DHS in the News

Journalists worldwide write about The DHS Program results. The dissemination of DHS, SPA and HIV data is often widely covered by media in survey countries, but journalists also use The DHS Program data throughout the year as background information for their stories, or to compare health and development indicators across countries. These data are also used by journalists in the United States and other developed countries, as it is considered the gold standard of population, health and nutrition data. Below are some examples of recent news coverage. Please note: The links below are to websites outside The DHS Program.

Dec 26, 2021
Because govt didn’t ask the girls, we did

Jane Borges
MID-DAY (India)

"...According to the recently released National Family Health Survey-5 data, 23.3 per cent of women (age 20-24 years) reported that they got married before the age of 18, a marginal decline from 27 per cent in 2015-16 (NFHS 4)..."

https://www.mid-day.com/sunday-mid-day/article/because-govt-didnt-ask-the-girls-we-did-23206614
Dec 26, 2021
Food security enigma: Child malnutrition high, despite economic growth

Chetan Choithani
THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS (India)

"...Recent data from India’s National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21) shows that one-third of all children under five years of age are stunted (35.5%) and underweight (32.1%), and child nutrition levels barely improved from the last round of this survey done in 2015-16..."

https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2021/dec/26/food-security-enigma-child-malnutrition-high-despite-economic-growth-2399843.html
Dec 21, 2021
Study finds impressive improvement in malaria testing rates at health facilities in Uganda

MALARIA CONSORTIUM

"...Similarly, the Uganda malaria indicator survey 2018/19 (population-based survey) indicated that children under five with a fever in the two weeks preceding the survey who had blood taken from a finger or heel for testing could go as high as 70 percent in some districts..."

https://www.malariaconsortium.org/news-centre/study-finds-impressive-improvement-in-malaria-testing-rates.htm
Dec 21, 2021
76.7% kids anaemic in Patiala district, reveals survey

Karam Prakash
THE TRIBUNE (Chandigarh, India)

"...The wholesome development of children in district seems to be experiencing hiccups because the National Family Health Survey-5 reveals that around 76.7% of kids (up to the age of five years) are suffering from anaemia. Unfortunately, the anaemic percentage of the Patiala district is higher than the state’s average of 71 per cent. The percentage of children suffering from anaemia has been increasing over the past few years, because in 2015, the percentage was only 49 in the district.

"Notably, the government had conducted the said survey in two phases: pre-lockdown (January 5, 2020 to March 21, 2020) and post-lockdown (December 6 to March 31 2021). In Patiala, information was gathered from 841 households, 981 women, and 142 men..."

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/patiala/76-7-kids-anaemic-in-dist-reveals-survey-352900
Dec 15, 2021
10 key highlights from the 2019-20 demographic and health survey

Patrick Nzabonimpa
THE NEW TIMES (Rwanda)

"...The entire article is RDHS data! (Like a summary of the Summary Report); however 2 slight data issues worth mentioning: for childhood nutrition indicators they say 33% of Rwanda children aged 6-59 months are stunted, but anthropometry was done for all children under 5 "The use of modern methods for family planning by married women has increased by 10 per cent between 2014-15 and 2019-20" when it is not 10%, but 10 percentage points. I think we can still share this article, but just noting this for further discussion..."

https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/10-key-highlights-2019-20-demographic-and-health-survey