Datasets dating from 1986 to the present are available for 93 countries in which data were collect through Household questionnaires, Women's questionnaires, Men's questionnaires, Biomarker's questionnaires, and Fieldworker's questionnaires. The following data types are produced from the collected data : Household Recode, Household Member Recode, Individual Women's Recode, Births Recode, Children's Recode, Men's Recode, Couple's Recode, Geographic Data, Geospatial Covariates. To view surveys and available datasets go to https://dhsprogram.com/data/available-datasets.cfm. Access to datasets for DHS surveys and their supporting documents may be granted to individuals who register at https://dhsprogram.com/data/new-user-registration.cfm and create a new research project request.

The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program overseen by the US Agency for International AID (USAID) uses nationally representative surveys, biomarker testing, and geographic location to collect data on monitoring and impact evaluation indicators for individual countries and for cross-country comparisons.

Standardized DHS surveys include the Demographic and Health Survey, Service Provision Assessment, HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey, Malaria Indicator Survey, and Key Indicators Survey. The DHS Program also collects biomarkers and geographic data. Data availability varies by year and country. A table that lists all currently available data can be found here.

This dataset includes the daily number of families and individuals residing in the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter system and the daily number of families applying to the DHS shelter system.

This dataset includes data starting from 01/03/2021. For older records, please refer to https://data.cityofnewyork.us/d/dwrg-kzni

The DHS Program STATcompiler allows users to make custom tables based on hundreds of demographic and health indicators across more than 70 countries.

Contains data from the DHS data portal. There is also a dataset containing Timor-Leste - Subnational Demographic and Health Data on HDX.

The DHS Program Application Programming Interface (API) provides software developers access to aggregated indicator data from The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. The API can be used to create various applications to help analyze, visualize, explore and disseminate data on population, health, HIV, and nutrition from more than 90 countries.

This dataset displays demographics for the families and individuals residing in the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter system.

Abstract

The 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (2022 GDHS) is the seventh in the series of DHS surveys conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service (MoH/GHS) and other stakeholders, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other partners.

The primary objective of the 2022 GDHS is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the GDHS collected information on: - Fertility levels and preferences, contraceptive use, antenatal and delivery care, maternal and child health, childhood mortality, childhood immunisation, breastfeeding and young child feeding practices, women’s dietary diversity, violence against women, gender, nutritional status of adults and children, awareness regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, tobacco use, and other indicators relevant for the Sustainable Development Goals - Haemoglobin levels of women and children - Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia (rapid diagnostic testing and thick slides for malaria parasitaemia in the field and microscopy in the lab) among children age 6–59 months - Use of treated mosquito nets - Use of antimalarial drugs for treatment of fever among children under age 5

The information collected through the 2022 GDHS is intended to assist policymakers and programme managers in designing and evaluating programmes and strategies for improving the health of the country’s population.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Children age 0-5
• Woman age 15-49
• Man age 15-59

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged 15-49, men aged 15-59, and all children aged 0-4 resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

To achieve the objectives of the 2022 GDHS, a stratified representative sample of 18,450 households was selected in 618 clusters, which resulted in 15,014 interviewed women age 15–49 and 7,044 interviewed men age 15–59 (in one of every two households selected).

The sampling frame used for the 2022 GDHS is the updated frame prepared by the GSS based on the 2021 Population and Housing Census.1 The sampling procedure used in the 2022 GDHS was stratified two-stage cluster sampling, designed to yield representative results at the national level, for urban and rural areas, and for each of the country’s 16 regions for most DHS indicators. In the first stage, 618 target clusters were selected from the sampling frame using a probability proportional to size strategy for urban and rural areas in each region. Then the number of targeted clusters were selected with equal probability systematic random sampling of the clusters selected in the first phase for urban and rural areas. In the second stage, after selection of the clusters, a household listing and map updating operation was carried out in all of the selected clusters to develop a list of households for each cluster. This list served as a sampling frame for selection of the household sample. The GSS organized a 5-day training course on listing procedures for listers and mappers with support from ICF. The listers and mappers were organized into 25 teams consisting of one lister and one mapper per team. The teams spent 2 months completing the listing operation. In addition to listing the households, the listers collected the geographical coordinates of each household using GPS dongles provided by ICF and in accordance with the instructions in the DHS listing manual. The household listing was carried out using tablet computers, with software provided by The DHS Program. A fixed number of 30 households in each cluster were randomly selected from the list for interviews.

