Demographic data analysis in less developed countries: 1946-1996

This paper reviews the development of indirect techniques for estimating vital rates in the developing world from census and survey data. The methods considered include the following: the exploitation of age distributions using the 'own children' method to estimate age-specific fertility rates by characteristics of the mother; the P/F ratio method for estimating current fertility and its extensions; the calculation of parity progression ratios to detect changes in family-building patterns following the adoption of contraception early in the transition process; methods for estimating childhood and adult mortality, including maternal mortality, from data on the survival of close relatives; the derivation of life tables from such estimates; and the correction of death rates using 'growth balance methods'. The paper concludes with a section on possible future improvements in estimation techniques.