Comparability — Benin [top]

The Benin 2006 survey form specifies "Traditional circumciser" by sex and provides two response categories, "Traditional male circumciser" and "Traditional female circumciser." IPUMS-DHS maintains this detail in the composite coding, while placing both answers in the broad category "Traditional." Researchers interested in using the Benin 2006 sample should note this difference when comparing across samples. The Benin 2001 and 2011 surveys do not classify this response category by gender.

Comparability — Cote d'Ivoire [top]

The Cote d'Ivoire 1994 survey form splits the common response category "Trained nurse/midwife" into two separate responses. Researchers interested in using the Cote d'Ivoire 1994 sample should note this difference when comparing across samples. The remaining Cote d'Ivoire samples provide the more common single response of "(Trained) nurse/midwife."

Cote d'Ivoire 1998 provides both "Traditional circumciser" and "Excisioner" under the response category "Traditional." IPUMS-DHS preserves both responses in composite coding, as it is probable that an "excisioner" practices solely excision (See the variable description for FCTYPE for details on how the World Health Organization defines various types of circumcision.) The remaining Cote d'Ivoire samples do not include "Excisioner" as a response category.

Comparability — Egypt [top]

In the Egypt 1995 survey, women who stated that a doctor performed the circumcision were asked the sex of the doctor. The questionnaire thus provides both "male doctor" and "female doctor" in the response set. IPUMS-DHS maintains this detail in composite coding, while placing both answers in the broad category "Health Professional." Researchers interested in using the Egypt 1995 sample should note this difference when comparing across samples. The Egypt 2008 survey does not classify doctors by gender.

Comparability — Nigeria [top]

A DHS final report for Nigeria includes the following text on comparability problems: "The 2008 NDHS showed a higher prevalence of female circumcision than that reported in the 2003 NDHS (30 percent versus 19 percent). However, this increase was actually due to variations in the definition of FGC used in the two surveys. In the 2008 NDHS, some of the field teams included angurya and gishiri cuts in the FGC category while others did not. This was not the case in 2003 NDHS. In the 2013 NDHS, the definition of FGC explicitly followed the WHO definition ... and captured the practice of angurya and gishiri cuts. Any comparisons of FGC data from the 2013 survey with data from these earlier surveys should be made with caution."