Demographic and Health Survey at Dabat District in Northwest Ethiopia: Report of the 2008 Baseline Survey

Abstract

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Background: Vital events registration system is totally absent in Ethiopia where health and development problems are most
pressing. Demographic and Health Surveillance System is a response to lack of a valid information base that can provide highquality
longitudinal data on population dynamics, health, and social change to inform policy and practice.
Objective: This study aimed to provide baseline information on demographic and health related characteristics of the population.
Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out at Dabat district in Northwest Ethiopia. All households
located in ten randomly selected Kebeles were included in the study. Trained field workers visited each household and collected
the data using a pre-tested and structured questionnaire through face to face interviews. Descriptive statistics was calculated
for most variables in the study using the STATA version 11.0 statistical package.
Result: A total of 45,640 people lived in seven rural and three urban kebeles. There were 9,526 households with an average
household size of 4.8. The male to female ratio of the study population was 1:1.04. About 45.4 % of the study subjects were in
the age group of less than 15 years. Crude birth and death rates of the study area were 27.4 and 5.9 per 1000 live births, respectively.
The total fertility rate was 4.7. Infant and under-five mortally rates were 39.2 and 57.6 per 1000 live births, respectively.
Antenatal care coverage was 51 % and the prevalence of contraceptive use among married women was 19.2 %. Only 7.2
% of the deliveries took place in health institutions, and only 7.85% of the births were attended by skilled professionals. The
mean age at first marriage was 16 ±2.8 years with 25.9% of the women married at 14 years or younger and 77.3% were married
before they reach 18 years of age. The average water consumption per capita per day was 20 liters. Only 39 % of the
households had latrine.
Conclusion: The age distribution and sex composition of the study population almost matches the national figures. Infant and
under five mortally rates had significantly decreased but contraceptive prevalence rate is still low. The current rates of progress
on environmental health services were far from the Millennium Development Goals target. Thus among other things,
strengthening the health extension program is recommended