Geographic location affects peoples’ health, nutrition, and access to health care services. The MEASURE DHS project can now analyze the impact of location by using DHS data in a geographic information system (GIS). These analyses improve our understanding of how location affects health status, leading to more effective interventions.

MEASURE DHS now routinely collects geographic information in all countries. Using GIS, researchers can link DHS data with routine health data, health facility locations, local infrastructure (roads, rivers), and environmental conditions. Linked DHS and geographic data are now being used to improve planning for family planning interventions and to analyze the effects of environment on early childhood mortality in West Africa. Using GIS, DHS anemia prevalence data will be combined with the MARA (Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa) modeled estimates of malaria endemic/epidemic areas, and the seasonality and intensity of transmission. The analysis will explore the extent to which anemia may be explained by varying presence of malaria.

MEASURE DHS is a recognized leader in training local interviewers to collect geographic information. For both DHS and Service Provision Assessment surveys (SPA), local researchers are trained to use hand-held Global Positioning System units to collect latitude and longitude coordinates in the fi eld. These coordinates indicate the location of surveyed communities and/or health facilities. The GPS data collection standards and

manual prepared by MEASURE DHS are now being used for the World Bank’s Living Standards and Measurement studies and the World Health Organization’s World Health Surveys. UNICEF has also adapted the DHS manual for their Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys in the upcoming round of data collection.

HIV/AIDS PlanningGIS can help plan the location of HIV prevention and care programs. In Tanzania, for example, MEASURE DHS is mapping HIV prevalence rates with the locations of delivery sites for voluntary

GIS Enhances GIS Enhances Health Informa-Health Informa-tion Systemstion Systems

The MEASURE DHS project The MEASURE DHS project

has assisted Ministries has assisted Ministries

of Health in Jordan, the of Health in Jordan, the

West Bank and Gaza, and West Bank and Gaza, and

Cambodia to develop Cambodia to develop

Geographic Information Geographic Information

Systems for health Systems for health

information. With technical information. With technical

assistance from MEASURE assistance from MEASURE

DHS, the Jordanian Ministry DHS, the Jordanian Ministry

of Health developed a of Health developed a

GIS website for health GIS website for health

information, the fi rst in the information, the fi rst in the

Middle East. The website Middle East. The website

includes a mapping system includes a mapping system

that integrates DHS and that integrates DHS and

routine health data.routine health data.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)and Demographic and Health Surveys Data

Visit www.measuredhs.com for country statistics, publications, and datasets

Geographic Information Systems Enhance Health Data

11785 Beltsville Drive Calverton, MD 20705 USA +1 301.572.0200 Fax: +1 301.572.0999

counseling and testing, prevention of mother to child transmission, and anti-retroviral therapy to assist planning, management and evaluation of activities funded through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

TrainingMEASURE DHS has provided training in geographic data collection, analysis, and mapping in Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Ethiopia, Malawi and Tanzania. Participants, including staff from Ministries of Health, Ministries of Planning, National AIDS Commissions, and national statistics offi ces learn to conduct geographic analysis of DHS and related population and health data. With one week of hand-on training, participants acquire enough skills to integrate multiple datasets and carry out their own exploratory geographic analysis of selected population and health indicators. Participants develop the skills to prepare maps to use in reports and presentations.

New technologiesMEASURE DHS is piloting the use of personal digital assistants with GPS technology to generate electronic sketch maps of surveyed communities. This technology will improve the reliability of the household listing data, reduce sampling errors in the fi eld and will contribute more accurate information about the environments where survey respondents live, such as distance to major roads, water sources, and health care facilities.

Analysis of Childhood Mortality Uses GIS and DHS DataUsing geographic data from 10 DHS surveys from West Africa, a recent study assessed the impact of environment and spatial factors on child mortality. The study found that child mortality rates vary with population density and location. Rates are higher in extremely dense (more than 1,000 person/km) and extremely dispersed (fewer than 25 persons/km) population densities. Mortality rates are also higher in landlocked areas.

These fi ndings will help planners identify high-risk populations and thus pinpoint interventions more effectively.

What isWhat isMEASURE DHS?MEASURE DHS?

Since 1984, the MEASURE Since 1984, the MEASURE

DHS (Demographic and DHS (Demographic and

Health Surveys) project, Health Surveys) project,

implemented by ORC Macro implemented by ORC Macro

and funded by USAID, has and funded by USAID, has

collected and disseminated collected and disseminated

nationally representative nationally representative

demographic, health, and demographic, health, and

nutrition data from over nutrition data from over

70 developing countries. 70 developing countries.

Through data collection, Through data collection,

analysis and dissemination, analysis and dissemination,

the project has contributed the project has contributed

greatly to advancing global greatly to advancing global

understanding of population understanding of population

and health trends worldwide.and health trends worldwide.

All DHS research and data All DHS research and data

are accessible for free at:are accessible for free at:

www.measuredhs.comwww.measuredhs.com

oror

www.measuredhs.com/www.measuredhs.com/

statcompilerstatcompiler

Or email us to order reports, Or email us to order reports,

data and publications:data and publications:

reports@orcmacro.comreports@orcmacro.com

Funding for theMEASURE DHS project is provided by the United States Agency for International Development.

Mali Niger

Nigeria

Algeria

Mauritania

Chad

Cameroon

Ghana

Guinea

Gabon

Libya

Côte d’Ivoire

Senegal

Burkina Faso

Benin

Congo

Liberia

Togo

Western Sahara

Sierra Leone

Aridity zonesNonarid

Dry subhumid

Semiarid

Arid

Hyperarid0 250 500125 km

TheGambia

São Tomé andPríncipe

EquatorialGuinea

Guinea-Bissau

Note: Dots represent DHS survey clusters.Source: WRI, 2002; UNEP, 1997