What Every IPUMS MICS User Should Know

There are important differences between IPUMS MICS data and the original MICS data:

Codes for IPUMS MICS variables differ from the codes for the original MICS variables (for example, to handle different degrees of detail across samples). It is not possible to create an extract that has the original MICS values.

Some variables included in the original data from UNICEF MICS are not yet in IPUMS MICS. More variables, as well as more samples, will be added to IPUMS MICS over time.

Each unit of analysis is a different datafile UNICEF MICS collects data about households and household members. In many of these samples, information about different people is found in different datafiles. In IPUMS MICS, we follow the UNICEF abbreviation system.

• HH Household Characteristics
• HL Household List / Roster of household members
• WM Women
• MN Men
• CH Children age 0-4
• FS Children age 5-17
• BH Birth History of Women
• FG Female Genital Cutting (coming soon)

See the Sample Universe tab on the leftside menu for the universes typical for each of these units of analysis.

MICS is organized by Rounds Every 3-5 years, UNICEF MICS launches a new round of survey data collection. In the IPUMS MICS collection, we have all publically available samples from Round 3-6. Minor and major changes to the survey questionnaires occur between each round. See the Model Questionnaires tab on the leftside menu.

• Round 3: 2006-2009
• Round 4: 2009-2013
• Round 5: 2012-2016
• Round 6: 2016-current

Weights should always be used to create statistics from MICS/IPUMS MICS data.

Details about each country's sample weights can be found in the country specific reports.

Most samples are nationally representative, but some samples are only representative at the sub-national level.

See here for detailed explanations about samples that use alternative sample designs.

In many variables, respondents who did not complete the interview are included in NIU (not in universe).

To identify which cases are completed interviews, see the following variables:
• Children 0-4 and Children 5-17: RESULTCH
• Women: RESULTWM
• Men: RESULTMN
• Households and household members: RESULTHH