An introduction to the general temporal data model and the structured population event history register (SPEHR).

There are some 37 demographic surveillance system sites active in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Central America. These sites, and other longitudinal population and health research projects, generate data over time in order to describe and explain the event histories of individuals and the populations they constitute. This note addresses key data management challenges presented by such complex temporal data-gathering efforts. Ideas supporting a standard definition for temporal population data, and a standard design for temporal databases to improve management of longitudinal population data, are presented and briefly discussed.