For further details on sample design, see APPENDIX A of the final report.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face computer-assisted interviews [capi]

Research instrument

Four questionnaires were used in the 2022 GDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, the Man’s Questionnaire, and the Biomarker Questionnaire. The questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s model questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Ghana. In addition, a self-administered Fieldworker Questionnaire collected information about the survey’s fieldworkers.

The GSS organized a questionnaire design workshop with support from ICF and obtained input from government and development partners expected to use the resulting data. The DHS Program optional modules on domestic violence, malaria, and social and behavior change communication were incorporated into the Woman’s Questionnaire. ICF provided technical assistance in adapting the modules to the questionnaires.

Cleaning operations

DHS staff installed all central office programmes, data structure checks, secondary editing, and field check tables from 17–20 October 2022. Central office training was implemented using the practice data to test the central office system and field check tables. Seven GSS staff members (four male and three female) were trained on the functionality of the central office menu, including accepting clusters from the field, data editing procedures, and producing reports to monitor fieldwork.

From 27 February to 17 March, DHS staff visited the Ghana Statistical Service office in Accra to work with the GSS central office staff on finishing the secondary editing and to clean and finalize all data received from the 618 clusters.

Response rate

A total of 18,540 households were selected for the GDHS sample, of which 18,065 were found to be occupied. Of the occupied households, 17,933 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 99%. In the interviewed households, 15,317 women age 15–49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews. Interviews were completed with 15,014 women, yielding a response rate of 98%. In the subsample of households selected for the male survey, 7,263 men age 15–59 were identified as eligible for individual interviews and 7,044 were successfully interviewed.

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: (1) nonsampling errors and (2) sampling errors. Nonsampling errors are the results of mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (2022 GDHS) to minimize this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.

Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2022 GDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and identical size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results. A sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95% of all possible samples of identical size and design.

If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the 2022 GDHS sample was the result of a multistage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulas. The computer software used to calculate sampling errors for the GDHS 2022 is an SAS program. This program used the Taylor linearization method to estimate variances for survey estimates that are means, proportions, or ratios. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.

A more detailed description of estimates of sampling errors are presented in APPENDIX B of the survey report.

Data appraisal

Data Quality Tables

• Age distribution of eligible and interviewed women
• Age distribution of eligible and interviewed men
• Age displacement at age 14/15
• Age displacement at age 49/50
• Pregnancy outcomes by years preceding the survey
• Completeness of reporting
• Standardisation exercise results from anthropometry training
• Height and weight data completeness and quality for children
• Height measurements from random subsample of measured children
• Interference in height and weight measurements of children
• Interference in height and weight measurements of women and men
• Heaping in anthropometric measurements for children (digit preference)
• Observation of mosquito nets
• Observation of handwashing facility
• School attendance by single year of age
• Vaccination cards photographed
• Number of

Abstract

The primary objective of the 2006 DHS is to provide to the Department of Health (DOH), Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM) and other relevant institutions and users with updated and reliable data on infant and child mortality, fertility preferences, family planning behavior, maternal mortality, utilization of maternal and child health services, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and behavior, sexually risk behavior and information on the general household amenities. This information contributes to policy planning, monitoring, and program evaluation for development at all levels of government particularly at the national and provincial levels. The information will also be used to assess the performance of government development interventions aimed at addressing the targets set out under the MDG and MTDS. The long-term objective of the survey is to technically strengthen the capacity of the NSO in conducting and analyzing the results of future surveys.

The successful conduct and completion of this survey is a result of the combined effort of individuals and institutions particularly in their participation and cooperation in the Users Advisory Committee (UAC) and the National Steering Committee (NSC) in the different phases of the survey.

