than optimal services and needed resources. Our easy-to-access geospatial estimates of survey data quality highlight the need to invest in better targeting of household surveys in remote areas.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58776-5 |
| spellingShingle | Valentin Seidler Edson C. Utazi Amelia B. Finaret Sebastian Luckeneder Gregor Zens Maksym Bodarenko Abigail W. Smith Sarah E. K. Bradley Andrew J. Tatem Patrick Webb Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan Africa Nature Communications |
| title | Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | Subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | subnational variations in the quality of household survey data in sub saharan africa |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58776-5 |
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