Geeta Pardeshi
Age heaping and accuracy of age data collected during a community survey in the Yavatmal district, Maharashtra
Government Medical College
age important variable epidemiological studies invariable part communitybased study reportsthe aim assess accuracy age data collected community surveysa crosssectional study designed rural areas yavatmal districtage data collected housetohouse survey six villages openended questionnaire used data collectionage heaping digit preference measured calculating whipples index myers blended index age ratio scores ars age accuracy index aai also calculatedwhipples index 10year age range ie reporting age terminal digit 0 38671 whipples index 5year range ie reporting age terminal digit 0 5 38274 myers blended index calculated study population 4199 aai population studied 1471 large differences frequencies males females certain agesthe age data collected survey poor quality age heaping ages terminal digits 0 5 indicating preference reporting ages 42 population reported ages incorrect final digit innovative methods data collection along measuring minimizing errors using statistical techniques used ensure accuracy age data checked using various indices