Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys
The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) are a survey program developed by the United Nations Children's Fund to provide internationally comparable, statistically rigorous data on the situation of children and women. The first round of surveys (MICS1) was carried out in over 60 countries in 1995 in response to the World Summit for Children. A second round (MICS2) in 2000 increased the depth of the survey, allowing monitoring of multiple indicators. A third round (MICS3) started in 2006 and aimed at producing data measuring progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, A World Fit for Children, and other major relevant international commitments. The fourth round, launched in 2009, aims at most data collection conducted in 2010. This represents a scale-up of frequency of MICS from UNICEF, now offering the survey programme on a three-year cycle.
The MICS is highly comparable to the Demographic and Health Survey and the technical teams developing and supporting the surveys are in close collaboration.
The MICS questionnaires are:
- Household, administered to the head of household (MICS1-MICS3; as of MICS4 this is now to any knowledgeable adult)
- Women, administered to all eligible women of the household
- Under five year old children, administered to mothers of children.
- As of 2011, a questionnaire for men has also been developed and is available on request.
The structure of the questionnaires are modular, such that countries, for instance, without malaria can remove this module and not harm the structure or skip patterns in the overall questionnaire. In MICS3 a number of modules were considered core, whilst others were optional and additional. In MICS4, the generic questionnaires now include all modules, such that implementers only should remove non-applicable or non-desired modules, e.g. the malaria module in non-endemic countries.
The MICS package includes not only questionnaires, but also data entry program (in CSPro), standard tabulation syntax (in SPSS), workshop training programmes, in-country capacity building and technical assistance, as well as various online resources, such as an informal blog.
The 5th round of MICS is scheduled to start in 2012 and run to 2014. 2014 is last year were data collection for MDG indicator updating is possible, due to long preparatory phase leading up to the MDG Summit scheduled for September 2015.
[edit] Countries
The following countries have conducted (or plan to conduct) a MICS survey.
X = National Survey S = Sub-national Survey Note: Only countries from UNICEF's official list are included (e.g. Botswana 2007-08 Family Health Survey is not included).
The total number of countries having ever conducted a MICS (or plan to do so) is 96.
[edit] Use of survey data
Survey data are widely used, predominantly in multi-country analyses. An example of use of MICS data is provided by Monasch et al. (2004).
A recent compilation of evidence on child discipline makes use of the MICS surveys that included the Child Discipline Module is UNICEF (2010).
[edit] References and external links
- Roeland Monasch, Annette Reinisch, Richard W. Steketee, Eline L. Korenromp, David Alnwick, and Yves Bergevin (2004) "Child Coverage with Mosquito Nets and Malaria Treatment from Population-based Surveys in African Countries: A Baseline for Monitoring Progress in Roll Back Malaria" in: The Intolerable Burden of Malaria II: What’s New, What’s Needed online book, The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
- UNICEF, Child Disciplinary Practices at Home: Evidence from a Range of Low- and Middle-IncomeCountries, New York, 2010.
- www.childinfo.org - UNICEF statistics
- UNICEF website
- International Household Survey Network website
