Migration, Socio-Economic Status and Health Dynamics in Developing World Settings, Evidence from Demographic Surveillance Sites

Mark Collinson, University of the Witwatersrand
Kubaje Adazu, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ariel Nhacolo, Manhica Health Research Center (CISM)

Migration, socio-economic status and health dynamics are fundamentally interwoven population variables that play a critical role in shaping individual and household strategies across the developing world. There is a lacuna of demographic information available from underdeveloped countries that can address these interrelations. Censuses provide de facto, national-level, cross-sectional data; national surveys allow deeper enquiry and can offer retrospective longitudinality, but neither of these methods are fitted to address the complex, intertwining issues in the way of prospective, longitudinal, observation systems. The paper describes the capability of demographic surveillance systems to address questions on migration, socio-economic status and health dynamics. It also describes the INDEPTH network, a network of demographic surveillance sites in the developing world, and the new round of migration analysis underway in these sites. Illustrative examples of findings are given from the Agincourt demographic surveillance system in South Africa, and the Manhiça demographic surveillance system in Mozambique.