Household Definitions and Children’s Living Arrangement in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems

Jacques B. O. Emina, University of Kinshasa and INDEPTH Network

A familiar term such as household has different meaning from one group of people to another and might change over time. The definitions have important demographic and socioeconomic consequences, including individual living arrangement and how household characteristics influence individual wellbeing. This study aims to identify similarities and differences in the definition of household in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems; and assess comparability of children’s living arrangement measurement. Overall, the definition of household refers to residential unity and common cooking pot (eat together) and recognizing a common head. The study raised the issue of multi-residential households and of people belonging to more than one household at the same time.