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LIT2 (V155)
Literacy, based on reading passage
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Codes and Frequencies



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Description

LIT2 (V155) indicates whether the woman could read. This variable is available beginning with Phase 4 of the DHS.

Persons with less than secondary school education were asked to demonstrate their literacy level by reading aloud a sentence on a card and were classified as "cannot read at all," "able to read only parts of sentence," and "able to read whole sentence." As with LIT1 (V108), those with secondary or higher schooling were presumed to have attained the highest literacy level.

For Phases 1-3 of the DHS, information on literacy was collected using a different approach, by simply asking whether the person could read (LIT1). See LITBRIG for information about using the data on literacy across all phases of the DHS.

Comparability — Index

GENERAL
 Egypt
 Kenya

Comparability

Along with universe differences and slight differences in question wording, LIT2 (V155) has some differences in response categories across samples, in line with the changing of response categories in the standard questionnaire. In general, questionnaires from Phase 5 forward included "blind/visually impaired" as a response category, while earlier samples did not.

Special attention should be paid to Egypt 2008 for use of this variable.

Comparability - Standard DHS

LIT2 (v155) is included in the standard DHS questionnaire for Phase 4 forward. In Phase 5, the standard questionnaire started including "blind/visually impaired" as a response category.

Comparability — Egypt [top]

The 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2008 Egypt surveys do not include the response category, "no card with required language." For Egypt 2008, LIT2 (V155) appears closer in construction to LIT1 (V108). In that sample, the interviewer did not ask the respondent to demonstrate his or her literacy by reading a passage, but rather asked the respondent to report whether he or she can read a newspaper or letter "easily," "with difficulty," or "not at all."

Comparability — Kenya [top]

The Kenya 2003 form does not provide an open-ended category for specifying language under the response, "no card with required language."

