May 20, 2026
The following are the questions received during the live webinar and their answers. For additional questions or clarifications, contact IPUMS User Support at [email protected]
If the analysis is across surveys (spatiotemporal), how should we account for changes in the boundaries of level-2 or level-3 units?
It is important to be aware of changes in boundaries when doing comparisons over time. Fortunately, boundary changes are less problematic when working with contextual data attached to individual level survey data than they would be when working with geographic units as the unit of analysis. The linkages are based on coordinates near the person’s place of residence at the time of the survey and the census unit boundaries at the time of the census. If the respondent has not moved in the interim, the contextual variables will reflect the census unit they lived in at the time the census data were collected, regardless of changes to the census unit boundaries in the meantime.
Given the temporal gaps that may occur between census years and DHS survey years, residential movement may be a bigger concern than boundary changes. Most DHS samples include a variable for “Years lived in place of residence” (RESIDINTYR), which you may wish to use to restrict your sample to respondents who have not moved since the census.
Note that summarizing DHS data to level-2 or level-3 units is not recommended because the sampling frame is not designed to be representative at those levels.
How do I register for access to IPUMS DHS and IHGIS data?
IHGIS access is provided through your general IPUMS user account. If you have registered for other IPUMS collections, to register for IHGIS you will just need to agree to the IHGIS terms of use. You will be prompted to do so when logging in to create an IHGIS extract for the first time. If you have not previously registered for an IPUMS account, you can do so using the “Register” link at the top of any IHGIS web page. All IHGIS data are publicly available, so access is immediate upon registration.
Access to IPUMS DHS data is handled by the DHS Program. You will need a DHS account to download data. The “Register" link at the top of IPUMS DHS web pages will take you to the DHS Program’s registration page. When you create a DHS account, you will need to describe your research and select specific countries for which you want data access. You will also need to specifically request GPS access in order to access linking variables and crosswalks for finer scale geographic units. Applications for DHS data access are reviewed by the DHS Program, and there is a short waiting period, usually about two days.
Am I able to edit my DHS account later to increase or decrease the countries I can access data for?
You may revise the countries you would like to access data for in the DHS Program. It is also prudent to request as many countries as you might need at the outset. There have been disruptions in account review in the last 18 months. While these have largely been resolved, I encourage users to ask for all samples they may need when creating their account.