The Effects of Questionnaire Design and Survey Methodology on Child Disability Measurement - Evidence from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey II

Lloyd D Grieger, University of Michigan
Maria Martinho, United Nations

The “Ten Questions” method is widely utilized in international surveys to measure child disability prevalence. One large-scale study of women and children – the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) – includes a module modeled after the “Ten Questions.” While the “Ten Questions” technique has been tested for its effectiveness as a screen, its ability to act as a stand-alone instrument in a household survey is virtually unknown. Furthermore, it is unknown how other metadata factors such as sample design, response rates, and coverage affect child disability prevalence measures. A descriptive and regression analysis of the MICS data accounting for differences in metadata factors by country attempts to discover any independent effects on measurement. Once the effects of these metadata factors are known, a renewed examination at the country level will show if prevalence rates are more similar across localities.