Background: The registration of births and deaths in Nigeria, as with most developing countries continues to remain suboptimal with many births and deaths going unregistered. This has negative consequences for economic planning and development.
Objective: The study was undertaken to assess the practice of birth and death registration in South-south Nigeria; and to determine the factors that govern this practice.
Subjects and Methods: Using a cross-sectional descriptive study design, a questionnaire was administered to 324 household heads (or their spouses) in an urban local government area in the South-south geo-political zone of Nigeria. Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Data were entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS version 15. Categorical data were presented as frequency distribution tables, Chi-square test and Fisher's exact were used to examine relationship between demographic characteristics and respondents' knowledge and practice of birth and death registration.
Results: Awareness of birth registration was high. Awareness of death registration showed differing views as to where and who should statutorily register a death. Sixty-eight percent of those who recorded a birth in the 10 years preceding the study registered it, whereas 61% of those who recorded a death within their household in the preceding 10 years of the study did not register it. Educational level, marital status, and religion were found to be associated with the practice of birth registration, and educational status alone, with death registration.
Conclusion: Much work needs to be done to enlighten the public on vital registration, particularly death registration.