The days and weeks following childbirth are the postnatal period, a vulnerable phase in the lives of mothers and newborns. Postnatal care (PNC) refers to the care provided to the mother and newborn immediately after birth and during the first six weeks of life. DHS Program surveys collect information on three key components of PNC: […]
Anemia occurs when there are not enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to tissues in the body. Anemia is estimated to affect more than 250 million children under age 5 and more than half a billion women of reproductive age worldwide. When severe, anemia can lead to impaired cognitive and motor development in […]
The Service Provision Assessment (SPA) is a health facility-based survey that was recently revised to address the increasing need for data about the quality of care in health facilities. The new SPA collects information on available health services as well as Quality of Care (QoC) measures that assess both structural and process quality. Structural quality […]
In 2019, The DHS Program released updated questionnaires for the eighth phase of The DHS Program (DHS-8) to better meet existing and emerging data needs in global health. This “New in DHS-8” series draws attention to new indicators, changes made to existing indicators, and other things DHS Program data users should be aware of when […]
DHS Program data are collected so they can be used to guide programs and policies to improve health and well-being. In addition to making DHS Program data publicly available free of charge, The DHS Program also provides tools to help data users better understand, interpret, and use DHS Program data. The recently released Guide to […]
Breastfeeding provides a range of benefits to children and their mothers. Benefits of breastfeeding include protecting children from disease, supporting their healthy growth and development, and reducing the risk of some cancers for mothers. Protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding requires data to inform and drive action. The first week of August is World Breastfeeding Week. […]
USAID recently released the Framework for Preventing Child and Maternal Death 2023-2030, building on the achievements and lessons learned from the past decade to provide a roadmap for the future: a world where all women, newborns, and children survive, are healthy, and are able to develop and reach their full potential. The new Service Provision […]
July 11th is World Population Day. To celebrate, we are going back to basics with highlights from the main drivers of population change: births, deaths, and migration. How did The DHS Program evolve from the World Fertility Survey and how have we tracked the quality of fertility data over the last 50 years? What changes […]
Safe and sufficient quantities of drinking water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene (WASH) are vital for human health and well-being. WASH indicators have been included in demographic and health surveys since The DHS Program was launched in 1984. WASH indicators have been updated for DHS-8 surveys to align with WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, […]
In response to interest from country-level stakeholders around the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities in DHS surveys, The DHS Program has been documenting the experiences of surveys that have included adaptations to account for and measure topics related to gender and sexual minorities. On March 28, 2023, The DHS Program held a webinar to […]