Sangeetha Madhavan
Mark Collinson
Nicholas W. Townsend
Kathleen Kahn
Stephen M. Tollman

http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol17/13/

doi:10.4054/DemRes.2007.17.13

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Abstract

Demographic surveillance systems (DSS) depend on community acceptance and involvement to produce high quality longitudinal data. Ensuring community support also exposes power relations usually concealed in the research process. We discuss the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System in South Africa to argue that: 1) long-term presence and community involvement contribute to high response rates and data quality, 2) to maintain community support the project must demonstrate its usefulness, 3) reporting to community members provides valuable checks on the local relevance and comprehension of questions, and 4) community opinion can modify both wording and content of research questions.

Author's affiliation
Sangeetha Madhavan
University of Maryland, United States of America
Mark Collinson
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Nicholas W. Townsend
Brown University, United States of America
Kathleen Kahn
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Stephen M. Tollman
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Keywords
community, demographic surveillance system, fertility, health, knowledge, longitudinal, migration, mortality, South Africa

Word count (Main text)
6436

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