Definition & calculation
Numerator: Number of surveyed caregivers of children under 5 who correctly name at least two recognized danger signs (e.g. inability to drink/breastfeed, convulsions, lethargy, fast/difficult breathing)
Denominator: Total number of caregivers of children under 5 surveyed
Ask an unprompted (open-recall) question and score responses against the standard danger-sign list; report the recall threshold used.
Formula: (Numerator ÷ Denominator) × 100
Means of verification
KAP survey; household survey
Interpretation
Typical reporting frequency: Baseline, midline and endline (or annual)
Guidance & common pitfalls
Use unprompted recall to measure genuine knowledge rather than prompted recognition. Knowledge is a step toward care-seeking but does not guarantee it, so pair with a care-seeking behaviour indicator where possible.
This library is a curated reference to adapt, aligned generically with recognised humanitarian frameworks (Sphere, cluster registries, IASC, CHS and others). It is not an official indicator registry — always use the exact indicator definitions your donor or cluster requires.
Related indicators
- Crude mortality rate (CMR) in the affected population (deaths per 10,000 persons per day)
- Under-five mortality rate (U5MR) in the affected population (deaths per 10,000 children under 5 per day)
- % of children aged 6-59 months in the target area vaccinated against measles
- % of deliveries in the target population attended by a skilled birth attendant