Health interview surveys in developing countries: a methodological review

This review covers cross-sectional health interview surveys in which respondents were asked about their recent illness and their use of preventive and curative health services. Country survey results differed widely, for both morbidity prevalence estimates and health services utilization, reflecting major methodological differences as well as any true differences that may exist between the population groups studied. Comparison of morbidity and utilization rates is thus thwarted by the absence of standardization in survey methodology, methods of analysis, and the classification of results. A lack of theoretical studies upon which to base methodology choices combined with a general lack of rigor in applying the methodologies chosen has limited the interpretation of many surveys carried out to date. The review concludes with a series of specific recommendations for improving the survey methodology of future health interview surveys in less developed countries.