Demographic and Health Survey 2015
Zimbabwe, 2015
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ZWE_2015_DHS_v01_M
Demographic and Health Survey 2015
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | ZWE |
Demographic and Health Survey (Standard) - DHS VII
The 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) was implemented by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) from July through December 2015, with a nationally representative sample of over 11,000 households. Women age 15-49 and men age 15-54 in these households were eligible for individual interviews. The 2015 ZDHS is a follow-up survey to the 1988, 1994, 1999, 2005-06, and 2010-11 ZDHS surveys that provides updated estimates of basic demographic and health indicators.
The 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (2015 ZDHS) is the sixth in a series of Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Zimbabwe. As with prior surveys, the main objective of the 2015 ZDHS is to provide up-to-date information on fertility and child mortality levels; maternal mortality; fertility preferences and contraceptive use; utilization of maternal and child health services; women’s and children’s nutrition status; knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; and domestic violence. All women age 15-49 and all men age 15-54 who are usual members of the selected households and those who spent the night before the survey in the selected households were eligible to be interviewed and for anaemia and HIV testing. All children age 6-59 months were eligible for anaemia testing, and children age 0-14 for HIV testing. In all households, height and weight measurements were recorded for children age 0-59 months, women age 15-49, and men age 15-54. The domestic violence module was administered to one selected woman selected in each of surveyed households.
The 2015 ZDHS sample is designed to yield representative information for most indicators for the country as a whole, for urban and rural areas, and for each of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces (Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North, Matebeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo, Harare, and Bulawayo).
Sample survey data [ssd]
- Household
- Individual
- Children age 0-5
- Woman age 15-49
- Man age 15-54
Scope
The 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey covered the following topics:
HOUSEHOLD
• Identification
• Usual members and visitors in the selected households
• Background information on each person listed, such as relationship to head of the household, age, sex, marital status, survivorship and residence of bilogical parents, highest educational attainment, and birth registration
• Characteristics of the household's dwelling unit, such as the source of water, type of toilet facilities, type of fuel used for cooking, materials used for the floor, roof and walls of the house, and ownership of various durable goods (these items are used as proxy indicators of the household's socioeconomic status)
BIOMARKER
• Weight, height, hemoglobin measurement, and HIV testing for children age 0-5
• HIV testing for children age 6-14
• Weight, height, hemoglobin measurements and HIV testing for women age 15-49
• Weight, height, hemoglobin measurements and HIV testing for men age 15-54
INDIVIDUAL WOMAN
• Background characteristics (age, education, media exposure, and so on)
• Birth history and child mortality
• Knowledge and use of family planning methods
• Fertility preferences
• Antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care
• Breastfeeding and infant feeding practices
• Vaccinations and childhood illnesses
• Marriage and sexual activity
• Women's work and husbands' background characteristics
• Malaria prevention and treatment
• Awareness and behaviour related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Adult mortality, including maternal mortality
• Domestic violence
INDIVIDUAL MAN
• Respondent background
• Reproduction
• Contraception
• Marriage and sexual activity
• Fertility preferences
• Employment and gender roles
• HIV/AIDS
• Other health issues
Coverage
National coverage
Manicaland Mashonaland Central Mashonaland East Mashonaland West Matabeleland North Matabeleland South Midlands Masvingo Harare Bulawayo
The survey covered all de jure household members resident in the household, all women age 15-49 years, men age 15-54 years and their young children.
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) | Government of Zimbabwe |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| ICF International | Provided technical assistance |
| National Microbiology Reference Laboratory | Provided technical assistance |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Government of Zimbabwe | Funded the study |
| United States Agency for International Development | Funded the study |
| United Nations Population Fund | Funded the study |
| United Nations Development Programme | Funded the study |
| United Nations Children’s Fund | Funded the study |
| United Kingdom Department for International Development | Funded the study |
| Australian Agency for International Development | Funded the study |
| European Union | Funded the study |
| Swedish International Development Cooperation | Funded the study |
| Irish Aid | Funded the study |
Sampling
The 2015 ZDHS sample was designed to yield representative information for most indicators for the country as a whole, for urban and rural areas, and for each of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces: Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands, Masvingo, Harare, and Bulawayo. The 2012 Zimbabwe Population Census was used as the sampling frame for the 2015 ZDHS.
Administratively, each province in Zimbabwe is divided into districts, and each district is divided into smaller administrative units called wards. During the 2012 Zimbabwe Population Census, each ward was subdivided into convenient areas, which are called census enumeration areas (EAs). The 2015 ZDHS sample was selected with a stratified, two-stage cluster design, with EAs as the sampling units for the first stage. The 2015 ZDHS sample included 400 EAs-166 in urban areas and 234 in rural areas.
The second stage of sampling included the listing exercises for all households in the survey sample. A complete listing of households was conducted for each of the 400 selected EAs in March 2015. Maps were drawn for each of the clusters and all private households were listed. The listing excluded institutional living arrangements such as army barracks, hospitals, police camps, and boarding schools. A representative sample of 11,196 households was selected for the 2015 ZDHS.
