PRIORITY AREA 1: Fill gaps and improve quality of nutrition coverage measurement in household and facility surveys
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Measuring the Coverage of MIYCN Counseling
DataDENT developed new indicators and recommended household survey questions for measurement of coverage of Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) counseling interventions. Several of these questions have been taken up in the DHS-8 core questionnaire. Background work included a comprehensive landscaping of existing indicators and tools, development of a measurement framework, and validation of the proposed indicators and questions through an expert consultation co-sponsored with Alive & Thrive.
- [Manuscript] Choufani et al (Oct 2020) Measuring coverage of infant and young child feeding counselling interventions: A framework and empirical considerations for survey question design. Maternal Child Nutrition
- [Brief] Using Cognitive Interviewing as a Tool to Improve MICYN Counseling Survey Questions in Bangladesh (May 2022)
Events
- Joint Consultation on Approaches to Measure Coverage of Nutrition Counselling Interventions (September 2018)
- Technical Consultation on Measuring Nutrition in Population-based Household Surveys and Associated Facility Assessments (September 2018)
Blogs
- Unpacking a framework for measuring infant and young child feeding counselling coverage in household surveys
- How can we advance nutrition measurement?
- Breastfeeding counselling: The need for actionable data
- Breastfeeding: The best start in life
Measuring the Coverage of Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection (NSSP) Programs
DataDENT is developing new indicators and suggested household survey questions for measurement of coverage of NSSP interventions targeting children under 5 and women of reproductive age. Similar to work around MIYCN counseling coverage measurement, activities include a comprehensive landscaping of existing indicators and tools, development of a measurement framework, and validation of the proposed indicators and questions through an expert consultation.
- [Manuscript] Coming soon
- [Brief] Nutrition Sensitive Social Protection Programs (NSSPPs) across population-based surveys in South Asia (July 2022)
Webinars
Blogs
Cognitive testing of MIYCN coverage survey questions in India & Nepal
DataDENT, in collaboration with IMPROVE, carried out to cognitive testing of MIYCN intervention coverage survey questions in India and Nepal and is supporting supplementary research aimed at improving recall in household surveys.
- [Manuscript] Ashok et al (Aug 2021) Using cognitive interviewing to bridge the intent‐interpretation gap for nutrition coverage survey questions in India. Maternal Child Nutrition
- [Manuscript] Thorne-Lyman et al (Oct 2022) Cognitive testing of questions about antenatal care and nutrition interventions in southern Nepal, Social Science & Medicine
Blogs
Recommended indicators and questions for measuring nutrition intervention coverage using large-scale household surveys
DataDENT released a Compendium for household survey planners that provides indicator definitions and accompanying questions for nutrition interventions across the maternal, newborn, and child health continuum of care. We also collaborated with Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) to document key coverage measurement lessons from the PMA nutrition survey module used in Kenya and Burkina Faso.
- [Guidance] Compendium of Nutrition Intervention Coverage Indicators & Questions for Household Surveys (August 2021)
- [Report] Innovations in Nutrition Measurement: Lessons Learned from Population-Based Household Surveys in Burkina Faso and Kenya (September 2019)
Blogs
- Inspiration from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) community: Core Questions on WASH for Household Surveys
- Innovations in Nutrition Measurement: Lessons Learned from Population-Based Household Surveys in Burkina Faso and Kenya
- Updated guidance on measuring fortification coverage
- Revisiting Core Indicators: Principles from the updated WHO-UNICEF Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicator guidance
Demographic and Health Survey (DHS)-8 Questionnaire Update
In years 1-2 DataDENT engaged the nutrition community to identify data priorities and coordinated efforts to develop, endorse and advocate for a set of 11 nutrition recommendations for the DHS-8 core questionnaires. The process was successful as the DHS-8 core questionnaire, released in 2020.
External Links
Events
Webinars
Blogs
- What data do nutrition stakeholders use and how can we better meet their needs?
- Data for Nutrition webinar – New data for nutrition: Updates to the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)-8 Questionnaires
- Digging in to the DHS and MICS nutrition data
- Recommendations to update nutrition content of the Demographic and Health Surveys
- Overview of new nutrition questions in the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) core questionnaires
- Understanding the Role of Cognitive Interviewing in Improving Survey Questions
- Unpacking a framework for measuring infant and young child feeding counselling coverage in household surveys
- Inspiration from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) community: Core Questions on WASH for Household Surveys
- How can we advance nutrition measurement?
- Breastfeeding counseling: The need for actionable data
Coverage Measurement in National Household Surveys in Nigeria & Burkina Faso
DataDENT has provided technical assistance for strengthening questionnaire content of national nutrition-related surveys in Nigeria (National Health and Nutrition Survey 2019-2020; Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey 2020-2021) and Burkina Faso (National Nutrition Surveys 2020 and 2021).
