The Karonga Health and Demographic Surveillance System (Karonga HDSS) in northern Malawi currently has a population of more than 42 000 individuals under continuous demographic surveillance since completion of a baseline census (2002-2004). The surveillance system collects data on vital events and migration for individuals and for households. It also provides data on cause-specific mortality obtained by verbal autopsy for all age groups, and estimates rates of disease for specific presentations via linkage to clinical facility data. The Karonga HDSS provides a structure for surveys of socioeconomic status, HIV-prevalence and incidence, sexual behavior, fertility intentions and a sampling frame for other studies, as well as evaluating the impact of interventions, such as antiretroviral therapy and vaccination programs. Uniquely, it relies on a network of village informants to report vital events and household moves, and furthermore is linked to an archive of biological samples and data from population surveys and other studies dating back three decades.

Demography, Sub-Saharan Africa, Census, Vital statistics, Mortality, Population dynamics, Life expectancy, Malawi