Category Archives: News

50 Years, 50 Data Users: Improving Maternal and Child Health using WFS and DHS Data 

Written by: The DHS Program

24 Aug, 2022

Since the beginning of 2022, The DHS Program has been celebrating USAID’s 50-year commitment to high-quality data collection, evidence-based decision making, and local country ownership of health and demographic information, first through the World Fertility Survey (WFS), 1972-1984, and since 1984 through The DHS Program.  Throughout the year, we are proud to feature a selection […]


New Optional Modules for DHS-8 Available 

Written by: The DHS Program

11 Aug, 2022

The DHS Program is pleased to announce the publication of three new optional modules for DHS surveys.   Child Well-being and Household Structure  Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination  Mental Health  In addition to the standard Household, Woman’s, and Man’s Questionnaires, which include questions that should be asked across DHS surveys, The DHS Program also maintains a […]


50 Years, 50 Data Users: Fighting Diseases, Reporting on Progress, Improving Health with DHS Data

Written by: The DHS Program

25 May, 2022

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the World Fertility Survey (WFS). Since the beginning of the year, we have been celebrating USAID’s commitment to high-quality data collection, evidence-based decision making, and host-country ownership by featuring a selection of 50 program managers, policy makers, journalists, researchers, and others from across the globe who use WFS and […]


Introducing the Revised Service Provision Assessment (SPA) 

Written by: The DHS Program

13 May, 2022

The DHS Program recently revised the Service Provision Assessment (SPA) survey questionnaires. The SPA is a health facility-based survey that collects information on Quality of Care (QoC), including physical and human resources, as well as the provision of evidence-based care and client-centered and respectful experience of care. All surveys supported by The DHS Program, the […]


Reproductive Calendar Data Now Available in Easy-to-Use Format from IPUMS DHS

Written by: The DHS Program

20 Apr, 2022
Community health worker Agnes Apid (L) with Betty Akello (R) and Caroline Akunu (center). Agnes is providing the women with counseling and family planning information. The women are member of the Income generating activities Young Mothers Group that make fried cakes and sell them in the market. They can now be more financially independent and provide for their family. The program is supported by Reproductive Health Uganda, with the goal to empower the women in the group, and provide them with family planning information.

For many DHS Program surveys, interviewers collect reproductive calendar data from women of childbearing age. These retrospective data provide a month-to-month history of a woman’s reproductive events during the preceding five years. Researchers use the calendar data for many purposes, such as exploring the reasons for contraception discontinuation, identifying discrete clusters of women based on […]


The Evolution of The DHS Program Tableau Dashboard 

Written by: The DHS Program

07 Apr, 2022

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the start of the World Fertility Survey (WFS). USAID created The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program in 1984 as a follow-on project to the WFS. To visualize the history and impact of 50 years of USAID’s dedication to high-quality data collection, evidence-based decision making, and host-country ownership, The […]


35 Years of DHS…and 5 More to Come

Written by: The DHS Program

26 Dec, 2018

What was happening in the world in 1984? The AIDS virus was identified Indira Gandhi was assassinated Michael Jackson moonwalked and won awards for his “Thriller” album Apple released the first MacIntosh computer Famine in Ethiopia sparked worldwide attention And… El Salvador began the very first Demographic and Health Survey A lot has changed in […]


DHS Data in the News

Written by: The DHS Program

28 Feb, 2018

Journalists worldwide use DHS, MIS, and SPA surveys as source data for essential stories – stories about domestic violence, HIV prevention, and child survival. Coverage of these topics brings awareness to these critical issues and often prompts policy change. In any given month, DHS Program data are cited in hundreds of print, television, radio, and […]


A New Way to Interact with your Favorite Indicators

Written by: The DHS Program

22 Feb, 2018

We are pleased to showcase a new mini-tool on our website that allows you to quickly interact with indicators for topics such as family planning, gender, malaria, and nutrition. We have preselected 10-15 key indicators per topic that you can view by country or globally. Family Planning Gender Malaria Nutrition Simply navigate to your favorite topic to see […]