- [Brief] Coming Soon
India National Nutrition Coverage Measurement Framework
DataDENT and partners in India developed a comprehensive nutrition monitoring indicator framework aligned with India’s National Nutrition Mission, POSHAN Abhiyaan. DataDENT has released a compendium of household survey questions to accompany the framework. The India consortium also identified COVID-19 related coverage measurement priorities (see sections below).
- [Report; Policy Note] Nutrition Indicator Framework — India (June/December 2020)
Blog
- Tracking India’s Progress on Addressing Malnutrition and Enhancing the Use of Data to Improve Programs
- Tracking India’s Progress on Addressing Malnutrition: What Will it Take?
Supporting Use of Minimum Dietary Diversity Indicators for Women & Children
To complement updates to DHS-8, DataDENT is addressing several technical issues around use of Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) and Young children (MDD-C) indicators. These include assessing the implications for monitoring of national trends in diet quality of recent revisions to the MDD-C indicator definition and of seasonality of data collection as well as identifying new ways that MDD-W and MDD-C can be used together to inform policy and program planning in low- and middle-income countries.
- [Manuscript] Thorne-Lyman et al. (Jul 2021) Season of Data Collection for Child Diet Diversity Indicators may affect conclusions about longer-term trends in Peru, Senegal and Nepal. Current Developments in Nutrition
- [Social Media] “Tweetorial” on key findings from the MDD and seasonality of data collection paper (July 2021)
- [Manuscript] Heidkamp et al (Sep 2020) Implications of Updating the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Children Indicator for Tracking Progress in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region, Current Developments in Nutrition
Blog
Service Provision Assessment (SPA) Questionnaire Review
In 2020-2021, DataDENT coordinated nutrition stakeholders to draft and submit recommendations for the DHS Program- and USAID-led process to revise the Service Provision Assessment (SPA) facility survey core questionnaires. A revised SPA instrument is expected from the DHS Program in early 2022.
External Links
Events
Blogs
Mobile Survey Innovations for Nutrition Coverage & Food Security Measurement
DataDENT is conducting methodological research in India to inform use of phone-based survey questions about food security and coverage of health, nutrition, and social safety net interventions.
- [Brief] Measuring food security in the context of COVID-19 in India: A review of measurement tools and adaptations to phone-based data collection (October 2021)
- [Brief] Response rate in phone surveys: Experiments to test the effect of pre-visits and financial incentives (August 2022)
Blog
India COVID-19 Nutrition Measurement Framework
DataDENT and partners in India identified a priority set of indicators from the National Nutrition Monitoring Framework for COVID-19 related data collection activities.
- [Brief] Coming soon
PRIORITY AREA 2: Develop more effective approaches for data-driven nutrition accountability and advocacy
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Synthesis of learning about data visualization & data visualization tools including scorecards, dashboards and profiles
DataDENT has compiled lessons learned from across our activities on data visualization and accountability tools.
- [Slide Decks; Briefs] Data Visualization Tools for Nutrition: Findings & Recommendations (2020)
- [Guidance] Technical Notes for the WHO-UNICEF National Nutrition Information System Guidance
Webinars
Blog
Landscaping of Global Nutrition Data Visualization & Accountability Tools
DataDENT conducted a landscaping of global data visualization and accountability tools for nutrition that included assessing tools as well as interviewing producers and users. Findings include recommendations for producers and funders of data visualization and accountability tools.
- [Brief; Data File] Global Data Visualization Tool Nutrition Indicator Mapping (August 2019)
- [Article] Manorat et al (Aug 2019) Global Data Visualization Tools Empower Decision-making in Nutrition. Sight & Life Magazine
Webinars
- What can we learn from tools developed for global audiences and country users in India? (April 2020)
Blog
- What data do nutrition stakeholders use and how can we better meet their needs?
- 2019 DataDENT Highlights
- How can data visualization tools support nutrition decision-makers?
- 2020 DataDENT Highlights
Landscaping of India Nutrition Data Visualization & Accountability Tools
DataDENT conducted a landscaping of publicly accessible data visualization and accountability tools for nutrition stakeholders in India that were produced or refreshed in the past five years. Similar to the global landscaping (above), the process included interviews with producers, and findings include recommendations for producers. Findings were applied to update the District Nutrition Profiles developed in collaboration with POSHAN.
