Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the Western and Coastal Areas of Kenya: An Infrastructure for Epidemiologic Studies in Africa

Abstract

BackgroundThe Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) is a longitudinal data collection process that systematically and continuously monitors population dynamics for a specified population in a geographically defined area that lacks an effective system for registering demographic information and vital events.MethodsHDSS programs have been run in 2 regions in Kenya: in Mbita district in Nyanza province and Kwale district in Coast Province. The 2 areas have different disease burdens and cultures. Vital events were obtained by using personal digital assistants and global positioning system devices. Additional health-related surveys have been conducted bimonthly using various PDA-assisted survey software.ResultsThe Mbita HDSS covers 55 929 individuals, and the Kwale HDSS covers 42 585 individuals. In the Mbita HDSS, the life expectancy was 61.0 years for females and 57.5 years for males. Under-5 mortality was 91.5 per 1000 live births, and infant mortality was 47.0 per 1000 live births. The total fertility rate was 3.7 per woman. Data from the Kwale HDSS were not available because it has been running for less than 1 year at the time of this report.ConclusionsOur HDSS programs are based on a computer-assisted survey system that provides a rapid and flexible data collection platform in areas that lack an effective basic resident registration system. Although the HDSS areas are not representative of the entire country, they provide a base for several epidemiologic and social study programs, and for practical community support programs that seek to improve the health of the people in these areas.

Implementing electronic data capture at a well-established health and demographic surveillance site in rural northern Malawi

“…The ODK software provides most of the functions that we required, but certain things, like being able to edit a form once it has been finalised, are currently not possible. Other research sites, including HDSSs, have developed their own software for such purposes [1,21,22], which was beyond our current capacity.…”

Relationship between Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Hookworm Infections among School Children in Mbita, Kenya

“…The population in Mbita district is 55,929 [12]. The study target population comprised primary school children in standard four, aged 9 to 19 years.…”

Impact of odour-baited mosquito traps for malaria control : design and evaluation of a trial using solar-powered mosquito trapping systems in western Kenya

“…Calculation of all mortality rates as well as the CDR yield lower rates and ratios than the KEMRI/CDC HDSS. Our findings are comparable with the results of the Mbita HDSS (Kaneko et al, 2012). Unlike the Mbita and the Rusinga HDSSs, the KEMRI HDSS worked together with at least two health clinics in recording deaths, which most likely resulted in a more sensitive death registration system.…”

“…Table 5.3 summarises characteristics of 6640 inhabited houses of which information about the house was collected. These results are comparable to other HDSSs in Western Kenya, such as Asembo and Gem (Odhiambo et al, 2012) and around Mbita (Kaneko et al, 2012;Wanyua et al, 2013). On Rusinga a typical house is made from mud walls, a roof of iron sheeting with a cement floor.…”

“…The demographic data collected during the census survey in 2012 up until May 2015 is the basis for (Kaneko et al, 2012) published demographic information on the basis of the Mbita HDSS covering Rusinga and neighbouring areas in 2011. An HDSS at Kisian and surrounding areas operated by the KEMRI/CDC some 150 km North-East of Rusinga reported rates for 2007 (Odhiambo FO, 2012).…”