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RHS

RHS 2003

Mongolia, 2003
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Reference ID
MNG-NSO-EN-RHS-2003-v3.0
Producer(s)
National Statistical Office of Mongolia
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REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SURVEY
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DDI/XML JSON
Created on
Oct 16, 2025
Last modified
Nov 04, 2025
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17002
  • Study Description
  • Data Dictionary
  • Downloads
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  • Identification
  • Version
  • Scope
  • Coverage
  • Producers and sponsors
  • Sampling
  • Survey instrument
  • Data collection
  • Data processing
  • Data appraisal
  • Data Access
  • Disclaimer and copyrights
  • Contacts
  • Metadata production
  • Identification

    Survey ID number

    MNG-NSO-EN-RHS-2003-v3.0

    Title

    RHS 2003

    Abbreviation or Acronym

    RHS 2003

    Country
    Name Country code
    Mongolia MNG
    Study type

    Other Household Health Survey [hh/hea]

    Series Information

    This survey was conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in 2003 for the second time. Previously first survey conducted in 1998. The RHS 2003 has been executed by the National Statistical Office, with the Ministry of Health, the main client and user of the information – who actively collaborated by assigning its specialists for the Survey Steering Committee as well as for the Working Group of the survey. The results of the Second Reproductive Health Survey are comparable with the data from the first survey conducted in 1998, as the information on fertility, infant mortality, family planning and mother and child health as well as knowledge and attitude towards STI/HIV/AIDS and abortion have been enriched by the results of this Survey. The survey has been undertaken based on experiences and lessons learnt from the first survey and with broad participation of health sector specialists, who are clients and main users a valuable contribution has been made to fostering closer collaboration between institutions and building national capacity. Research institutions and specialized researchers can make in-depth study using a wide range of data collected during the survey.

    Abstract

    The RHS 2003 has the following objectives:
    Gather information on fertility and family planning;
    Determine knowledge and use of contraceptive methods by region;
    Determine knowledge of family planning by age and other background characteristics;
    Gather information on specific health issues, including child immunization, breastfeeding practices, prenatal and postnatal care;
    Prepare baseline information required for tracking changes in family planning, health situation, fertility and mortality levels;
    Enrich the database on reproductive health and use of family planning within the country and internationally, and provide conclusions and recommendations;
    Provide policy makers, researchers and other users with necessary data.

    Kind of Data

    Sample survey data [ssd]

    Unit of Analysis

    Households,womans aged 15-49,husbands,children.

    Version

    Version Description

    -v2.0:Edited data for internal use only.

    Version Date

    2004-08-15

    Scope

    Notes

    The scope of the Reproductive Health Survey 2003 includes:

    • Household and Respondent Characteristics
    • Housing Characteristics
    • Average, monthly income of household
      WOMAN 'S BACKGROUND
      Reproduction
      Family planing
      Maternal health, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and child health
      Knowledge and use of contraceptive methods
      Marriage
      Fertility preferences and abortion
      Employment, and questions concerning the husband
      Knowledge about AIDS
      HUSBAND'S BACKGROUND
      Reproduction
      Family planing
      Knowledge and use of contraceptive methods
      Knowledge about AIDS

    Coverage

    Geographic Coverage

    The RHS 2003 is nationally and regionally (5 regions - West, Central, East, South, Ulaanbaatar) representative and covers the whole of Mongolia.

    Universe

    All women between the ages of 15 and 49, inclusive, who slept in the household’s dwelling the night prior to interview, were eligible to be interviewed using the women’s interview schedule. Three husbands out of five married women interviewed in each PSU were interviewed using the husband’s interview schedule. Children above 5 years old.

    Producers and sponsors

    Primary investigators
    Name
    National Statistical Office of Mongolia
    Producers
    Name Role
    Ministry of Health Assistance
    Funding Agency/Sponsor
    Name Abbreviation Role
    United Nations Population Fund UNFPA Financial and technical assistance for conduct of the Survey
    Other Identifications/Acknowledgments
    Name Affiliation Role
    Mr.Iqbal Alam UNSD Advised
    Mr. Aphichat Chamratritirong UNESCAP Advised
    Mr. Nuri Ozsever UNESCAP Data processing program advised
    Mr. Tan Boon Ann UNESCAP Advised
    Mr. A.Amarbal (Ph.D) UNFPA Coordinatied

    Sampling

    Sampling Procedure

    The survey was conducted using a two-stage sampling method, which gives an equal probability of selection of households. This means that the data are fully comparable with the RHS 1998. The sample frame comprised the listings of households prepared annually in bags and khoroo across the country. Activities designed for improving the quality of data of the sample frame were conducted in the fourth quarter of 2002 and the first quarter of 2003. The actual sampling was based on the 2003 first half-year data.

