Demographic and Health Survey 2014
Ghana, 2014
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GHA_2014_DHS_v01_M
Demographic and Health Survey 2014
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Ghana | GHA |
Demographic and Health Survey (Standard) - DHS VII
The 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) is the sixth in a series of Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in Ghana in 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, and 2008.
The primary objective of the 2014 GDHS was to generate recent reliable information on fertility, family planning, infant and child mortality, maternal and child health, and nutrition. In addition, the survey collected specialised data on malaria treatment, prevention, and prevalence among children age 6-59 months; blood pressure among adults; anaemia among women and children; and HIV prevalence among adults. This information is essential for making informed policy decisions and for planning, monitoring, and evaluating programmes related to health in general, and reproductive health in particular, at both the national and regional levels. Analysis of data collected in the 2014 GDHS provides updated estimates of basic demographic and health indicators covered in the earlier rounds of the 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, and 2008 surveys.
The GDHS will assist policymakers and programme managers in evaluating and designing programmes and strategies for improving the health of Ghana’s population. The 2014 GDHS also provides comparable data for long-term trend analysis in Ghana, since the surveys were implemented by the same organisation, using similar data collection procedures. Furthermore, the survey adds to the international database on demographic and health–related information for research purposes.
Sample survey data [ssd]
- Household
- Individual
- Children age 0-5
- Children age 4-15
- Woman age 15-49
- Man age 15-59
Scope
The 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey covered the following topics:
HOUSEHOLD
• Usual members and visitors in the selected households
• Background information on each person listed, such as relationship to head of the household, age, sex, and highest educational attainment
• Child education for selected child age 4-15
• Characteristics of the household's dwelling unit, such as the source of water, type of toilet facilities, 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)
• Weight, height, hemoglobin and malaria measurement for children age 0-5
• Weight, height, hemoglobin measurement and HIV testing for women age 15-49
• Weight, height, and HIV testing for men age 15-59
INDIVIDUAL WOMAN
• Background characteristics (age, education, media exposure, etc.)
• Birth history and child mortality
• Residence of children under age 18 not living with their parents
• 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
• Women’s empowerment indicators, maternity leave, and bridewealth
• Knowledge, awareness, and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour related to other health issues (e.g., smoking, tuberculosis, and blood pressure)
INDIVIDUAL MAN
• Background characteristics (age, education, religion, etc.)
• Reproduction
• Contraception
• Marriage and sexual activity
• Fertility preferences
• Employment and gender roles
• HIV/AIDS
• Knowledge, awareness, and behavior regarding HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Other health issues
Coverage
National
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) | Government of Ghana |
| Ghana Health Service (GHS) | Government of Ghana |
| National Public National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) | Government of Ghana |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| ICF International | Provided technical assistance through The DHS Program |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Government of Ghana | Funded the study |
| United States Agency for International Development | Funded the study |
| Global Fund | Funded the study |
| Malaria through the Ghana AIDS Commission | Funded the study |
| National Malaria Control Programme | Funded the study |
| United Nations Population Fund | Funded the study |
| International Labour Organization | Funded the study |
| Danish International Development Agency | Funded the study |
Sampling
The sampling frame used for the 2014 GDHS is an updated frame from the 2010 Ghana Population and Housing Census provided by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS 2013b). The sampling frame excluded nomadic and institutional populations such as persons in hotels, barracks, and prisons.
The 2014 GDHS followed a two-stage sample design and was intended to allow estimates of key indicators at the national level as well as for urban and rural areas and each of Ghana's 10 administrative regions. The first stage involved selecting sample points (clusters) consisting of enumeration areas (EAs) delineated for the 2010 PHC. A total of 427 clusters were selected, 216 in urban areas and 211 in rural
areas.
The second stage involved the systematic sampling of households. A household listing operation was undertaken in all the selected EAs in January-March 2014, and households to be included in the survey were randomly selected from the list. About 30 households were selected from each cluster to constitute the total sample size of 12,831 households. Because of the approximately equal sample sizes in each region, the sample is not self-weighting at the national level, and weighting factors have been added to the data file so that the results will be proportional at the national level.
All women age 15-49 who were either permanent residents of the selected households or visitors who stayed in the household the night before the survey were eligible to be interviewed and have their blood pressure measured.
In half of the households, all men age 15-59 who were either permanent residents of the selected households or visitors who stayed in the households the night before the survey were eligible to be interviewed. In addition, in the subsample of households selected for the male survey:
• blood pressure measurements were performed among eligible men who consented to being tested;
• children age 6-59 months were tested for anaemia and malaria with the parent's or guardian's consent;
• eligible women who consented were tested for anaemia;
• blood samples were collected for laboratory testing of HIV from eligible women and men who consented; and
• height and weight information was collected from eligible women, men, and children age 0- 59 months.
For further details on sample selection, see Appendix A of the final report.
A total of 12,831 households were selected for the sample, of which 12,010 were occupied. Of the occupied households, 11,835 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 99 percent, the same as the 2008 GDHS household response rate (GSS, GHS, and ICF Macro 2009).
