China fertility survey 2017: design and implementation

Abstract

This paper examines the design and the process used to carry out the China Fertility Survey 2017, a national representative survey that collected data on fertility desire, childbearing behavior, the use of childbearing services, and the determinants of childbearing behavior. The sampling method adopted was three-stage stratified probabilities proportional to size (PPS), and survey implementation made use of Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI). CAPI played a significant role in survey design, last-stage sampling, interviewer training, face-to-face interviews, and questionnaire review and quality control. The survey results were compared with relevant data in the Integrated Management Information System for Population and Family Planning to check consistency. Ex post facto weighting was applied to correct sample structure bias. The process used to acquire accurate personal information is summarized. Suggestions based on consideration of sampling frame distortion by population mobility and other factors are put forward in the hope of improving similar sampling surveys in the future.

Fertility intention and related factors in China: findings from the 2017 National Fertility Survey

“…Data quality issues have been discussed in terms of questionnaire and sample design, implementation process, quality control, data comparison, EX post facto weighting. Overall, the results of this survey are well representative of the country and the evaluation about the quality of the data is satisfactory (Zhuang et al 2019).…”

Premarital Pregnancy in China: Cohort Trends and Educational Gradients

“…It collected high‐quality data on women's fertility desires, childbearing behavior, and other sociodemographic characteristics (see Zhuang et al. 2019 for a detailed description of the survey design and implementation).…”

China fertility report, 2006–2016

“…However, since 2006, this type of once-every-five-year national survey had been suspended, and Chinese fertilityrelated studies mainly relied on the population census, 1% population survey, annual surveys on population changes, and vital statistics from related government departments. In 2017, former National Health and Family Planning Commission of China organized a national representative fertility survey (Zhuang et al 2018).…”

“…The methods of stratified three-stage and PPS (probability proportional to size) sampling were adopted in the survey. The outcome of the post-survey quality check shows that the birth data collected from this survey is reliable (Zhuang et al 2018). To minimize the structural bias of the samples generated from the defects of sample frame, the ex post facto weighting was applied to the sample data.…”