The DHS Program

Journal Articles

Search our database of 1000's of peer-reviewed journal articles that feature DHS data.

Featured Studies

Featured research topics go beyond a single research paper and often include multiple publications and user-friendly summaries and dissemination materials.

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The DHS Fellows Program

Researchers in DHS countries work with DHS analysts to design, analyze, and write a publishable paper.

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DHS Analysis Blogs

Read more about our recent research, innovative methods, and success stories.

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Research and Further Analysis

The DHS Program's in-house Research and Analysis team conducts rigorous, timely, and innovative mixed-methods research on topics related to global public health, demography, and social epidemiology. Our team also trains, mentors, and closely collaborates with fellow researchers and stakeholders who are driven to utilize DHS Program surveys and other survey data to inform programs and policies in various countries and contexts.

Visit the publications search for a full list of publications. Also, go to the journal articles search for a full list of published journal artilcles that feature The DHS Program data.

DHS Research Reports

Jul 2014

Results of the Pilot Survey of an Experimental Module of Sexual Activity Questions

The DHS Program conducted a pilot survey to investigate whether a revision of the standard set of questions on sexual activity would result in improved measurement of key sexual activity indicators, including extramarital sexual partners among women and sex with paid sex workers among men.

Topics: HIV/AIDS

Feb 2014

Making the Demographic and Health Surveys Wealth Index Comparable

The development of the DHS Wealth Index more than a decade ago provided the opportunity to analyze economic status inequalities beyond those of educational attainment, occupation, residence, and ethnic group.

Topics: Wealth/Socioeconomics

Feb 2014

The Effects of Fertility Behavior on Child Survival and Child Nutritional Status: Evidence from the Demographic and Health Surveys, 2006 to 2012

This study analyzes the effect of inter- pregnancy spacing, age at birth and birth order on child mortality and nutritional status, using multivariate methods.

Topics: Child Health and Development, Family Planning, Fertility and Fertility Preferences, Infant and Child Mortality, Nutrition

Feb 2014

Unmet Need for Family Planning among Young Women: Levels and Trends

Young women may disproportionately experience unmet need for family planning for a variety of reasons.

Topics: Family Planning, Fertility and Fertility Preferences, Youth

Jan 2014

Association between Economic Growth, Coverage of Maternal and Child Health Interventions, and Under-Five Mortality: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Analysis of 36 Sub-Saharan African Countries

In this report, using data from 99 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 36 sub-Saharan African countries, we investigate factors that have contributed to the declines in under-five mortality rates (U5MR) in sub-Saharan Africa.

Topics: Child Health and Development, Infant and Child Mortality, Maternal Health, Wealth/Socioeconomics

Jan 2014

Trends in Marriage and Contraception in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Longitudinal Perspective on Factors of Fertility Decline

The study presents an analysis of the relationships between trends in age at marriage, trends in contraceptive use and fertility trends in 33 sub-Saharan African countries.

Topics: Family Planning, Fertility and Fertility Preferences

Dec 2013

HIV Status and Cohabitation in Sub-Saharan Africa

The HIV status of cohabiting partners can be described as discordant if one partner is HIV-negative and the other is HIV-positive.

Topics: HIV/AIDS

Dec 2013

Indicators of Child Deprivation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Levels and Trends from the Demographic and Health Surveys

Access to basic human needs is essential to the development of children’s full potential.

Topics: Child Health and Development

Sep 2013

Female Genital Cutting: The Interpretation of Recent DHS Data

This report presents data on female genital cutting collected by the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS).