About the data
2.18
Definitions
People’s health is influenced by the environment
progress, so it is diffi cult to accurately compare
• Access to an improved water source refers to peo-
in which they live. Lack of clean water and basic
use rates across countries. Until the current recom-
ple with access to at least 20 liters of water a person
sanitation is the main reason diseases transmitted
mended method for home management of diarrhea is
a day from an improved source, such as piped water
by feces are so common in developing countries.
adopted and applied in all countries, the data should
into a dwelling, public tap, tubewell, protected dug
Access to drinking water from an improved source
be used with caution. Also, the prevalence of diar-
well, and rainwater collection, within 1 kilometer of
and access to improved sanitation do not ensure
rhea may vary by season. Since country surveys are
the dwelling. • Access to improved sanitation facili-
safety or adequacy, as these characteristics are
administered at different times, data comparability
ties refers to people with at least adequate access
not tested at the time of the surveys. But improved
is further affected.
to excreta disposal facilities that can effectively pre-
drinking water technologies and improved sanitation
Malaria is endemic to the poorest countries in the
vent human, animal, and insect contact with excreta.
facilities are more likely than those characterized
world, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of
Improved facilities range from protected pit latrines
as unimproved to provide safe drinking water and
Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Insecticide-treated
to flush toilets. • Child immunization rate refers to
to prevent contact with human excreta. The data
nets, properly used and maintained, are one of the
children ages 12–23 months who, before 12 months
are derived by the Joint Monitoring Programme of
most important malaria-preventive strategies to limit
or at any time before the survey, had received one
the World Health Organization (WHO) and United
human-mosquito contact.
dose of measles vaccine and three doses of diphthe-
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) based on national
Prompt and effective treatment of malaria is a criti-
censuses and nationally representative household
cal element of malaria control. It is vital that suffer-
vaccine. • Children with acute respiratory infection
surveys. The coverage rates for water and sanitation
ers, especially children under age 5, start treatment
(ARI) taken to health provider are children under age
are based on information from service users on the
within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms, to pre-
5 with ARI in the two weeks before the survey who
facilities their households actually use rather than
vent progression—often rapid—to severe malaria
were taken to an appropriate health provider. • Chil-
on information from service providers, which may
and death. Data on malaria are from national- level
dren with diarrhea who received oral rehydration and
include nonfunctioning systems. While the estimates
surveys, including Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys,
continuous feeding are children under age 5 with diar-
are based on use, the Joint Monitoring Programme
Demographic and Health Surveys, and Malaria Indi-
rhea in the two weeks before the survey who received
reports use as access, because access is the term
cator Surveys.
either oral rehydration therapy or increased fluids,
ria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (DTP3)
Data on the success rate of tuberculosis treatment
with continuous feeding. • Children sleeping under
are provided for countries that have submitted data
treated nets are children under age 5 who slept under
Governments in developing countries usually
to the WHO. The treatment success rate for tuber-
an insecticide-treated net to prevent malaria the night
finance immunization against measles and diphthe-
culosis provides a useful indicator of the quality of
before the survey. • Children with fever receiving
ria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (DTP)
health services. A low rate suggests that infectious
antimalarial drugs are children under age 5 who were
as part of the basic public health package. In many
patients may not be receiving adequate treatment.
ill with fever in the two weeks before the survey and
developing countries lack of precise information on
An important complement to the tuberculosis treat-
received any appropriate (locally defined) antimalarial
the size of the cohort of one-year-old children makes
ment success rate is the case detection rate, which
drugs. • Tuberculosis treatment success rate is new
immunization coverage diffi cult to estimate from
indicates whether there is adequate coverage by the
registered infectious tuberculosis cases that were
program statistics. The data shown here are based
recommended case detection and treatment strat-
cured or that completed a full course of treatment as
on an assessment of national immunization cover-
egy. Uncertainty bounds for the case detection rate,
a percentage of smear-positive cases registered for
age rates by the WHO and UNICEF. The assessment
not shown in the table, are available at http://data.
treatment outcome evaluation. • Tuberculosis case
considered both administrative data from service
worldbank.org and from the original source.
detection rate is newly identified tuberculosis cases
used in the Millennium Development Goal target for drinking water and sanitation.
providers and household survey data on children’s
The table shows the tuberculosis detection rate for
immunization histories. Based on the data available,
all detection methods. Editions before 2010 included
consideration of potential biases, and contributions
the tuberculosis detection rates by DOTS, the inter-
of local experts, the most likely true level of immuni-
nationally recommended strategy for tuberculosis
zation coverage was determined for each year.
control. Thus data on the case detection rate from
Data on access to water and sanitation are from
2010 onward cannot be compared with data in previ-
the WHO and UNICEF’s Progress on Drinking Water
ous editions.
and Sanitation (2012). Data on immunization are
Acute respiratory infection continues to be a leading cause of death among young children, killing
(including relapses) as a percentage of estimated incident cases (case detection, all forms). Data sources
nearly 1.5 million children under age 5 globally each
For indicators that are from household surveys, the
from WHO and UNICEF estimates (www.who.int/
year. Data are drawn mostly from household health
year in the table refers to the survey year. For more
immunization_monitoring). Data on children with ARI,
surveys in which mothers report on number of epi-
information, consult the original sources.
with diarrhea, sleeping under treated nets, and receiv-
sodes and treatment for acute respiratory infection.
ing antimalarial drugs are from UNICEF’s State of the
Most diarrhea- related deaths are due to dehydra-
World’s Children 2012, Childinfo, and MEASURE DHS
tion, and many of these deaths can be prevented with
Demographic and Health Surveys by ICF International.
the use of oral rehydration salts at home. However,
Data on tuberculosis are from the WHO’s Global Tuber-
recommendations for the use of oral rehydration
culosis Control: A Short Update to the 2011 Report.
therapy have changed over time based on scientific
2012 World Development Indicators
111
PEOPLE
Disease prevention coverage and quality