Randall, SC; Fanghanel, A; Gnoumou, B; Compaore, N; Coast, E; (2012) Les données démographiques Africaines sont-elles capables de bien informer les décideurs sur les besoins de la population âgée Africaine? Presented at: VIIe colloque de l'AIDELF "Démographie et politiques sociales", Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

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Abstract

It is unclear whether adequate data exist to assess accurately the numbers of older Africans, let alone provide the detailed information needed to inform policy decision making. We examine the quality of data on older Africans produced by the Demographic and Health surveys and censuses for 17 African countries in order to evaluate the quality of age reporting and the extent to which the older population is captured by these major data collection exercises. Our analyses show (1) that the quality of age data is rough or very rough for most countries outside Southern Africa (2) that in a number of Sahelian countries DHS surveys seem to omit a considerable proportion of older women and (3) the data on older people produced by the DHS and the census are inconsistent and contradictory. We then analyse in-depth interviews with data producers and users in Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Uganda on the available and required data in these countries on older people. We demonstrate a virtuous circle in Uganda where new policies for provision of services and resources for older people are generating new demands for data on older peoples’ situations and needs. This contrasts with the situations in Tanzania and Burkina Faso where there is little recognition of older people as a vulnerable population with specific needs and no widespread perception that better quality data are required.

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