AN ANALYSIS OF AGE-SEX DATA OF ETHIOPIA IN THE PRE-1984 PERIOD

Abstract

The main trust of this study was the application of internal 
consistency checks tovarious sets of  Ethiopian (rural) age data collected prior
to 1984 /0 assess their reliability and accuracy. and to check improvement in the
quality of age-sex  statistics owr the period 1967·1981. Analysis of the age and
sex ratios of the 1967, 1970 and 1981 survey data revealed marked irregularities
(more marked among females than for males) suggtsting. among other things,
the incidence of age preference (heaping) and agr mis-reporting. Modele stable
population techniques were also used to examine the pattern and exetent of
erron in the reported age-sex data from these various .surveys  attendant errors
are similar to those in other African countries and are consistent over the years
except the 1981 age distribution which is unique after age 25. The findings 0f
this study also indicate thaI the quality of age reporting has improved Over the
years(/967- /981).