Universe

  • Afghanistan 2015: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Angola 2015: All women age 15-49.
  • Bangladesh 2007: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Bangladesh 2011: Ever-married women age 12-49.
  • Bangladesh 2014: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Benin 2001: All women age 15-49.
  • Benin 2006: All women age 15-49.
  • Benin 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Benin 2017: All women age 15-49.
  • Burkina Faso 2003: All women age 15-49.
  • Burkina Faso 2010: All women age 15-49.
  • Burundi 2010: All women age 15-49.
  • Burundi 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Cameroon 2004: All women age 15-49.
  • Cameroon 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Cameroon 2018: All women age 15-64.
  • Chad 2004: All women age 15-49.
  • Chad 2014: All women age 15-49.
  • Congo (Democratic Republic) 2007: All women age 15-49.
  • Congo (Democratic Republic) 2013: All women age 15-49.
  • Congo Brazzaville 2005: All women age 15-49.
  • Congo Brazzaville 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Cote d'Ivoire 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Egypt 2000: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Egypt 2003: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Egypt 2005: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Egypt 2008: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Egypt 2014: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Eswatini (Swaziland) 2006: All women age 15-49.
  • Ethiopia 2000: All women age 15-49.
  • Ethiopia 2005: All women age 15-49.
  • Ethiopia 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Ethiopia 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Ethiopia 2019: All women age 15-49.
  • Ghana 2003: All women age 15-49.
  • Ghana 2008: All women age 15-49.
  • Ghana 2014: All women age 15-49.
  • Ghana 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Guinea 2005: All women age 15-49.
  • Guinea 2012: All women age 15-49.
  • Guinea 2018: All women age 15-49.
  • India 2005: All women age 15-49.
  • India 2015: All women age 15-49.
  • Jordan 2017: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Kenya 2003: All women age 15-49.
  • Kenya 2008: All women age 15-49.
  • Kenya 2014: All women age 15-49.
  • Lesotho 2004: All women age 15-49.
  • Lesotho 2009: All women age 15-49.
  • Lesotho 2014: All women age 15-49.
  • Liberia 2007: All women age 15-49.
  • Liberia 2013: All women age 15-49.
  • Madagascar 2003: All women age 15-49.
  • Madagascar 2008: All women age 15-49.
  • Malawi 2000: All women age 15-49.
  • Malawi 2004: All women age 15-49.
  • Malawi 2010: All women age 15-49.
  • Malawi 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Mali 2001: All women age 15-49.
  • Mali 2006: All women age 15-49.
  • Mali 2012: All women age 15-49.
  • Mali 2018: All women age 15-49.
  • Morocco 2003: All women age 15-49.
  • Mozambique 2003: All women age 15-49.
  • Mozambique 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Myanmar 2015: All women age 15-49.
  • Namibia 2000: All women age 15-49.
  • Namibia 2006: All women age 15-49.
  • Namibia 2013: All women age 15-64.
  • Nepal 2001: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Nepal 2006: All women age 15-49.
  • Nepal 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Nepal 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Niger 2006: All women age 15-49.
  • Niger 2012: All women age 15-49.
  • Nigeria 2003: All women age 15-49.
  • Nigeria 2008: All women age 15-49.
  • Nigeria 2013: All women age 15-49.
  • Nigeria 2018: All women age 15-49.
  • Pakistan 2006: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Pakistan 2012: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Pakistan 2017: Ever-married women age 15-49.
  • Rwanda 2000: All women age 15-49.
  • Rwanda 2005: All women age 15-49.
  • Rwanda 2010: All women age 15-49.
  • Rwanda 2014: All women age 15-49.
  • Senegal 2005: All women age 15-49.
  • Senegal 2010: All women age 15-49.
  • Senegal 2012: All women age 15-49.
  • Senegal 2014: All women age 15-49.
  • Senegal 2015: All women age 15-49.
  • Senegal 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Senegal 2017: All women age 15-49.
  • South Africa 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Tanzania 1999: All women age 15-49.
  • Tanzania 2004: All women age 15-49.
  • Tanzania 2010: All women age 15-49.
  • Tanzania 2015: All women age 15-49.
