9
WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES FOR INVESTMENT IN IMPROVED NUTRITION DATA?
A
CCESS TO THE RIGHT DATA AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT PLACE IS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT NOT
SUFFICIENT.THIS CHAPTER MAPS THE gaps, suggests criteria for prioritizing data collection efforts, and identifies some promising approaches to addressing the gaps.
THE GAPS AND IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED
To identify data gaps, we undertook several steps. First, as we developed the nutrition country profiles, we went from identifying ideal indicators to assessing the available indicators and developed a sense of what data were absent but needed. Second, we analyzed the 84 indicators in the 193 nutrition country profiles and mapped the gaps in these data by indicator group.1
Third, we noted the data gaps highlighted by the anal-
yses in this report; these are shown at the end of each chapter. Finally, we took a step back and asked ourselves, What are the issues that should be prioritized and the actions that should be taken to reduce malnutrition but are not—because of data gaps? We found that few studies have been done on how lack of data is constraining nutrition action, and we will undertake a more detailed literature review in a future report.
KEY POINTS
1. There are many gaps in data on nutrition outcomes, outputs, and inputs. For example, 40 percent of the 193 member countries of the United Nations cannot track more than two of the four World Health Assembly (WHA) indicators included in this report. Supporting all countries’ capacity to report on the WHA indicators is a priority.
2. To identify data gaps beyond the WHA indicators, we asked, What are the issues that should be prioritized and the actions that should be taken to reduce malnutrition but are not—because of data gaps? We identified four nutrition status indicators—anemia, overweight and obesity, wasting, and low birth weight—where progress is slow and data gaps could be holding back action. We also identified data gaps that we believe are holding back the scaling up and context-specific blending of nutrition-specific, nutrition-sensitive, and enabling-environment interventions.
3. Not all data gaps require the collection of new data. Data gaps can be filled by (1) using existing data better, (2) improving the collection of existing data, (3) improving data comparability across countries, (4) collecting data more frequently, and (5) collecting new data where there are not enough for good accountability. Each of these approaches offers scope for filling several data gaps.
4. Decisions about which data gaps are most important to fill need to be undertaken at the national level, based on nutrition policies, plans, and strategies. Answers to the following questions will help prioritize these gaps: Will the availability of the data lead to better or more intensive action for nutri- tion? Is the data collection practical? Is there demand for the data, or can such demand be created?
67
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118