Summary

Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) are widely used sources of data on fertility and maternal and child health and mortality in low income countries, as well as numerous other topics. In many situations they may be the only source of data on certain topics, especially when vital registration is not comprehensive, and therefore the data they collect are important in creating evidence based policy and monitoring the success of interventions. Even if you do not plan on using DHS data it is useful to have an understanding of what the DHS covers and how the data is collected and analysed as it is widely used in research and policy.

Key points:

• DHS data are freely available to researchers. The registration form is available on the Measure DHS website.
• The data is representative at both the national and sub-national level, as long as weights are applied during the analysis stage.
• Standardised methods are used across countries, which mean that the results produced can be compared.
• The data is provided in a standardised format to increase ease of use. Comprehensive descriptions of variables are available in the recode manual, which is also available on the Measure DHS website along with the original questionnaires.
• Core topics include reproductive behaviour and intentions, contraceptive use and knowledge, care during and after pregnancy, child health and mortality, knowledge of HIV, household characteristics, nutritional status, and other health related topics. Additional modules such as on domestic violence or female genital mutilation may be added.