- [Slide Decks; Briefs] Data Visualization Tools for Nutrition: Findings & Recommendations (2020)
- [Briefs] District Nutrition Profiles 2.0 (collaboration with POSHAN)
Webinars
- Visualizing Nutrition Data for Decision Making: What have we learnt so far? (December 2020)
- What can we learn from tools developed for global audiences and country users in India? (April 2020)
Blog
- Purpose-driven design: India’s District Nutrition Profiles
- 2020 DataDENT Highlights
- Similar but not the same: The challenge of comparing indicators across nutrition data tools
- What data do nutrition stakeholders use and how can we better meet their needs?
- 2019 DataDENT Highlights
- How can data visualization tools support nutrition decision-makers?
- Champions of Change: How NITI Aayog is improving a data visualization tool for data-driven policy and decision making
- How are nutrition data visualization tools (DVTs) in India supporting decision-makers?
Nigeria Governors’ Forum Scorecard
DataDENT collaborated with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) in designing a sub-national nutrition scorecard to foster accountability among governors for state-level nutrition commitments. We captured insights from the design process that will be useful to stakeholders who want to develop similar tools.
- [Manuscript] Rana et al (Jul 2021) Developing effective data visualization tools for nutrition: reflections on the design of a Nutrition Scorecard in Nigeria Gates Open Research
- [Article] Abduwahab et al (Apr 2022) Using routine data for nutrition accountability: Experience from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Nutrition Scorecard
Blog
Exploring Data Visualization Literacy & Preferences in Nigeria
DataDENT is conducting a study to explore data visualization literacy and preferences among Nigerian stakeholders that work in nutrition. Findings will help inform how accountability tools and communications products for decision makers in Nigeria can be optimized to meet audience needs.
Blog
Training in Data Visualization Skills
DataDENT has hosted trainings in data visualization skills for global, regional, and national audiences and developed a set of online tutorials.
Events
- Together for Nutrition West African Data Forum Data Visualization Workshop, Saly, Senegal (February 2020)
- Nutrition Society of Nigeria Annual Meeting Workshop: Data Visualizations for Action (November 2020)
- ANH Academy 2021 Learning Lab Making better figures: visualizing data for action, virtual event (June 2021)
- ANH Academy 2022 Learning Lab Making better figures: visualizing data for action, virtual event (June 2022)
Blog
DataDENT is using a comparative case study approach to develop and validate metrics for advocacy and enabling environments for nutrition. The study will identify how advocacy contributes to building enabling environments across two subnational areas in each of two countries (Nigeria and India). The case studies focus on food fortification and IYCF programs. The metrics will be useful for monitoring nutrition advocacy efforts and studying effective advocacy strategies.
- [Discussion Paper] Resnick et al. (Oct 2021) Enabling Environments for Nutrition Advocacy: A comparison of infant and young child feeding and food fortification in Nigeria
- [Manuscripts] Resnick et al. (Apr 2022) Advocacy organizations and nutrition policy in Nigeria: identifying metrics for enhanced efficacy. Health Policy & Planning
Blog
PRIORITY AREA 3: Promote strategic planning and financing for data value chain strengthening
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In Years 4-5, DataDENT and the University of Ibadan are carrying out formative research to better understand decisions needs and data use by nutrition actors in the Nigerian health sector at federal, state, and local levels. We are also working to identify costs associated with collecting nutrition indicators across survey and administrative sources. Findings will be used to inform efforts led by the Federal Ministry of Health with DataDENT support to develop costed recommendations for more coordinated inclusion of nutrition indicators across national survey and administrative data sources as well as for strengthening data use.
- [Guidance] Health Sector Recommendations for Nutrition Indicators Collected Nationally in Nigeria (Sept 2022)
- [Brief] Building Consensus on data priorities for a national Nutrition Information System: Lesson’s from Nigeria’s Health Sector (Sept 2022)
Blog
DataDENT and regional partners, including UNICEF’s Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), examined the alignment of national nutrition policies and programs with global recommendations and assessed the availability of data to track progress on nutrition actions across the eight South Asian countries. Country and regional findings are being used to advocate for information systems strengthening.
- [Reports; Brief] Landscaping of Policy and Program Actions for Nutrition in South Asia (July 2021)
- [Manuscript] Nguyen PH et al. (Jan 2022) Unequal coverage of nutrition and health interventions for women and children in seven countries. Bull World Health Organ.
Events
Blogs
- Evidence and lessons on improving data use and quality in India’s nutrition program
- Tracking India’s Progress on Addressing Malnutrition and Enhancing the Use of Data to Improve Programs
- Tracking India’s Progress on Addressing Malnutrition: What Will it Take?
- Are data available for tracking progress on nutrition policies and programs in South Asia?
DataDENT is working to help guide country and partner efforts to cost and finance stronger nutrition data & information systems – including informing data-related commitments at the 2021 N4G Summit. Activities include country case studies examining costs and financing of nutrition information systems in two LMIC as well as global analyses around SUN country plans and donor disbursements from the OECD Creditor Reporting System.
