| Abstract |
The 2005 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (2005 EDHS) is part of the worldwide MEASURE DHS project which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The principal objective of the 2005 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) is to provide current and reliable data on fertility and family planning behavior, child mortality, adult and maternal mortality, children’s nutritional status, the utilization of maternal and child health services, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and prevalence of HIV/AIDS and anemia.
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 Agency to plan, conduct, process, and analyze data from complex national population and health surveys. Moreover, the 2005 Ethiopia DHS provides national and regional estimates on population and health that are comparable to data collected in similar surveys in other developing countries. The first-ever Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Ethiopia was conducted in the year 2000 as part of the worldwide DHS program. Data from the 2005 Ethiopia DHS survey, the second such survey, add to the vast and growing international database on demographic and health variables.
Wherever possible, the 2005 EDHS data is compared with data from the 2000 EDHS. In addition, where applicable, the 2005 EDHS is compared with the 1990 NFFS, which also sampled women aged 15-49. Husbands of currently married women were also covered in this survey. However, for security and other reasons, the NFFS excluded from its coverage Eritrea, Tigray, Asseb, and Ogaden autonomous regions. In addition, fieldwork could not be carried out for Northern Gondar, Southern Gondar, Northern Wello, and Southern Wello due to security reasons. Thus, any comparison between the EDHS and the NFFS has to be interpreted with caution. |
| Description |
The 2005 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (2005 EDHS) is part of the worldwide MEASURE DHS project which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The principal objective of the 2005 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) is to provide current and reliable data on fertility and family planning behavior, child mortality, adult and maternal mortality, children’s nutritional status, the utilization of maternal and child health services, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and prevalence of HIV/AIDS and anemia.
In order to adapt the standard DHS core questionnaires to the specific socio-cultural settings and needs in Ethiopia, its contents were revised through a technical committee composed of senior and experienced demographers of PHCCO. The questionnaires were finalized in English and translated into the three main local languages: Amharic, Oromiffa, and Tigrigna. In addition, the DHS core interviewer’s manual for the women’s and Men’s questionnaires,
The Household Questionnaire was used to list all the usual members and visitors in the selected households. Some basic information was collected on the characteristics of each person listed, including age, sex, education, and relationship to the head of the household. The household questionnaire also collected information on characteristics of the household’s dwelling unit, such as the source of water, type of toilet facilities, materials used for the floor and roof of the house, ownership of various durable goods, and ownership and use of mosquito nets. In addition, this questionnaire was used to record height and weight measurements of women aged 15-49 and children under the age of five, households eligible for collection of blood samples, and the respondents’ consent to voluntarily give blood samples.
The Women’s Questionnaire was used to collect information from all women aged 15-49 years and covered the following topics: Household and respondent characteristics, Fertility levels and preferences, Knowledge and use of family planning, Childhood mortality, Maternity care, Childhood illness, treatment, and preventative actions, Anemia levels among women and children, Breastfeeding practices, Nutritional status of women and young children, Malaria prevention and treatment, Marriage and sexual activity, Awareness and behavior regarding AIDS and STIs, Harmful traditional practices and Maternal mortality
The Men’s Questionnaire was administered to all men aged 15-59 years living in every second household in the sample. The Men’s Questionnaire collected similar information contained in the Women’s Questionnaire but was shorter because it did not contain questions on reproductive history, maternal and child health, nutrition, and maternal mortality.
A total of 14,645 households were selected, of which 13,928 were occupied. The total number of households interviewed was 13,721, yielding a household response rate of 99 percent. A total of 14,717 eligible women were identified in these households and interviews were completed for 14,070 women, yielding a response rate of 96 percent. One in two households was selected for the male survey and 6,778 eligible men were identified in this subsample of households, of whom 6,033 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 89 percent. The response rates are higher in rural areas than in urban areas for both males and females. |
