What is DHS?
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) are nationally-representative household surveys that provide data for a wide range of monitoring and impact evaluation indicators in the areas of population, health, and nutrition.
What information is collected in DHS?
There are two types of DHS surveys:
- Standard DHS Surveys have large sample sizes (usually between 5,000 and 30,000 households) and typically are conducted about every 5 years, to allow comparisons over time.
- Interim DHS Surveys focus on the collection of information on key performance monitoring indicators but may not include data for all impact evaluation measures (such as mortality rates). These surveys are conducted between rounds of DHS surveys and have shorter questionnaires than DHS surveys. Although nationally representative, these surveys generally have smaller samples than DHS surveys.
MHH Data in DHS
The Woman’s Questionnaire forms the central part of the DHS questionnaires and covers all of the key topics of the survey. The Woman’s Questionnaire surveys women of reproductive age (15-49). Collection of information on menstrual health & hygiene (MHH) began in DHS-8 and are included as part of the Woman’s Questionnaire.
DHS-8 questions on MHH include:
During your last menstrual period, what did you use to collect or absorb your menstrual blood?
During your last menstrual period, were you able to wash and change in privacy while at home?
How old were you when you had your first menstrual period?
From one menstrual period to the next, are there certain days when a woman is more likely to become pregnant?
Is this time just before her period begins, during her period, right after her period has ended, or halfway between two periods?
After the birth of a child, can a woman become pregnant before her menstrual period has returned?