For further details on sample selection, see Appendix A of the final report.
A total of 11,196 households were selected for inclusion in the 2015 ZDHS and of these, 10,657 were found to be occupied. A total of 10,534 households were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 99 percent.
In the interviewed households, 10,351 women were identified as eligible for the individual interview, and 96 percent of them were successfully interviewed. For men, 9,132 were identified as eligible for interview, with 92 percent successfully interviewed.
A spreadsheet with all the sampling parameters and selection probabilities was prepared to facilitate the calculation of the design weights. Design weights were adjusted for household non-response and for individual non-response to obtain the sampling weights for the women’s and men’s surveys. The differences of the household sampling weights and the individual sampling weights were introduced by individual non-response. The final sampling weights were normalized to give the total number of unweighted cases equal to the total number of weighted cases at national level, for both household weights and individual weights, respectively. The normalized weights are relative weights which are valid for estimating means, proportions, and ratios, but are not valid for estimating population totals and pooled data. The sampling weights for HIV testing are calculated in a similar way; however, the normalization of the individual sampling weights is different compared with the individual sampling weights. The HIV testing weights are normalized for male and female together at national level to assure that the HIV prevalence calculated for male and female together are valid. Sampling errors have been calculated for selected indicators for the national sample; for the urban and rural areas, separately; and for each of the ten provinces.
Survey instrument
Four questionnaires were used for the 2015 ZDHS:
- Household Questionnaire,
- Woman’s Questionnaire,
- Man’s Questionnaire, and
- Biomarker Questionnaire.
These questionnaires were adapted from model survey instruments developed for The DHS Program to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Zimbabwe. Issues were identified at a series of meetings with various stakeholders from government ministries and agencies, research and training institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and development partners. In addition to English, the questionnaires were translated into two major languages, Shona and Ndebele. All four questionnaires were programmed into tablet computers to facilitate computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) for data collection, with the option to choose English, Shona, or Ndebele for each questionnaire.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2015-07 | 2015-12 |
Training and field staff
The ZDHS technical team, composed of ZIMSTAT staff and experts from the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (MRCZ), UNFPA, USAID and ICF International, participated in a 3-day training of trainers (TOT), which was conducted April 20-22, 2015. Immediately following the TOT, the pretest training took place from April 23 to May 6, 2015. The pretest fieldwork was conducted May 7-9, 2015. During a 2-week period, the 15-member ZDHS technical team and 3 ICF technical specialists trained 27 participants to administer paper and electronic questionnaires with tablet computers. The ICF biomarker specialist trained the technical team and pretest participants to take anthropometric measurements, collect finger prick blood samples for haemoglobin measurement and HIV testing, and properly store the dried blood spot (DBS) specimens for HIV testing. The pretest fieldwork was conducted over 3 days, covering approximately 150 households. The ZDHS technical team conducted debriefing sessions with the pretest field staff on May 10, 2015; modifications to the questionnaires were made based on lessons learned from the exercise.
ZIMSTAT recruited and trained 120 individuals (52 females and 68 males) to serve as supervisors, interviewers, biomarker interviewers, and reserve interviewers for the main fieldwork. Field staff training for the main survey was conducted June 1-24, 2015.
Fieldwork
Fifteen interviewing teams conducted data collection for the 2015 ZDHS. Each team included one team supervisor, four interviewers, three biomarker interviewers, and one driver. Electronic data files were transferred each day from each interviewer’s tablet computer to the team supervisor’s tablet computer. The field supervisors transferred data to the central data processing office. To facilitate communication and monitoring, each field worker was assigned a unique identification number. Senior technical staff members from ZIMSTAT coordinated and supervised fieldwork activities. An ICF International technical specialist, a biomarker specialist, two data processing staff, and representatives from NMRL, MoHCC, ZNFPC, MRCZ, UNFPA, and USAID supported the fieldwork monitoring activities. Data collection took place over a 6-month period from July 6 to December 20, 2015.
Data processing
CSPro was used for data editing, weighting, cleaning, and tabulation. In ZIMSTAT’s central office, data received from the supervisor’s tablets were registered and checked for inconsistencies and outliers. Data editing and cleaning included structure and internal consistency checks to ensure the completeness of work in the field. Any anomalies were communicated to the respective team through the technical team and the team supervisor. The corrected results were then re-sent to the central office.
Data appraisal
Estimates from a sample survey are affected by two types of errors: non-sampling errors and sampling errors. Non-sampling errors are the results of mistakes made in implementing data collection and data processing, such as failure to locate and interview the correct household, misunderstanding of the questions on the part of either the interviewer or the respondent, and data entry errors. Although numerous efforts were made during the implementation of the 2015 Zimbabwe DHS (ZDHS) to minimize this type of error, non-sampling errors are impossible to avoid and difficult to evaluate statistically.
