A system for household enumeration and re-identification in densely populated slums to facilitate community research, education, and advocacy.
BACKGROUND
We devised and implemented an innovative Location-Based Household Coding System (LBHCS) appropriate to a densely populated informal settlement in Mumbai, India.


RESULTS
LBHCS codes were designed to double as unique household identifiers and as walking directions; when an entire community is enumerated, LBHCS codes can be used to identify the number of households located per road (or lane) segment. LBHCS was used in community-wide biometric, mental health, diarrheal disease, and water poverty studies. It also facilitated targeted health interventions by a research team of youth from Mumbai, including intensive door-to-door education of residents, targeted follow-up meetings, and a full census. In addition, LBHCS permitted rapid and low-cost preparation of GIS mapping of all households in the slum, and spatial summation and spatial analysis of survey data.


CONCLUSIONS
LBHCS was an effective, easy-to-use, affordable approach to household enumeration and re-identification in a densely populated informal settlement where alternative satellite imagery and GPS technologies could not be used.
Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Dana R
DR
Thomson
Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action, and Research, Mumbai, India.
Shrutika
S
Shitole
Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action, and Research, Mumbai, India.
Tejal
T
Shitole
Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action, and Research, Mumbai, India.
Kiran
K
Sawant
Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action, and Research, Mumbai, India; Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Ramnath
R
Subbaraman
Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston Massachusetts, United States of America.
David E
DE
Bloom
Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action, and Research, Mumbai, India.
Anita
A
Patil-Deshmukh
D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D005843:Geography; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011156:Population Density; D011203:Poverty; D011204:Poverty Areas; D016730:Program Development; D012111:Residence Characteristics