Global
- [Guidance] Technical Notes for the WHO-UNICEF National Nutrition Information System Guidance
- [Guidance] Recommendations for N4G commitments: Shaping commitments to improve nutrition data and accountability in support of food, health, and prosperity for all (September 2021)
- [Event] Improving Nutrition Through Accountability and Data Systems: SMART Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Data Commitments (November 2021)
- [Manuscript] Manorat et al (June 2020) How are countries planning for costs of nutrition data and information systems? Gates Open Research
- [Manuscript] Farina et al (March 2022) Landscape of official development assistance for nutrition data and information systems. BMJ Global Health
- [Brief] Financing a nutrition information system: Insights from a financing landscape assessment in Ethiopia (August 2022)
- [PPT] Situational Analysis of the Landscape of Nutrition Data Financing in Ethiopia (August 2022)
Blog
- Three insights into costing and financing nutrition information systems (November 2022)
- Staying Committed: the importance of nutrition data financing (January 2022)
- How can N4G 2021 commitments strengthen the nutrition data value chain? (September 2021)
- Financing Nutrition Data and Information Systems: 3 Recommendations for Donors to Consider Ahead of N4G (July 2021)
- How can we better support countries to build and maintain nutrition data and information systems? (October 2019)
Nutrition Data Innovations Landscaping
DataDENT is conducting a landscape review of nutrition data innovations to better understand how such innovations can help strengthen the nutrition data value chain. We will develop outputs summarizing our findings for users, providers and funders with the aim of generating discussions on opportunities and potential investments in this space. We also hope to use the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA) platform to share the findings with other innovation funding agencies.
- [Slide deck; database file] A landscape of trends and opportunities in nutrition data innovations (January 2022)
Blog
Events
PRIORITY AREA 4: Global and regional nutrition data value chain advocacy, coordination, and dissemination
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Launched in 2020 by DataDENT with partner support, the Data for Nutrition community of practice (COP) is a free virtual platform that provides members with opportunities to share knowledge, resources, experiences, and questions relevant to strengthening the nutrition data value chain in low- and middle-income countries.
- Data for Nutrition Registration
- Data for Nutrition Portal (Mobilize Platform)
- [Report; Brief; Study tools] 2021 Evaluation
Webinars
Blog
Below are country & regional nutrition data advocacy events co-organized by DataDENT. To learn more about DataDENT participation in events and conferences organized by others, visit our events page here.
Together for Nutrition West Africa Data Forum
In February 2020, DataDENT collaborated with Transform Nutrition West Africa (TNWA) and regional partners to co-convene the Together for Nutrition: West African Data Forum. In 2021, DataDENT conducted a 12-month follow up with forum participants to identify whether and how the event and resulting Call to Action met their stated objectives.
- [Brief; Study Tools] One-Year Follow Up Assessment: Together for Nutrition West African Data Forum
External Links
- Together for Nutrition West Africa Data Forum: event Page with Call to Action & Meeting Report (2020)
- [Blog Post] Nigerian experiences shared at milestone Data Forum on nutrition action in West Africa
- [Virtual Event] Transforming Nutrition in West Africa – New Knowledge for Policy and Program Action (June 2021)
Blog
India Nutrition Data Bonanza
On 01 May 2019, DataDENT co-convened nutrition stakeholders from 15 organizations working in India to reflect on collective action to strengthen measurement of nutrition intervention coverage within the country.
Blog
Nigeria Nutrition Data Partners Meeting
In October 2018, DataDENT supported the Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture in organizing the second annual national meeting of key nutrition data stakeholders from federal and state-level.
We have collaborated with the Countdown to 2030 and the Lancet Maternal and Child Undernutrition Progress 2021 Series to publish manuscripts addressing key issues in nutrition coverage measurement in high impact journals with wide readership.
- [Manuscript] Heidkamp et al. (Mar 2021) Lancet Maternal & Child Undernutrition Progress 2020 Series Paper 2. Mobilizing evidence, data and resources to achieve global maternal and child undernutrition targets and the SDGs: An agenda for action. The Lancet
- [Manuscript] How can we realise the full potential of health systems for nutrition?
- [Manuscript] Gillespie et al. (Jan 2019) Measuring the coverage of nutrition interventions along the continuum of care: time to act at scale. BMJ Global Health
DataDENT is actively involved in the Nutrition Data Partners Group, the Standing Together for Nutrition consortium, and efforts to raise visibility of nutrition data issues for the 2021 Nutrition For Growth (N4G) and Global Food Systems Summits (GFSS).
- [Guidance] Recommendations for N4G commitments: Shaping commitments to improve nutrition data and accountability in support of food, health, and prosperity for all
Blog