1. Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys MICS3 Regional Training Workshop Household Characteristics

2. Content Cultural features (HC1A-HC1C) Crowding (HC2) Dwelling material (HC3, HC4, HC5) Fuel used for cooking (HC6) Cooking arrangements (HC7, HC7A, HC8) Assets (HC9, HC10)

3. Purpose To disaggregate indicators by socioeconomic status MDG indicator on solid fuels: Proportion of population using solid fuels (wood, charcoal, crop residues, dung) for cooking (Goal 7, Indicator 29) Cooking arrangements and fuels used for cooking – to assess programs aiming to prevent respiratory illnesses Also, a major source of some lung diseases, e.g. COLD

4. Purpose Assets owned by household, dwelling material, crowding can be used to construct the wealth index and other indices of wealth/socioeconomic status Some variables also used to determine whether household is a slum

5. Methodological Issues Countries will have to customize most of the questions/response categories HC1A-HC1C asked of the head, to standardize information collected HC3-HC5 will be normally completed by interviewer The assets constitute a minimum set for constructing the wealth index

6. Wealth index Information on possession of household assets, dwelling materials, water and sanitation, crowding are used in principal components analysis and households are categorized into quintiles of wealth Popular indicator used by DHS, WB etc to analyze disparities with regard to wealth/poverty

7. Wealth index Not flawless but few alternatives, most inappropriate to MICS and similar household surveys