Household surveys in sub-Saharan Africa collect important location-based information on age, income and health of Africans that support health and development efforts. Scientists and practitioners alike often assume this data is equally good everywhere, but no one has closely looked at how data quality might vary across different parts of a country. In this study, we examined the quality of recent household survey data in 35 African countries, looking at village areas (5×5 km) and districts.
We found that the quality of the data is not the same everywhere—it changes a lot from one place to another. In general, the farther away you go from towns or cities, the worse the data tends to be. Problems like missing information or less accurate estimates are more common in these remote areas. This can lead to people in those areas not getting the services or help they need.
To help fix this, we created an easy-to-use map showing where survey data quality is better or worse. This shows why it's important to improve how we collect data in remote places, so everyone can be better supported.