CONCLUSION OF THE MICS FIELD TEST IN BELIZE AND THE WAY FORWARD: MICS6

15 March 2016

MICS concludes a key field test of new modules and plans for collection of SDGs in the new round of surveys.

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Attila Hancioglu, Global MICS Coordinator (left); Ivan Yerovi, UNICEF Representative in Belize (centre), and Jacqueline Montique Small, Demographer at the Statistical Institute of Belize (right) at the closing ceremony of the field test in Belize.
©UNICEF HQ/2015/Unalan

At the end of the second week of December 2015, MICS completed a field test of a number of new modules and procedures, many of which are intended to capture new indicators pertinent to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). MICS usually includes a household questionnaire, a questionnaire for individual women and a questionnaire for children under-five. However, in Belize, the study tested several potential additions, including a questionnaire on child functioning and disability on children age 5-17, a learning assessment of children age 7-14 and water quality testing for E. coli. At the end of fieldwork, the field test yielded 429 household interviews, 267 individual women interviews, 114 interviews for children under five, 318 interviews on child functioning and disability and 61 learning assessments. A total of 765 samples of water from water sources and drinking water were also collected and analysed.

 

Cognitive interviews were done with 38 respondents, with an average age of 27 years, 31 female and 7 males. These in-depth interviews were done to examine the survey response process of respondents to key questions in the survey as well as understand the acceptability of other modules that were tested. Two focus groups of interviews were also done to gauge the feedback of the data collectors regarding the questionnaires and the reactions of respondents to new MICS protocols such as water quality testing. Field notes from all observers at the field test were collated and analysed as an additional source of data. Finally,  behaviour coding was used in over 170 questions to summarize problems with the administration of the questions.

 

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Participants at the Dubai expert-group consultation.
©UNICEF HQ/2015

Following the conclusion of the field test, the MICS team held an expert-group consultation of survey experts in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from January 12-16th. During this time, 11 UNICEF staff (MICS team and others) and 14 experts in household surveys, data processing, statistical sampling and qualitative research discussed key results from the Belize field test. Further, based on these results, experts laid out plans to refine the existing CAPI approach in MICS, develop additional tools for over-sampling of under-fives and planning for the MICS6 global pilot survey. This pilot will lead into the launch of the next round of surveys and usher in measurement of the SDGs.