Using Parish Registers for Demographic Research in African Settings: A Record Linkage Study on Age Data Quality in Ouagadougou

Soumaïla Ouedraogo, New York University Abu Dhabi
Yacouba Y. C. Compaoré, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)
Bruno Lankoandé, Joseph Ki-Zerbo University (UJKZ)
Stephane Helleringer, New York University Abu Dhabi

Accurate age data are essential for studying aging in African countries, particularly in a comparative perspective. Unfortunately, data on age are often affected by large errors, particularly at older ages, notably in the form of age heaping or exaggerations. Without verification and validation, these errors are likely to bias age-related demographics. In this manuscript, we tested the feasibility of verifying the age of older adults through linkages with parish registers in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina-Faso, a low-income country in West Africa.