  • Togo 2013: All women age 15-49.
  • Uganda 1988: All women age 15-49.
  • Uganda 1995: All women age 15-49.
  • Uganda 2001: All women age 15-49.
  • Uganda 2006: All women age 15-49.
  • Uganda 2011: All women age 15-49.
  • Uganda 2016: All women age 15-49.
  • Yemen 2013: All women age 15-49.
  • Zambia 2001: All women age 15-49.
  • Zambia 2007: All women age 15-49.
  • Zambia 2013: All women age 15-49.
  • Zambia 2018: All women age 15-49.
  • Zimbabwe 2005: All women age 15-49.
  • Zimbabwe 2010: All women age 15-49.
  • Zimbabwe 2015: All women age 15-49.
  • Afghanistan: 2015-C, 2015-W, 2015-B, 2015-W
  • Angola: 2015-W, 2015-C, 2015-B, 2015-W
  • Bangladesh: 2007-W, 2007-W, 2007-B, 2007-C, 2011-W, 2011-C, 2011-W, 2011-B, 2014-W, 2014-B, 2014-C, 2014-W
  • Benin: 2001-W, 2001-C, 2001-B, 2006-W, 2006-B, 2006-C, 2006-W, 2011-B, 2011-C, 2011-W, 2011-W, 2017-W, 2017-C, 2017-B, 2017-W
  • Burkina Faso: 2003-W, 2003-B, 2003-C, 2003-W, 2010-W, 2010-B, 2010-C, 2010-W
  • Burundi: 2010-W, 2010-C, 2010-B, 2010-W, 2016-W, 2016-C, 2016-B, 2016-W
  • Cameroon: 2004-B, 2004-C, 2004-W, 2011-C, 2011-B, 2011-W, 2018-W, 2018-C, 2018-B
  • Chad: 2004-W, 2004-C, 2004-B, 2014-W, 2014-C, 2014-B
  • Congo (Democratic Republic): 2007-W, 2007-C, 2007-B, 2013-W, 2013-C, 2013-B
  • Congo Brazzaville: 2005-W, 2005-C, 2005-B, 2011-W, 2011-C, 2011-B
  • Cote d'Ivoire: 2011-W, 2011-C, 2011-B
  • Egypt: 2000-C, 2000-W, 2000-B, 2000-W, 2003-B, 2003-C, 2003-W, 2003-W, 2005-B, 2005-W, 2005-W, 2005-C, 2008-B, 2008-W, 2008-C, 2008-W, 2014-B, 2014-C, 2014-W, 2014-W
  • Eswatini (Swaziland): 2006-W, 2006-C, 2006-B, 2006-W
  • Ethiopia: 2000-W, 2000-C, 2000-B, 2005-W, 2005-W, 2005-B, 2005-C, 2011-C, 2011-B, 2011-W, 2011-W, 2016-W, 2016-B, 2016-C, 2016-W, 2019-W, 2019-C, 2019-B
  • Ghana: 2003-C, 2003-W, 2003-B, 2003-W, 2008-B, 2008-W, 2008-W, 2008-C, 2014-W, 2014-B, 2014-C, 2014-W, 2016-W, 2016-C
  • Guinea: 2005-W, 2005-W, 2005-C, 2005-B, 2012-B, 2012-C, 2012-W, 2018-W, 2018-C, 2018-B, 2018-W
  • India: 2005-C, 2005-B, 2005-W, 2005-W, 2015-W, 2015-C, 2015-B, 2015-W
  • Jordan: 2017-W, 2017-C, 2017-B, 2017-W
  • Kenya: 2003-C, 2003-W, 2003-B, 2003-W, 2008-W, 2008-B, 2008-C, 2008-W, 2014-B, 2014-C, 2014-W, 2014-W
  • Lesotho: 2004-C, 2004-B, 2004-W, 2009-W, 2009-C, 2009-B, 2009-W, 2014-W, 2014-B, 2014-C, 2014-W
  • Liberia: 2007-W, 2007-C, 2007-B, 2013-W, 2013-C, 2013-B, 2013-W
  • Madagascar: 2003-B, 2003-W, 2003-C, 2003-W, 2008-B, 2008-C, 2008-W, 2008-W
  • Malawi: 2000-W, 2000-W, 2000-B, 2000-C, 2004-B, 2004-W, 2004-C, 2004-W, 2010-B, 2010-C, 2010-W, 2010-W, 2016-W, 2016-B, 2016-C, 2016-W
  • Mali: 2001-W, 2001-W, 2001-C, 2001-B, 2006-B, 2006-W, 2006-C, 2006-W, 2012-W, 2012-W, 2012-C, 2012-B, 2018-W, 2018-C, 2018-B, 2018-W
  • Morocco: 2003-W, 2003-C, 2003-B, 2003-W
  • Mozambique: 2003-W, 2003-C, 2003-W, 2003-B, 2011-W, 2011-B, 2011-C, 2011-W
  • Myanmar: 2015-C, 2015-W, 2015-B, 2015-W
  • Namibia: 2000-W, 2000-C, 2000-B, 2006-B, 2006-W, 2006-C, 2006-W, 2013-B, 2013-C, 2013-W, 2013-W
  • Nepal: 2001-W, 2001-B, 2001-C, 2006-C, 2006-B, 2006-W, 2006-W, 2011-C, 2011-B, 2011-W, 2011-W, 2016-W, 2016-B, 2016-C, 2016-W
  • Niger: 2006-W, 2006-B, 2006-C, 2006-W, 2012-W, 2012-B, 2012-C, 2012-W
  • Nigeria: 2003-C, 2003-B, 2003-W, 2008-W, 2008-B, 2008-C, 2008-W, 2013-B, 2013-C, 2013-W, 2013-W, 2018-W, 2018-C, 2018-B, 2018-W
  • Pakistan: 2006-W, 2006-B, 2006-C, 2012-B, 2012-C, 2012-W, 2012-W, 2017-W, 2017-C, 2017-B, 2017-W
  • Rwanda: 2000-W, 2000-W, 2000-C, 2000-B, 2005-W, 2005-W, 2005-B, 2005-C, 2010-W, 2010-B, 2010-C, 2010-W, 2014-W, 2014-B, 2014-W, 2014-C
  • Senegal: 2005-C, 2005-W, 2005-B, 2005-W, 2010-W, 2010-W, 2010-B, 2010-C, 2012-W, 2012-B, 2012-C, 2012-W, 2014-B, 2014-W, 2014-C, 2014-W, 2015-W, 2015-B, 2015-W, 2015-C, 2016-B, 2016-C, 2016-W, 2016-W, 2017-W, 2017-C, 2017-B, 2017-W
  • South Africa: 2016-W, 2016-C, 2016-B, 2016-W
  • Tanzania: 1999-C, 1999-B, 1999-W, 2004-C, 2004-B, 2004-W, 2004-W, 2010-W, 2010-B, 2010-C, 2010-W, 2015-W, 2015-B, 2015-C, 2015-W
  • Togo: 2013-W, 2013-C, 2013-B
  • Uganda: 1988-C, 1988-W, 1988-B, 1995-W, 1995-C, 1995-B, 2001-W, 2001-B, 2001-C, 2001-W, 2006-B, 2006-C, 2006-W, 2006-W, 2011-W, 2011-C, 2011-W, 2011-B, 2016-W, 2016-C, 2016-B, 2016-W
  • Yemen: 2013-W, 2013-C, 2013-B, 2013-W
  • Zambia: 2001-B, 2001-W, 2001-C, 2007-B, 2007-W, 2007-W, 2007-C, 2013-W, 2013-B, 2013-C, 2013-W, 2018-W, 2018-C, 2018-B, 2018-W
  • Zimbabwe: 2005-C, 2005-B, 2005-W, 2005-W, 2010-C, 2010-W, 2010-W, 2010-B, 2015-W, 2015-B, 2015-C, 2015-W