An experiment using a month-by-month calendar in a family planning survey in Costa Rica

Recent demographic surveys have incorporated a month-by-month calendar for the 5yr reference period before the survey for the recording of fertility-related events. In the 1986 survey of Maternal and Child Health and Family Planning in Costa Rica, approximately one-half of the 3527 women interviewed were administered a questionnaire with traditional fertility and family planning questions; the other half were asked virtually the same questions, but the women's responses were entered in a month-by-month calendar. The assignment of questionnaire type was randomly alternated by cluster. Comparisons of the number of events (live births, pregnancy losses, and contraceptive use) showed that more events were recorded among the women in the calendar group. Significantly less erroneous superposition of events was noted when the calendar was used. -from Authors