Sampling errors, on the other hand, can be evaluated statistically. The sample of respondents selected in the 2015 ZDHS is only one of many samples that could have been selected from the same population, using the same design and expected size. Each of these samples would yield results that differ somewhat from the results of the actual sample selected. Sampling errors are a measure of the variability between all possible samples. Although the degree of variability is not known exactly, it can be estimated from the survey results.
Sampling error is usually measured in terms of the standard error for a particular statistic (mean, percentage, etc.), which is the square root of the variance. The standard error can be used to calculate confidence intervals within which the true value for the population can reasonably be assumed to fall. For example, for any given statistic calculated from a sample survey, the value of that statistic will fall within a range of plus or minus two times the standard error of that statistic in 95 percent of all possible samples of identical size and design.
If the sample of respondents had been selected as a simple random sample, it would have been possible to use straightforward formulas for calculating sampling errors. However, the 2015 ZDHS sample is the result of a multi-stage stratified design, and, consequently, it was necessary to use more complex formulae. Sampling errors are computed in either ISSA or SAS, using programs developed by ICF International. These programs use the Taylor linearization method of variance estimation for survey estimates that are means, proportions, or ratios. The Jackknife repeated replication method is used for variance estimation of more complex statistics such as fertility and mortality rates.
The Taylor linearization method treats any percentage or average as a ratio estimate, r = y x , where y represents the total sample value for variable y, and x represents the total number of cases in the group or subgroup under consideration.
Note: A more detailed description of estimates of sampling errors are presented in APPENDIX B of the survey report.
Data Quality Tables
- Household age distribution
- Age distribution of eligible and interviewed women
- Age distribution of eligible and interviewed men
- Completeness of reporting
- Births by calendar years
- Reporting of age at death in days
- Reporting of age at death in months
- Nutritional status of children based on the NCHS/CDC/WHO International Reference Population
- Completeness of information on siblings
- Sibship size and sex ratio of siblings
Note: See detailed data quality tables in APPENDIX C of the report.
Access policy
The DHS Program
The DHS Program
http://dhsprogram.com/data/available-datasets.cfm
Cost: None
Data Access
| Name | URL | |
|---|---|---|
| The DHS Program | http://www.DHSprogram.com | archive@dhsprogram.com |
Request Dataset Access
The following applies to DHS, MIS, AIS and SPA survey datasets (Surveys, GPS, and HIV).
To request dataset access, you must first be a registered user of the website. You must then create a new research project request. The request must include a project title and a description of the analysis you propose to perform with the data.
The requested data should only be used for the purpose of the research or study. To request the same or different data for another purpose, a new research project request should be submitted. The DHS Program will normally review all data requests within 24 hours (Monday - Friday) and provide notification if access has been granted or additional project information is needed before access can be granted.
DATASET ACCESS APPROVAL PROCESS
Access to DHS, MIS, AIS and SPA survey datasets (Surveys, HIV, and GPS) is requested and granted by country. This means that when approved, full access is granted to all unrestricted survey datasets for that country. Access to HIV and GIS datasets requires an online acknowledgment of the conditions of use.
Required Information
A dataset request must include contact information, a research project title, and a description of the analysis you propose to perform with the data.
Restricted Datasets
A few datasets are restricted and these are noted. Access to restricted datasets is requested online as with other datasets. An additional consent form is required for some datasets, and the form will be emailed to you upon authorization of your account. For other restricted surveys, permission must be granted by the appropriate implementing organizations, before The DHS Program can grant access. You will be emailed the information for contacting the implementing organizations. A few restricted surveys are authorized directly within The DHS Program, upon receipt of an email request.
When The DHS Program receives authorization from the appropriate organizations, the user will be contacted, and the datasets made available by secure FTP.
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Dataset Terms of Use
Once downloaded, the datasets must not be passed on to other researchers without the written consent of The DHS Program. All reports and publications based on the requested data must be sent to The DHS Program Data Archive in a Portable Document Format (pdf) or a printed hard copy.
Download Datasets
Datasets are made available for download by survey. You will be presented with a list of surveys for which you have been granted dataset access. After selecting a survey, a list of all available datasets for that survey will be displayed, including all survey, GPS, and HIV data files. However, only data types for which you have been granted access will be accessible. To download, simply click on the files that you wish to download and a "File Download" prompt will guide you through the remaining steps.
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- the Identification of the Primary Investigator
- the title of the survey (including country, acronym and year of implementation)
- the survey reference number
- the source and date of download
Disclaimer and copyrights
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.
Contacts
| Name | Affiliation | URL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information about The DHS Program | The DHS Program | reports@DHSprogram.com | http://www.DHSprogram.com |
| General Inquiries | The DHS Program | info@dhsprogram.com | http://www.DHSprogram.com |
| Data and Data Related Resources | The DHS Program | archive@dhsprogram.com | http://www.DHSprogram.com |