Overview
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Welcome!
Welcome to Youth Corner! This website highlights DHS findings about youth
and features in-depth profiles of young adults ages 15-24 from more than 30 countries worldwide. The data comes from surveys conducted in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe since 2000. MEASURE DHS has interviewed thousands of young people and gathered valuable information about their education, employment, media exposure, nutrition, sexual activity, fertility, unions, and general reproductive health, including HIV prevalence.
The data can be found under “Country Profiles” in two formats: QuickStats and Key Indicators. “QuickStats” features 12 important indicators, such as the percentage of young women and men who have sexual intercourse before age 18. For a more in-depth look at youth in a particular country, “Key Indicators” offers data for more than 25 indicators, reproductive health and women’s empowerment, where available. This data is disaggregated by age (15-19 and 20-24) and by sex. All of the data were reanalyzed after standardization to make them comparable. In addition, Youth Corner includes a full list of all DHS publications related to youth, with links to the reports.
Youth Corner is part of the broader effort by the Interagency Youth Working Group (IYWG) (http://www.infoforhealth.org/youthwg) to help program managers, donors, national and local governments, teachers, religious leaders, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) plan and implement strong, relevant programs to improve the reproductive health of young adults.
Youth and Reproductive Health
The DHS surveys gather information about young people’s age at first marriage, sexual debut, knowledge and use of contraception, and childbearing. When young women marry or become sexually active at a young age, they risk having children before they are physically ready. Early marriage also adds to the number of children a woman will bear over her lifetime. Early and unplanned pregnancies put young woman at risk for reproductive health complications. The DHS also collects information about the time intervals between births. Together, all of these data provide a broad picture of the reproductive health needs of young women and men. |
Youth and HIV/AIDS
Of the 40 million people living with HIV, about a quarter or 10 million, are young adults. An estimated 5,000 young people contract the virus every day. The numbers are highest in sub-Saharan Africa – where more than half of all new infections affect young people. DHS surveys have collected extensive information about youth and their sexual behavior in more than 50 countries. MEASURE DHS interviewers ask young adults a variety of questions about their reproductive health, including their age at sexual debut, their contraceptive use, and their history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Early sexual activity exposes young women and men to diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea, which in turn make them more vulnerable to HIV.
MEASURE DHS has also conducted special AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS) in countries like Tanzania, Uganda, and Vietnam. The new data and findings generated by all of these surveys help to shape fresh approaches to reaching young people with critical health services. |
Youth and Gender
In many countries, gender inequality remains a fact of life. DHS surveys offer an objective look at the balance of power between the sexes. Women and men frequently have dramatically different levels of education, employment, decision-making powers, and exposure to media. The DHS data captures these key measures as well as knowledge, attitudes, and practices on a wide range of indicators. Additionally, in a selected number of countries, information is available on the experience of physical and sexual violence by women ages 15-24. |
Youth and Education
The DHS Surveys have consistently shown a positive relationship between education and good health, safe practices to prevent HIV/AIDS, lower fertility, greater decision-making abilities, and many other benefits. Data show that better educated women, for example, raise healthier children and are more likely to avoid harmful traditional practices, such as female genital cutting. |
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Youth Highlights |
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- DHS Youth Comparative Report
Khan, Shane, and Vinod Mishra. 2008. Youth Reproductive and Sexual Health. DHS Comparative Reports No. 19. Calverton, Maryland, USA: Macro International Inc.
Download Report
- Young adults' reproductive health is improving in Ethiopia, according to a new report from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation. Trends in Youth Reproductive Health in Ethiopia, 2000 and 2005 compares results from the 2000 and 2005 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys for young adults ages 15-24.
Key findings include:
- Sexual activity among young men has dropped dramatically since 2000, when 44 percent had ever had sexual intercourse. Five years later, 23 percent of young men had sex.
- Higher-risk sex among young men has also declined dramatically since 2000, dropping from 64 percent to 37 percent in 2005.
- Use of modern contraceptive methods by sexually active young women has more than doubled from 5 percent in 2000 to 12 percent in 2005. Still, use remains low.
While this progress is encouraging, the report shows there is still substantial room for improvement. Only 7 percent of young women, for example, received care at delivery in 2005, the same percentage as in 2000. Also, antenatal care from a health professional among young women increased only slightly from 28 percent to 30 percent.
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