National Survey of Adolescents, 2004: Malawi

The National Survey Adolescents was launched in 2004 in four Sub-Saharan African countries--Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda--to provide detailed information on adolescent risk-taking and health-seeking behavior as related to HIV, STDs and unintended pregnancy. The study examined a range of factors (e.g., behavioral, sociocultural, economic) that could lead to increased vulnerability to risk. The study also encompassed knowledge of means of prevention, sources of trusted information and health care, and impediments to adolescents' abilities to apply their knowledge and take preventive action. The survey in Malawi was administered between March and June 2004 and again in August 2004. Using a two-stage stratified sample design that selected households from rural and urban clusters, 7,750 households were listed for initial screening. After an initial interview in each household, individual surveys were administered in person to adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 who were de facto or de jure members of the household. However, during the initial data collection period this process collected only 3,448 individual interviews with adolescents. Consequently, in August 2004, researchers extended the surveys to additional clusters excluded during the first round of surveys bringing the total number of individuals to 4,879. Because of the sensitive nature of questions administered in the survey, informed consent forms were obtained from both parents/guardians and the respondents, and in all possible instances interviewers and respondents were paired up by gender.