       Distribution of the RHS Household Sampling by Aimag,                                         
                                    Mongolia 2003                       
    
    Aimag         Clusters  Number of Households                    

    1 Arhangai 1-13 390
    2 Bayan-Olgii 14-23 300
    3 Bayanhongor 24-34 330
    4 Bulgan 35-42 240
    5 Gobi-Altai 43-50 240
    6 Dornogobi 51-56 180
    7 Dornod 57-64 240
    8 Dundgobi 65-70 180
    9 Zavhan 71-80 300
    10 Ovorhangai 81-94 420
    11 Omnogobi 95-100 180
    12 Suhbaatar 101-107 210
    13 Selenge 108-118 330
    14 Tov 119-129 330
    15 Uvs 130-139 300
    16 Hovd 140-149 300
    17 Hovsgol 150-164 450
    18 Hentii 165-173 270
    19 Darhan-Uul 174-182 270
    20 Ulaanbaatar 183-269 2610
    21 Orhon 270-279 300
    22 Gobisumber 280 30
    Total 8400

    It was determined from the experience of RHS 1998, and of other countries which have conducted similar surveys, that 25-30 households per cluster would provide an optimum representation. Therefore, this time 30 households were selected for a cluster (The best cluster "take" depends upon the intra-cluster versus inter-cluster heterogeneity of the principal variables being measured; this can only be determined after carrying out a survey). For the survey it was planned to select 8,400 households, which is a 1.47 percent sample of all households in the country. This implied the selection of 280 clusters of households. Baghs and horoos were the primary sampling units (PSUs). All 1,674 PSUs were stratified implicitly by aimag and soum, and the selection of the 280 sample PSUs (or clusters) was done systematically with a random start, with probability proportional to the number of registered households. Households were then selected systematically with a random start within each PSU, using an interval directly proportional to the number of households in the PSU. The selected households were interviewed using the household schedule. All women between the ages of 15 and 49, inclusive, who slept in the household's dwelling the night prior to interview, were eligible to be interviewed using the women's interview schedule. Three husbands out of five married women interviewed in each PSU were interviewed using the husband's interview schedule.

    Response Rate

    Results of the Household and Individual Interviews (Women and Husbands),Mongolia 2003

                                                                                     Residence
                                                                                 Urban     Rural        Total
       Number of Dwellings Sampled                   4350       4050         8400
       Number of Households Interviewed           4349       4050         8399
       Household Response Rate                          100.0      100.0       100.0
    
       Number of Eligible Women                          5005        4377        9382
       Number of Eligible Women Interviewed    4972        4342        9314
       Eligible Women Response Rate                   99.3         99.2        99.3
    
       Number  of Husbands Selected                   2134         2095       4229
       Number of Husbands Interviewed               2121         2091       4212
       Husbands Response Rate                             99.4          99.8         99.6
    Weighting

    Sampling metod RHS2003 is a nation wide.

    Survey instrument

    Questionnaires

    There were three questionnaires used in the RHS. For the development of women's questionnaire, the model 'B' of the Demographic and Health Surveys Program served as a base, with some adjustments that reflect Mongolia's specific needs. The contents of the three questionnaires are outlined briefly below :
    Household Questionnaire:
    Relationship to the household head;
    Age;
    Sex;
    Educational level;
    Marital status.
    These questions were asked from all household members nad people who slept in the household prior to the interview. The household questionnaire was developed in order to obtain general demographic information, information on household amenities and housing conditions, household income and expenditure, and as a tool for selecting women and husbands for individual interview.
    Woman's Questionnaire:
    Background questions, marital status;
    Reproduction;
    Maternal health, pregnancy, breastfeeding, child health, abortion, miscarriage and stillbirth in the last five years;
    Knowledge, access to and use of contraceptive methods;
    Fertility preferences;
    Employment, and questions concerning the husband
    Knowledge about STIs and AIDS.
    Husband's Questionnaire:
    Background questions;
    Reproduction;
    Knowledge, access to and use of contraceptive methods;
    Knowledge about STIs and AIDS.

    Methodology notes

    General Processes for Conducting the RHS

     Activities                                                                  Started     Ended  

    1 Preparatory activities for the survey 01.09.02 01.09.03
    2 Pilot survey 15.02.03 15.03.03
    3 Data collection 04.09.03 26.12.03
    4 Data entry and processing 20.10.03 01.03.04
    5 Development and programming of output tables 01.12.03 01.04.04
    6 Running and printing of output tables 01.03.04 15.06.04
    7 Production of main report 15.03.04 15.08.04

    Data collection

    Dates of Data Collection
    Start End
    2003-09-04 2003-12-26
    Mode of data collection
    • Face-to-face [f2f]
    Data Collectors
    Name Affiliation Abbreviation
    National Statistical Office of Mongolia Parliament of Mongolia NSO
    Supervision

    Each team consisted an editor and a supervisor. Editors were appointed for each team, so that editors and supervisors were able to edit questionnaires daily and correct them by going back to the households when necessary. This way of organizing fieldwork ensured high quality and reliable information.

