Quality and potential use of data collected during nutrition surveys: an analysis of surveys in Ethiopia

Humanitarian agencies regularly carry out nutrition surveys to estimate the prevalence of acute malnutrition (wasting) and mortality as well as to collect data on a wide range of contributory or aggravating factors in order to identify interventions and to direct aid where it is most needed. In this study, the case of Ethiopia was used (i) to assess the proportion of 291 nutrition surveys conducted between 2003 and 2008 that used the recommended sampling method to estimate the prevalence of wasting, (ii) to assess how and what data on indicators of aggravating factors were collected, (iii) to examine whether data on such factors can be used to establish priorities for emergency assistance based on Ethiopian Government guidelines and (iv) to discuss the general value of such data. All but one survey used the recommended methods to estimate the prevalence of wasting. Data were collected on more than 40 indicators of aggravating factors related to health, caring practices, food security and coping strategies, but no consistent methods or indicators were used, resulting in inconsistent data. This illustrates the need to develop and agree upon a set of core indicators of aggravating factors and then thresholds to describe the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia and elsewhere and to indicate priorities for interventions.