The survey was conducted by the Population and Social Statistics Division of the National Statistical Office of PNG. The 2006 DHS was jointly funded by the Government of PNG and Donor Partners through ADB while technical assistance was provided by International Consultants and NSO Philippines.

Geographic coverage

National level Regional level Urban and Rural

Analysis unit

• Households
• Individuals

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women and men aged 15-50 years resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The primary focus of the 2006 DHS is to provide estimates of key population and health indicators at the national level. A secondary but important priority is to also provide estimates at the regional level, and for urban and rural areas respectively. The 2006 DHS employed the same survey methodology used in the 1996 DHS. The 2006 DHS sample was a two stage self-weighting systematic cluster sample of regions with the first stage being at the census unit level and the second stage at the household level. The 2000 Census frame comprised of a list of census units was used to select the sample of 10,000 households for the 2006 DHS.

A total of 667 clusters were selected from the four regions. All census units were listed in a geographic order within their districts, and districts within each province and the sample was selected accordingly through the use of appropriate sampling fraction. The distribution of households according to urban-rural sectors was as follows:

8,000 households were allocated to the rural areas of PNG. The proportional allocation was used to allocate the first 4,000 households to regions based on projected citizen household population in 2006. The other 4,000 households were allocated equally across all four regions to ensure that each region have sufficient sample for regional level analysis.

2,000 households were allocated to the urban areas of PNG using proportional allocation based on the 2006 projected urban citizen population. This allocation was to ensure that the most accurate estimates for urban areas are obtained at the national level.

All households in the selected census units were listed in a separate field operation from June to July 2006. From the list of households, 16 households were selected in the rural census units and 12 in the urban census units using systematic sampling. All women and men age 15-50 years who were either usual residents of the selected households or visitors present in the household on the night before the survey were eligible to be interviewed. Further information on the survey design is contained in Appendix A of the survey report.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Three questionnaires were used in the 2006 DHS namely; the Household Questionnaire (HHQ), the Female Individual Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Male Individual Questionnaire (MIQ). The planning and development of these questionnaires involved close consultation with the UAC members comprising of the following line departments and agencies namely; Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DOE), Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM), National Aids Council Secretariat (NACS), Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Department of Labour and Employment (DLE), University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG), National Research Institute (NRI) and representatives from Development partners.

The HHQ was designed to collect background information for all members of the selected households. This information was used to identify eligible female and male respondents for the respective individual questionnaires. Additional information on household amenities and services, and malaria prevention was also collected.

The FIQ contains questions on respondents background, including marriage and polygyny; birth history, maternal and child health, knowledge and use of contraception, fertility preferences, HIV/AIDS including new modules on sexual risk behaviour and attitudes to issues of well being. All females age 15-50 years identified from the HHQ were eligible for interview using this questionnaire.

The MIQ collected almost the same information as in the FIQ except for birth history. All males age 15-50 years identified from the HHQ were eligible to be interviewed using the MIQ.

Two pre-tests were carried out aimed at testing the flow of the existing and new questions and the administering of the MIQ between March and April 2006. The final questionnaires contained all the modules used in the 1996 DHS including new modules on malaria prevention, sexual risk behaviour and attitudes to issues of well being.

Cleaning operations

All questionnaires from the field were sent to the NSO headquarters in Port Moresby in February 2007 for editing and coding, data entry and data cleaning. Editing was done in 3 stages to enable the creation of clean data files for each province from which the tabulations were generated. Data entry and processing were done using the CSPro software and was completed by October 2008.

Response rate

Table A.2 of the survey report provides a summary of the sample implementation of the 2006 DHS. Despite the recency of the household listing, approximately 7 per cent of households could not be contacted due to prolonged absence or because their dwellings were vacant or had been destroyed. Among the households contacted, a response rate of 97 per cent was achieved. Within the 9,017 households successfully interviewed, a total of 11, 456 women and 11, 463 of men age 15-49 years were eligible to be interviewed. Successful interviews were conducted with 90 per cent of eligible women (10, 353) and 88 per cent of eligible men (10,077). The most common cause of non-response was absence (5 per cent). Among the regions, the rate of success among women was highest in all the regions (92 per cent each) except for Momase region at 86 per cent. The rate of success among men was highest in Highlands and Islands region and lowest in Momase region. The overall response rate, calculated as the product of the household and female individual response rate (.97*.90) was 87 per cent.

