RESUMO
A census and an ecologic survey were performed in 39 villages of a rural district of Arsi Region, Ethiopia, in difficult field circumstances. Information on age, ethnic group, education and family relationship, as well as data on health facilities and availability of basic services were collected. Supervised students, working in teams, were used as interviewers. Communities were involved through plenary meetings and community health agents participated in the data collection process. A total of 64,714 people in 12,152 households were registered. The repeatability of age assessment was investigated by comparing the results from two villages with data obtained in a pilot study carried out 6 months earlier. The technical error was only 0.80 and 1.67 in the 0-5 and 6-15 age-groups, respectively. Three percent of the total population was under one year, less than previously estimated. This may, in part, be due to the family planning programme in the region. Eighteen percent of the households were headed by females. School attendance was less common among females and in the Oromo ethnic group. The availability of basic services, including safe water and basic sanitation supplies, was very poor in the area.
PIP: A rural demographic surveillance system was established in the Arsi region of Ethiopia with a census, health interview survey, and ecologic data collection in 1989-90. The methodology, data collection, data processing, and survey results of the census and surveys in 39 villages in Ticho District are reported. Ticho was one of 12 districts in Arsi Region in which the population has been resettled in villages since 1985. The area is situated in highlands, which have difficult field circumstances. Students (18) were used as interviewers in the catchment areas of the Robe health center and 5 health stations. Community participation was included prior to the survey. A pilot study was undertaken 6 months prior to the main surveys in April 1989. Community health agents, who were asked to encourage community involvement, and students were trained prior to survey distribution in October-November 1989 and February 1990 during the dry season. Team supervisors monitored data collection and personally collected the ecologic data. Completeness was checked manually, and computer data entries were checked on 10% of all records. THe operation costs amounted to 12,000 Ethiopian birr ($6000), excluding printing of forms and some purchases of materials necessary for fieldwork. Age reliability was checked for 5% of the sample in 2 villages. Technical error was found to increase with age and was lowest in the 0-5 year old group. The census enumerated 64,714 persons in 12,152 households (5.3 persons per household) in the 39 villages. The population increased by single years of age until the age of 8 years. There appeared to be even number digit preference and 0 and 5 digit preference. The Oromo ethnic group comprised 85% of the population; 14% were Amhara. 66% of the Oromo group were Muslim, and the rest were Orthodox. 39% of the Oromo population under 5 years old and 35% of the Amhara group had never attended school. 31% of the population aged 15-19 years had attended primary school and 23% secondary school; only 13.9% of the 15-19 year olds had not attended any school. There were 2217 households headed by females. The nearest health station was an average of 90 minutes away by foot. 23 villages had not or few latrines. Only 3 villages obtained safe drinking water. Access to unprotected water sources took less than 30 minutes for 90% of the villages. 35% (14) of the villages had a primary school. Environmental health needs to be a priority for Primary Health efforts.
