Graphic of 3D bar charts depicting international signs of persons with disabilities

Workshop on Improving Disability Data for Policy Use
23-26 September 2003, Bangkok, Thailand

UN ESCAP Statistics Division
 Main| Programme| Materials| Bangkok| WorldEnable home
Documentation for the Workshop / Country Papers : Cambodia

Survey and census sources of national disability data

Country: Cambodia

1. Overview of survey or census

  1. Title of survey or census
    NIS had conducted the Socio-Economic Survey by including the questions on disability which are : SES1996, SES1997, SES1999 , CDHS 2000 and the present time SES2003-2004, and PPCDWS 2003 in preparation and draft questionnaires
  2. Date of latest data collection
    SES2003-2004, PPCDWS 2003
  3. Periodicity of survey or census (continuous, annual, ad hoc, 10 or 5 yearly in case of census etc.)
    The Periodicity of the survey is annual
  4. Contact person(s) for the survey/census (include title, office mail address, phone, fax, email, website, etc.)
    H.E San Sy Than,
    Director of National Institute of Statistics,
    Ministry of Planning
    E-mail: sythan @ forum.org.kh, census @ camnet.com.kh,
    fax (855)-23-213650, tel: (855) 16 83 27 62

2. Brief summary of survey or census

  1. Describe what information on disability is collected
    The SES Survey use to collect information on disability three questions:
    1-Does this household has any disability ? (Ans: 1 = Yes, 2= No)
    2- If Yes , What type of disability does this household has ? ( the pre-coded types of disability are more detail in SES 2003-2004).
    3- What was the cause of disability ? ( the pre-coded causes of disability are more detail in SES 2003-2004).
  2. What uses are made of the data and who are the users?
    The uses are made of data on disability to identification of disability. The main purpose of these data are to spread and promote awareness raising on disability so that people can seek for intervention as earlier as possible for treatment; The data users are :MOP,NIS, MOSALVY, MOH,MWVA, MOD Cambodian Red Cross, and relevant Institutions, International Organizations (UNFPA,WHO,UNDP, JICA), and other (international and local ) NGOs
  3. Were users involved in deciding what information to collect?
    After drafting the questionnaires for all surveys, NIS organise a Workshop by inviting all line Ministries, International Organizations and NGOs concerned ,for discussion on what information to collect and what question to be asked.
    and the tabulation plan.
  4. What definition of disability was used?
    A restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being is defined as a disability. It describes functional limitation or activity restriction caused by impairment.
  5. Were data collected and compiled according to international standards or national classifications and definitions? (e.g.ICIDH or ICF)
    After collected and compiled the data were presented by national and international classifications and definitions : e.g. Disabled Population by type of Disability and Residence with Disabled Population, prevalence rate(number of disabled for every 100,000 population) and percentage, and Distribution of Disabled Population by Gender, Type of Disability and Residence.

3. Scope of survey or census

  1. Describe the population covered in the survey (age, private dwelling population, institutionalised population, etc.)
    The population covered in the survey are persons who are members of households( normal or regular households, households living in boat or floating houses ), excluding institutional households.

4. Coverage and sampling

  1. Coverage of survey or census (how well was the scope achieved)
    Now Cambodia is in complete peace, the frame of the survey include all pat of the country including remote and far flung areas. The survey use two forms of questionnaires. The first is called houselist, the second is called Household Questionnaire
  2. Sample frame(s) (sample size? Sample frame based on lists, area, register, etc.)
    The sampling frame for SES 2003-2004 is based on the 1998 census frame by using the master sample made from the 1998 census of 600 PSUs and 300 additional PUSs to contain 900 PSUs with 300 PSUs in urban areas and 600 PSUs in rural areas. The Sampling is done at the office for two stages. The first stage is the selection of PSUs or villages; the second stage is the selection of Enumeration Area (EA) in the village; the third stage during the field work is the selection of 15 households in urban areas and of 20 households in urban areas. In all the survey cover 16500 households,

5. Are there other data sources which you use to benchmark your survey results? (e.g. previous surveys to compare with? what evaluations did you make of the results?)

