Sectional Growth Balance Analysis for Non-stable Closed Populations

Methods for correcting for underenumeration in mortality estimates have been developing intensively during the last fifteen years. While existing methods can be shown to be overspecified, this is particularly evident for techniques in which age-specific growth rates are used. The paper surveys some existing analytical techniques which do not use age-specific growth rates, by examining results and precision when used with 24 selected data sets. The specification problem is then analysed, and a new less-specified technique is introduced. The technique assumes an age-invariant rate of underenumeration of deaths, but allows age-specific growth rates to vary in a minimally consistent manner from a common general level. The results obtained by using this technique on the earlier data sets are presented, and the precision obtained is compared with the results from existing methods. The results are very favourable to the new technique.