Burden of Disease Research Unit
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Demographic & Health Survey 1998 |
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Foreword
Minister
of Health
20
August 1999
The 1998 South African Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS) is the
first survey of its kind to be carried out in South Africa since the 1994
democratic national elections. The 1998 SADHS collected information on adult
health conditions; sexual, reproductive and women's health; maternal and child
health; adult, maternal, child and infant mortality; fertility and contraceptive
use. Preparations for the study started in 1995 and the fieldwork was carried
out between late January and September 1998.
This report presents
preliminary findings from the 1998 SADHS. It provides the results for key
maternal and child health indicators including medical care for mothers during
pregnancy and at the time of delivery, infant feeding practices, child immunisation
coverage and the prevalence and treatment of diarrhoeal disease among children.
It also provides information on women's status, fertility levels, contraceptive
knowledge and use and adult health conditions. More detailed results will
be presented in the final report which will be published towards the end of
1999.
The information
collected in the SADHS will be instrumental in identifying new directions
for the national and provincial health programmes in South Africa. Data such
as fertility levels, prevalence and treatment of chronic health conditions,
and infant mortality levels are crucial indicators in evaluating policies
and programmes and in making projections for the future. In addition,
as one of more than 100 surveys carried out in the international Demographic
and Health Surveys programme, it will hopefully contribute to an increased
global commitment to improving the lives of mothers and children worldwide.
I am deeply indebted
and grateful to all those who contributed to the success of the 1998 SADHS
and to their efforts in making the information available. I wish to
express my thanks to the staff of the National and Provincial Departments
of Health for making the SADHS possible, the Medical Research Council, Macro
International and USAID for financial support of the MRC's contribution.
I would also like to thank members of the management committee, technical
advisers, project technical committee, the Centre for Health Systems Research
at the Free State University, the field staff, the data processing team, and,
of course, the survey respondents for ensuring that the fieldwork, data processing
and analyses and report writing were carried out smoothly.
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