Role of Interviewer Characteristics on Underreporting of Traditional and Short-Term Contraceptive Methods

Rupalee Chauhan, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Laxmi Kant Dwivedi, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

This study explores the role of interviewer characteristics in the underreporting of traditional and short-term contraceptive methods, focusing on the interaction between interviewer effects and respondent behavior. Globally, contraceptive choices vary across regions, influenced by demographic factors such as fertility trends and childbearing desires. Contraceptive switching is common as women adjust their methods based on health status, lifestyle changes, effectiveness, and access. Calendar data, which records pregnancy status, contraceptive use, and reasons for discontinuation, is a key tool in understanding these patterns. However, individual-level discrepancies in calendar reports, particularly for short-acting and traditional methods, are frequent due to recall bias. This research highlights the potential influence of interviewer characteristics such as demographic characteristics, experiences and other characteristics on the accuracy of data collection. These interviewers’ characteristics, along with respondents’ characteristics, may contribute to the underreporting or misreporting of contraceptive use. By examining the interplay between interviewer and respondent, this study aims to enhance the understanding of factors that impact the reliability of contraceptive data, especially for short-term and traditional methods, and contribute to improving data accuracy in surveys like the National Family Health Survey (NFHS).

Keywords: Data and Methods, Family Planning and Contraception, Multi-level modeling , Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

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