Sampling error estimates

Appendix B of the survey report describes the general procedure in the computation of sampling errors of the sample survey estimates generated. It basically follows the procedure adopted in most Demographic and Health Surveys.

Data appraisal

Appendix C explains to the data users the quality of the 2006 DHS. Non-sampling errors are those that occur in surveys and censuses through the following causes: a) Failure to locate the selected household b) Mistakes in the way questions were asked c) Misunderstanding by the interviewer or respondent d) Coding errors e) Data entry errors, etc.

Total eradication of non-sampling errors is impossible however great measures were taken to minimize them as much as possible. These measures included: a) Careful questionnaire design b) Pretesting of survey instruments to guarantee their functionality c) A month of interviewers’ and supervisors’ training d) Careful fieldwork supervision including field visits by NSOHQ personnel e) A swift data processing prior to data entry f ) The use of interactive data entry software to minimize errors

A program that provides technical assistance for surveys that aim to advance global understanding of health and population trends in developing countries. The DHS program collects, analyzes, and disseminates accurate and representative data on population, health, HIV, and nutrition through more than 300 surveys in over 90 countries.

Important Phone Numbers of DHS Departments

The DHS Data Inventory is a list of datasets used in and by the department. The dataset details include a verbose set of metadata identifying the source, quality, governance, publication, size and characteristics of the data, with pointers to the data access URL(s) and access rights for use within the department. The Data Inventory was created in response to legislative requirements of the Evidence Act (and Open Government Data Act). Metadata about datasets that are marked as 'public' are sent to Data.gov on a weekly basis.

DHS - Jordan

Contains data from the DHS data portal. There is also a dataset containing Mozambique - Subnational Demographic and Health Data on HDX.

The DHS Program Application Programming Interface (API) provides software developers access to aggregated indicator data from The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. The API can be used to create various applications to help analyze, visualize, explore and disseminate data on population, health, HIV, and nutrition from more than 90 countries.

MNCH, maternal, newborn, and child health.

BackgroundOne of the greatest obstacles facing efforts to address quality of care in low and middle income countries is the absence of relevant and reliable data. This article proposes a methodology for creating a single “Quality Index” (QI) representing quality of maternal and neonatal health care based upon data collected as part of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) program.MethodsUsing the 2012 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey dataset, indicators of quality of care were identified based on the recommended guidelines outlined in the WHO Integrated Management of Pregnancy and Childbirth. Two sets of indicators were created; one set only including indicators available in the standard DHS questionnaire and the other including all indicators identified in the Indonesian dataset. For each indicator set composite indices were created using Principal Components Analysis and a modified form of Equal Weighting. These indices were tested for internal coherence and robustness, as well as their comparability with each other. Finally a single QI was chosen to explore the variation in index scores across a number of known equity markers in Indonesia including wealth, urban rural status and geographical region.ResultsThe process of creating quality indexes from standard DHS data was proven to be feasible, and initial results from Indonesia indicate particular disparities in the quality of care received by the poor as well as those living in outlying regions.ConclusionsThe QI represents an important step forward in efforts to understand, measure and improve quality of MNCH care in developing countries.

This dataset includes the daily number of families and individuals residing in the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelter system and the daily number of families applying to the DHS shelter system.

Contains data from the DHS data portal. There is also a dataset containing Nigeria - Subnational Demographic and Health Data on HDX.

The DHS Program Application Programming Interface (API) provides software developers access to aggregated indicator data from The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. The API can be used to create various applications to help analyze, visualize, explore and disseminate data on population, health, HIV, and nutrition from more than 90 countries.

Contains data from the DHS data portal. There is also a dataset containing Sudan - Subnational Demographic and Health Data on HDX.