    Data Collection Notes

    From 10 August to 1 September 2003, training was held for interviewers. Each team consisted of 4 female interviewers, a male interviewer. Data collection activities started with the appointment of 10 teams with 7 members in each. When the data collection activities started winter was very near, therefore, it was planned to first cover the mountainous west and forested regions of the country, then Gobi and central regions and lastly Ulaanbaatar city. Data collection started on 4 September and terminated 26 December 1998. Data collection progress was reported weekly to the survey headquarters at the NSO. A number of persons from aimag, city, soum, district, baghs or horoos (around 560 persons in cumulative number) provided great assistance and collaboration during the fieldwork operation.

    Data processing

    Data Editing

    The computer data entry work was initiated on 20 October 2003 and terminated 1 March 2004. The editing of the computer files was finished by the middle of April. The computer software package, “Integrated System for Survey Analysis” (ISSA), created by Macro International, Inc. was used in data entry and processing. During February 2004, output tables were produced over a period of 4 months.Activities such as data entry, quality control and production of output tables were accomplished by the national staff under the supervision and guidance of an adviser from the UNFPA Country Support Team in Bangkok. The main report of RHS was prepared jointly by the experts of the NSO, MOH, and the researchers working in agencies under the MOH.

    Data appraisal

    Estimates of Sampling Error

    Sampling errors are presented in Tables B.02 - B.16 for variables considered to be of major interest. Results are presented for the whole country, for urban and rural areas separately, for each of four education groups, for each of five regions, and for each of three age groups. For each variable, the type of statistic (percentage, mean or rate) and the base population are given in Table B.01. For each variable, Tables B.02 - B.16 present the value of the statistic (R), its standard error (SE), the number of cases (N) where relevant, the design effect (DEFT) where applicable, the relative standard error (SE/R), and the 95 percent confidence limits (R-2SE, R+2SE).
    The confidence limits have the following interpretation. For the percentage of currently married women using the contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD), the overall value for the full sample is 32.8%, and its standard error is 0.7%. Therefore, to obtain the 95 percent confidence limits, one adds and subtracts twice the standard error to the sample estimate, which means that there is a high probability (95 percent) the true percentage currently using the IUD is between 31.3% and 34.2%.
    The relative standard errors for most estimates for the country as a whole are small, except for estimates of very small percentages. The magnitude of the error increases as estimates for sub-populations such as geographical areas are considered. For the variable IUD, for instance, the relative standard error (as a percentage of the estimated parameter) for the whole country and for urban and rural areas is 2.2 percent, 3.2 percent, and 3.0 percent, respectively. For the five regions, the relative standard error of the variable IUD varies between 3.9 percent and 7.4 percent.
    Special mention should be made of the sampling errors for rates. The denominators are exposure-years, and the numerators are either births or deaths in the population under consideration during the indicated period of time. Estimates of sampling errors are shown for the TFR in the three years prior to the survey, presented in Chapter 3, and for the various 3-year mortality rates presented in Chapter 7. These estimates are calculated at the national level, and by urban-rural residence, region, and mother's educational level. (They are irrelevant for age groups)
    It should be noted that the survey indicates, with a 95 percent level of confidence, that the TFR for the 3-year period prior to the survey lay between 2,4 and 2,6 children per woman, and that the infant mortality rate for the 3-year period prior to the survey lay between 23 and 35 per thousand births. The differences between the survey results and registration statistics are not due to sampling variability.
    Details of the sampling errors are presented in the appendix B to the national report RHS 2003 of the external resources.

    Data Access

    Access authority
    Name Affiliation URL Email
    National Statistical Office of Mongolia NSO www.nso.mn info@nso.mn
    Confidentiality
    Is signing of a confidentiality declaration required? Confidentiality declaration text
    yes Data is not available for public use.
    Access conditions

    The data and/or metadata may not be transferred to any other user without prior authorization from NSO of Mongolia

    Disclaimer and copyrights

    Disclaimer

    The National Statistical Office of Mongolia provide these data to external users without any warranty or responsibility implied. They accept no responsibility for the results and/or implications of any actions resulting from the use of these data.

    Copyright

    National Statistical Office of Mongolia, 2008

    Contacts

    Contacts
    Name Affiliation Email URL
    Mr. Amarbal Avirmed (Ph.D) Survey manager amarbal@nso.mn www.nso.mn

    Metadata production

    DDI Document ID

    DDI-MNG-NSO-EN-RHS-2003-v1.0

    Producers
    Name Affiliation Role
    Nansalmaa Zundui NSO Documentation of the study
    Tsolmon Tserendejid NSO Documentation of the study
    Date of Metadata Production

    2008-02-29

    Metadata version

    DDI Document version

    Version 1.0

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