The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program is now accepting applications for the 2025 DHS Mentored Papers Program. Alumni of past DHS analysis training programs are eligible to apply. The Mentored Papers Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The 2025 Mentored Papers Program will be completely virtual. Each team will be paired with a DHS co-author. Together, they will be expected to jointly complete a publishable-quality journal manuscript in English using DHS Program data on one the following topics:

1. Climate and Health—Includes analyses of associations between climate change or environmental factors and demographic or health outcomes. Proposals for papers that combine DHS Program data (DHS, MICS, or SPA) and geospatial covariate (GC) datafiles are especially welcome. GC datafiles are extractions of environmental and other data from external sources that are spatially linked to DHS sample clusters. Paper proposals that combine other external data will be considered, pending approval of their quality (reliability) and confirmation that they can be matched to DHS program data appropriately by The DHS Program’s geospatial experts.
2. Gender and Health—Includes analyses of relationships between gender and health factors or among gender measures. Papers in this topic area may address gender-based violence, women’s empowerment, men’s and boys’ engagement, sexual and gender minorities (SGM), reproductive empowerment, decision-making, gender disparities, and/or measurement considerations related to gender or reproductive empowerment, male engagement, or gender-based violence.
3. Youth and Health—Includes analyses of the health-related aspects of adolescents and young adults. Research topics encompass sexual and reproductive health (including sexual debut, early childbearing/teenage pregnancy), mental health and well-being, health seeking behaviors, substance use, and access to youth-responsive healthcare services, or examination of social contexts (e.g., schooling, livelihoods, household structure) in relation to these topics. Proposals combining SPA data or data from national health and/or school surveys, school-based health records with DHS data are encouraged, with consideration for papers incorporating external sources to provide a comprehensive view of youth health.
4. Mental Health—Includes analyses using data from the DHS mental health optional module to explore which factors are associated with better/poorer mental health. Papers in this topic area may cover a wide range of focal areas, including, but not limited to, gender differences in mental health outcomes and their determinants; the association of mental health challenges with adverse life events/experiences (e.g. intimate partner violence, death of a child unintended pregnancies/births, adverse pregnancy outcome (miscarriage/stillbirth), divorce/separation, or living in poverty); or an exploration of which factors are specific to individual countries and which are shared across them.
5. Migration—Includes analyses on the relationship between migration (either of the individual or other household members) and health and other outcomes. Papers in this topic area may address a range of different subtopics, such as the relationship between migration and use of health services (such as contraception), employment, education, or economic wellbeing.
6. Service Provision—Includes analyses using data from The DHS Program’s Service Provision Assessment (SPA) or combining data from a DHS and a SPA or similar health facility survey. Research topics include but are not limited to effective coverage, quality of care (including readiness, provision of care, or patient experience).