The DHS Program Application Programming Interface (API) provides software developers access to aggregated indicator data from The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. The API can be used to create various applications to help analyze, visualize, explore and disseminate data on population, health, HIV, and nutrition from more than 90 countries.

Abstract

The 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is the sixth survey of its kind implemented in the country as part of the worldwide Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. It was implemented by New ERA under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) of the Government of Nepal with the objective of providing reliable, accurate, and up-to-date data for the country.

The primary objective of the 2022 NDHS is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. Specifically, the 2022 NDHS collected information on fertility, marriage, family planning, breastfeeding practices, nutrition, food insecurity, maternal and child health, childhood mortality, awareness and behavior regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), women’s empowerment, domestic violence, fistula, mental health, accident and injury, disability, and other healthrelated issues such as smoking, knowledge of tuberculosis, and prevalence of hypertension.

The information collected through the 2022 NDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in evaluating and designing programs and strategies for improving the health of Nepal’s population. The survey also provides indicators relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Nepal.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

• Household
• Individual
• Children age 0-5
• Woman age 15-49
• Man age 15-49

Universe

The survey covered all de jure household members (usual residents), all women aged 15-49, men ageed 15-49, and all children aged 0-4 resident in the household.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

The sampling frame used for the 2022 NDHS is an updated version of the frame from the 2011 Nepal Population and Housing Census (NPHC) provided by the National Statistical Office. The 2022 NDHS considered wards from the 2011 census as sub-wards, the smallest administrative unit for the survey. The census frame includes a complete list of Nepal’s 36,020 sub-wards. Each sub-ward has a residence type (urban or rural), and the measure of size is the number of households.

In September 2015, Nepal’s Constituent Assembly declared changes in the administrative units and reclassified urban and rural areas in the country. Nepal is divided into seven provinces: Koshi Province, Madhesh Province, Bagmati Province, Gandaki Province, Lumbini Province, Karnali Province, and Sudurpashchim Province. Provinces are divided into districts, districts into municipalities, and municipalities into wards. Nepal has 77 districts comprising a total of 753 (local-level) municipalities. Of the municipalities, 293 are urban and 460 are rural.

Originally, the 2011 NPHC included 58 urban municipalities. This number increased to 217 as of 2015. On March 10, 2017, structural changes were made in the classification system for urban (Nagarpalika) and rural (Gaonpalika) locations. Nepal currently has 293 Nagarpalika, with 65% of the population living in these urban areas. The 2022 NDHS used this updated urban-rural classification system. The survey sample is a stratified sample selected in two stages. Stratification was achieved by dividing each of the seven provinces into urban and rural areas that together formed the sampling stratum for that province. A total of 14 sampling strata were created in this way. Implicit stratification with proportional allocation was achieved at each of the lower administrative levels by sorting the sampling frame within each sampling stratum before sample selection, according to administrative units at the different levels, and by using a probability-proportional-to-size selection at the first stage of sampling. In the first stage of sampling, 476 primary sampling units (PSUs) were selected with probability proportional to PSU size and with independent selection in each sampling stratum within the sample allocation. Among the 476 PSUs, 248 were from urban areas and 228 from rural areas. A household listing operation was carried out in all of the selected PSUs before the main survey. The resulting list of households served as the sampling frame for the selection of sample households in the second stage. Thirty households were selected from each cluster, for a total sample size of 14,280 households. Of these households, 7,440 were in urban areas and 6,840 were in rural areas. Some of the selected sub-wards were found to be overly large during the household listing operation. Selected sub-wards with an estimated number of households greater than 300 were segmented. Only one segment was selected for the survey with probability proportional to segment size.

For further details on sample design, see APPENDIX A of the final report.

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

Four questionnaires were used in the 2022 NDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, the Man’s Questionnaire, and the Biomarker Questionnaire. The questionnaires, based on The DHS Program’s model questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Nepal. In addition, a self-administered Fieldworker Questionnaire collected information about the survey’s fieldworkers.

Input was solicited from various stakeholders representing government ministries and agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and international donors. After all questionnaires were finalized in English, they were translated into Nepali, Maithili, and Bhojpuri. The Household, Woman’s, and Man’s Questionnaires were programmed into tablet computers to facilitate computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) for data collection purposes, with the capability to choose any of the three languages for each questionnaire. The Biomarker Questionnaire was completed on paper during data collection and then entered in the CAPI system.

Cleaning operations

Data capture for the 2022 NDHS was carried out with Microsoft Surface Go 2 tablets running Windows 10.1. Software was prepared for the survey using CSPro. The processing of the 2022 NDHS data began shortly after the fieldwork started. When data collection was completed in each cluster, the electronic data files were transferred via the Internet File Streaming System (IFSS) to the New ERA central office in Kathmandu. The data files were registered and checked for inconsistencies, incompleteness, and outliers. Errors and inconsistencies were immediately communicated to the field teams for review so that problems would be mitigated going forward. Secondary editing, carried out in the central office at New ERA, involved resolving inconsistencies and coding the open-ended questions. The New ERA senior data processor coordinated the exercise at the central office. The NDHS core team members assisted with the secondary editing. The paper Biomarker Questionnaires were compared with the electronic data file to check for any inconsistencies in data entry. The pictures of vaccination cards that were captured during data collection were verified with the data entered. Data processing and editing were carried out using the CSPro software package. The concurrent data collection and processing offered a distinct advantage because it maximized the likelihood of the data being error-free and accurate. Timely generation of field check tables allowed for effective monitoring. The secondary editing of the data was completed by July 2022, and the final cleaning of the data set was completed by the end of August.

Response rate

A total of 14,243 households were selected for the sample, of which 13,833 were found to be occupied. Of the occupied households, 13,786 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of more than 99%. In the interviewed households, 15,238 women age 15-49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews. Interviews were completed with 14,845 women, yielding a response rate of 97%. In the subsample of households selected for the men’s survey, 5,185 men age 15-49 were identified as eligible for individual interviews and 4,913 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 95%.

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: nonsampling errors and sampling errors. Nonsampling errors result from mistakes made in implementing data collection and in data processing, such as failing to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and entering the data incorrectly. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (2022 NDHS) to minimize this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.

Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2022 NDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and expected sample size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the selected sample. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability among all possible samples. Although the exact degree of variability is unknown, it can be estimated from the survey results.

Sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, and so on), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the

Abstract

The principal objective of the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) is to provide current and reliable data on fertility and family planning behavior, child mortality, children’s nutritional status, the utilization of maternal and child health services, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS. This information is essential for informed policy decisions, planning, monitoring, and evaluation of programs on health in general and reproductive health in particular at both the national and regional levels. A long-term objective of the survey is to strengthen the technical capacity of the Central Statistical Authority to plan, conduct, process, and analyze data from complex national population and health surveys. Moreover, the 2000 Ethiopia DHS is the first survey of its kind in the country to provide national and regional estimates on population and health that are comparable to data collected in similar surveys in other developing countries. As part of the worldwide DHS project, the Ethiopia DHS data add to the vast and growing international database on demographic and health variables. The Ethiopia DHS collected demographic and health information from a nationally representative sample of women and men in the reproductive age groups 15-49 and 15-59, respectively.

The Ethiopia DHS was carried out under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and was implemented by the Central Statistical Authority. ORC Macro provided technical assistance through its MEASURE DHS+ project. The survey was principally funded by the Essential Services for Health in Ethiopia (ESHE) project through a bilateral agreement between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Funding was also provided by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Geographic coverage

National

Analysis unit

• Household
• Children under five years
• Women age 15-49
• Men age 15-59

Kind of data

Sample survey data

Sampling procedure

The Ethiopia DHS used the sampling frame provided by the list of census enumeration areas (EAs) with population and household information from the 1994 Population and Housing Census. A proportional sample allocation was discarded because this procedure yielded a distribution in which 80 percent of the sample came from three regions, 16 percent from four regions and 4 percent from five regions. To avoid such an uneven sample allocation among regions, it was decided that the sample should be allocated by region in proportion to the square root of the region's population size. Additional adjustments were made to ensure that the sample size for each region included at least 700 households, in order to yield estimates with reasonable statistical precision.