To improve our survey results we use the previous survey ( SES1996,SES1997, SES1999,CDHS2000 ) by extending the number of type more and more detail and take approach to international standards by categorizing impairment, disability, and handicap.
For this it depends on the proposal and the need of data users

6. Response and non-response

  1. What was the response rate?
    The need to adjust the weight for non-response did not arise (SES 1999) the response rate as completed questionnaires from all sampled village and households were retrieved achieving a 100 % response rate. In CDHS the response rate was 98.9 in urban, 98.6 in rural and 98.7 for the whole country
    The previous response rates were :
    The previous response rate were also 100% due to the practice of using call back card. The interviewers try to meet a member of households as possible as by village chief company (if not meet the day, go in the evening )
  2. Did you evaluate the non-response? (e.g. break it up into full and partial? impact of non-response? follow-up studies? imputations for missing items?)
    For some missing items at the first visit, the supervisors comes with the enumerators to re-interview and cover the missing items( NIS use the re-inter view for all surveys)

7. Data collection (Attach or mail us a copy of your questionnaire)

  1. Manner of collection (face-to-face interviews, self-administered questionnaire, telephone, other?)
    NIS still use the face-to-face for all surveys and censuses
  2. Type of respondent (who replied? The disabled person or proxy for the person?).
    In majority the head of household, in case of the head absent, the temporary head (wife, the elder son/daughter) are the type of respondents. In case of the disabled person present during the interview the enumerator welcome him/her to response
  3. Format of questions (how many questions? pre-coded standardised?)
    NIS uses in the SES 2003-2004 two questions : Does this household has any disability ( here NIS uses the pre-coded standardised : 1= seeing difficulties, 2= hearing difficulties,3= speaking difficulties ,4 = moving difficulties, 5 = feeling difficulties, 6 = psychological difficulties (strange behaviour) , 7 = learning difficulties, 8= people who have fits , 9 = others specify )
    The second question is "What was the cause of disability ?" also the pre-coded are used : 1= mine/UXO, 2= traffic accident, 3= work accident, 4 = disease(s), 5= old age, 6=congenital, 7= fever, 8= difficulty delivery, 9= chemical Accident, 10 rape 11= violent attack 12 domestic violence, 13= suicide attempt, 14= mental trauma due to war and other traumatic event 15 = war injuries, 16 malnutrition, 17= burns, 18= torture, 19= bad lack, 20= other specify, 21= don't know.
  4. List the languages used in the survey or census
    NIS use Khmer language in the questionnaire and to ask the majority Cambodian. For foreigners the English , French, Lao, Thai are used. For the group ethnic NIS uses the local translators (village chief or the head of community) for the North-western part of the country

8. Measurement error

  1. Which special data collection procedures were undertaken to reduce measurement error (e.g. pilot testing of questions and questionnaire? training of interviewers? detailed coding instructions? follow-up of non response by specialist staff?)
    NIS undertakes the pre-test of the questionnaire with control and the thorough training of interviewers on questions of the questionnaire filling-in. The instructions followed by the concepts and definitions are used. At NIS the detailed coding instructions are practiced

9. Highlights of the strengths and limitations of survey or census

Strengths: (e.g. a very detailed survey; sound sample design; use of international standard concept and classifications, etc.)
The sample design was done by the group experienced local consultant in this domain. This group participated in all surveys conducted by NIS.
The content of the questionnaires were based the international model. They were modified according to the situation in Cambodia and were designed to provide information needed by line ministries concerned and other relevant institutions and organisations. The questionnaires were developed in English and then translated into Khmer. Back translation of the questionnaire, from Khmer to English was also conducted . The tabulation was done by using the international standard concept and classification.

Limitations: (e.g. high relative standard error for small population groups/geographic areas; respondent overload due to length of questionnaire; lack of consistency or survey items across surveys, etc.)
NIS still use the international experts and consultants in short terms to assist in sample design, the draft and final questionnaires, the tabulation, the design of the report for to be approached to international standard concept and classifications, etc. And also the resource and materials are limited

10. List published sources on disability statistics

The disability statistics were published in the Report of Socio-Economic Surveys 1996, 1997, 1999, CDHS 2000 in English, and for the statistics collected from MOSALVY, MWVA, MOEYS, MOH , Ministry of Interior, and other relevant Institutions are published in the Yearbook of Social statistics Department in Khmer called " Social Statistic Yearbook ".

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