In the interviewed households, 9,656 eligible women were identified for individual interviews; interviews were completed with 9,396 women, yielding a response rate of 97 percent. In the subsample of households selected for the male survey, 4,609 eligible men were identified and 4,388 were successfully interviewed, yielding a response rate of 95 percent. The lower response rate for men was likely due to their more frequent and longer absences from the household.
Survey instrument
Three questionnaires were used for the 2014 GDHS: the Household Questionnaire, the Woman’s Questionnaire, and the Man’s Questionnaire. These questionnaires, which were based on standard Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) questionnaires, were adapted to reflect the population and health issues relevant to Ghana. Comments on the questionnaires were solicited from various stakeholders representing government ministries and agencies, nongovernmental organisations, and international donors. The definitive questionnaires were first prepared in English; they were then translated into the major local languages, namely Akan, Ga, and Ewe.
The Household Questionnaire was used to list all the members of and visitors to the selected households. Basic demographic information was collected on the characteristics of each person listed, including his or her age, sex, marital status, education, and relationship to the head of the household. For children under age 18, parents’ survival status was determined. The data on age and sex of household members obtained in the Household Questionnaire were used to identify women and men who were eligible for individual interviews. The Household Questionnaire also included questions on child education as well as the characteristics of the household’s dwelling unit, such as source of water, type of toilet facilities, materials used for the floor of the dwelling unit, and ownership of various durable goods.
The Woman’s Questionnaire was used to collect information from all eligible women age 15-49.
In half of the selected households, the Man’s Questionnaire was administered to all men age 15-59. The Man’s Questionnaire collected much of the same information found in the Woman’s Questionnaire but was shorter because it did not contain a detailed reproductive history or questions on maternal and child health.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2014-09 | 2014-12 |
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Ghana Statistical Service | Government of Ghana |
Fieldwork monitoring was carried out by staff of GSS, GHS, and two survey technical specialists from The DHS Program.
Training of Field Staff
Training of the field staff took place over four weeks (4-30 August 2014) with 139 field data collectors (67 women and 72 men) and 55 health technicians (26 women and 29 men). Training was conducted at the Winneba Windy Lodge Hotel in the Central Region about 65 kilometres from Accra.
During the first week, all trainees were instructed in standard DHS procedures, including general interviewing techniques, conducting interviews at the household level, and measuring blood pressures. During the second week, health technicians began separate biomarker training while the other field staff (data collectors) continued to train on the Woman’s and the Man’s questionnaires, including a detailed review of each question and mock interviews between participants in the classroom. To provide the health technicians with practical experience measuring anthropometry among children, representatives from UNICEF and GHS organised a standardisation exercise with the health technicians. Measurements from health technicians were compared to a reference measure, which helped health technicians correct and improve on their measurement techniques whenever applicable.
All trainees were also given an overview of the 2014 GDHS biomarker collection protocol that summarised eligibility for each biomarker, appropriate procedures for obtaining informed consent, and sample transportation logistics. In addition, nine data entry personnel (seven women and two men) attended the first two weeks of questionnaire training, so that they would be familiar with the survey instruments at a later stage when they received and entered data from the completed questionnaires. During the final week, ICF staff trained field editors in the computer assisted field editing (CAFE) system. Field supervisors were trained in the collection of global positioning system (GPS) data using the Garmin
eTrex10 model.
Practice interviews with real respondents took place over a course of three days (24-26 August 2014) in areas outside the 2014 GDHS sample points.
Participants were evaluated through homework, in-class exercises, quizzes, and observations made during field practice. After training, they were assigned to 25 teams composed of one supervisor, one field editor, two female interviewers, one male interviewer, and two health technicians. Fourteen interviewers and five health technicians were selected as reserve staff.
Fieldwork
Data collection was carried out by the 25 field teams from early September to mid-December 2014. Senior staff members from the Ghana Statistical Service and the Ghana Health Service coordinated and monitored the fieldwork. Paper questionnaires were used to conduct the interviews. After the interviews, field editors entered the questionnaire data into laptops, using passwords to protect the files. Electronic data files were transferred to the central office every few days via the secured Internet File Streaming System (IFSS). Fieldwork monitoring was carried out by staff of GSS, GHS, and two survey technical specialists from The DHS Program. Data collection took 3.5 months.
Data processing
The data processing operation included 100 percent verification (also called second data entry) and secondary editing, which involved resolution of computer-identified inconsistencies. The data processing activities at the central office were led by one key GSS officer who took part in the main fieldwork training. Data processing was accomplished using CSPro software. Data entry and editing were initiated in September 2014 and completed in February 2015.
Data appraisal
The 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 2014 Ghana DHS (GDHS) 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 2014 GDHS 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 2014 GDHS 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 estimate of sampling error is 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
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.
GPS/HIV Datasets/Other Biomarkers
Because of the sensitive nature of GPS, HIV and other biomarkers datasets, permission to access these datasets requires that you accept a Terms of Use Statement. After selecting GPS/HIV/Other Biomarkers datasets, the user is presented with a consent form which should be signed electronically by entering the password for the user's account.
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.
Use of the dataset must be acknowledged using a citation which would include:
- 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 |
Metadata production
DDI_GHA_2014_DHS_v01_M_WB
| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Development Data Group | The World Bank | Documentation of the DDI |
2015-10-19
Metadata version
Version 01 (October 2015). Metadata is excerpted from "Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2014" Report.