Note: See detailed description of sample design in APPENDIX A of the survey report.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face

Research instrument

The Ethiopia DHS used three questionnaires: the Household Questionnaire, the Women’s Questionnaire, and the Men’s Questionnaire, which were based on model survey instruments developed for the international MEASURE DHS+ project. The questionnaires were specifically geared toward obtaining the kind of information needed by health and family planning program managers and policymakers. The model questionnaires were then adapted to local conditions and a number of additional questions specific to on-going health and family planning programs in Ethiopia were added. These questionnaires were developed in the English language and translated into the five principal languages in use in the country: Amarigna, Oromigna, Tigrigna, Somaligna, and Afarigna. They were then independently translated back to English and appropriate changes were made in the translation of questions in which the back-translated version did not compare well with the original English version. A pretest of all three questionnaires was conducted in the five local languages in November 1999.

All usual members in a selected household and visitors who stayed there the previous night were enumerated using the Household Questionnaire. Specifically, the Household Questionnaire obtained information on the relationship to the head of the household, residence, sex, age, marital status, parental survivorship, and education of each usual resident or visitor. This information was used to identify women and men who were eligible for the individual interview. Women age 15-49 in all selected households and all men age 15-59 in every fifth selected household, whether usual residents or visitors, were deemed eligible, and were interviewed. The Household Questionnaire also obtained information on some basic socioeconomic indicators such as the number of rooms, the flooring material, the source of water, the type of toilet facilities, and the ownership of a variety of durable items. Information was also obtained on the use of impregnated bednets, and the salt used in each household was tested for its iodine content. All eligible women and all children born since Meskerem 1987 in the Ethiopian Calendar, which roughly corresponds to September 1994 in the Gregorian Calendar, were weighed and measured.

The Women’s Questionnaire collected information on female respondent’s background characteristics, reproductive history, contraceptive knowledge and use, antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, infant feeding practices, child immunization and health, marriage, fertility preferences, and attitudes about family planning, husband’s background characteristics and women’s work, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The Men’s Questionnaire collected information on the male respondent’s background characteristics, reproduction, contraceptive knowledge and use, marriage, fertility preferences and attitudes about family planning, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS and STIs.

Response rate

A total of 14,642 households were selected for the Ethiopia DHS, of which 14,167 were found to be occupied. Household interviews were completed for 99 percent of the occupied households. A total of 15,716 eligible women from these households and 2,771 eligible men from every fifth household were identified for the individual interviews. The response rate for eligible women is slightly higher than for eligible men (98 percent compared with 94 percent, respectively). Interviews were successfully completed for 15,367 women and 2,607 men.

There is no difference by urban-rural residence in the overall response rate for eligible women; however, rural men are slightly more likely than urban men to have completed an interview (94 percent and 92 percent, respectively). The overall response rate among women by region is relatively high and ranges from 93 percent in the Affar Region to 99 percent in the Oromiya Region. The response rate among men ranges from 83 percent in the Affar Region to 98 percent in the Tigray and Benishangul-Gumuz regions.

Note: See summarized response rates by place of residence in Table A.1.1 and Table A.1.2 of the survey report.

Sampling error estimates

The estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: (1) nonsampling errors, and (2) sampling errors. Nonsampling errors are the results of mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the Ethiopia DHS to minimise this type of error, nonsampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.

Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the Ethiopia DHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and expected size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results.

A sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95 percent of all possible samples of identical size and design.

If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the Ethiopia DHS sample is the result of a two-stage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulae. The computer software used to calculate sampling errors for the Ethiopia DHS is the ISSA Sampling Error Module (SAMPERR). This module used the Taylor linearisation method of variance estimation for survey estimates that are means or proportions. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.

Note: See detailed estimate of sampling error calculation in APPENDIX B of the survey report.

Data appraisal

Data Quality Tables - Household age