Description

For women who agreed to have blood pressure measured during the survey, BPTMODEL reports the blood pressure monitor cuff size used to measure the woman's blood pressure. The centimeters associated with the cuff size correspond to the recommended arm circumference.

When the blood pressure cuff is too large or too small, errors in measuring blood pressure can occur. Using cuffs that are too small or too short can lead to overestimates of the systolic and diastolic measurements. Similarly, using cuffs that are too large can lead to underestimates. The related variable BPTARMCM reports, in centimeters, the circumference of the woman's arm, midway between the elbow and the shoulder.

Comparability

In addition to universe differences, BPTMODEL differs in the centimeters associated with each cuff size. IPUMS-DHS uses composite coding, with "Small" having a first digit of "1," "Medium" having a first digit of "2," "Large" having a first digit of "3," and "Extra large" having a first digit of "5." The second digit contains additional information about the centimeters associated with each size.

Comparability - Standard DHS

BPTMODEL is a country-specific variable, and it is not included in any phase of the standard DHS questionnaire.

Universe