Identification
Survey ID number
zaf-hsrc-dhs-1987-v1
Title
South Africa Demographic and Health Survey 1987
Abbreviation or Acronym
SADHS 1987
Country
| Name |
Country code |
|
South Africa |
zaf |
Study type
Demographic and Health Survey
Series Information
The South Africa Demographic and Health Survey series comprises nationally representative household surveys that collect demographic and health indicators for South Africa. The 1987 round was implemented by the Human Sciences Research Council. The 1998 survey was implemented by the Department of Health with the Medical Research Council and technical assistance from Macro International. The 2016 survey was implemented by Statistics South Africa with the South African Medical Research Council and technical assistance from ICF through The DHS Program. A 2003 survey was also conducted, but its data is not publicly available. Together, the documented rounds provide indicators on fertility, infant and childhood mortality, family planning, maternal and child health, adult health, and related topics.
Abstract
The Demographic and Health Survey is mainly concerned with the determination of fertility, infant mortality rates and closely related issues. Questions surrounding respondent’s background, reproduction, contraception, health and breastfeeding, marriage, fertility preferences, and husband’s background and woman’s work were asked. This study consists of two datasets, one household dataset and the other an individual dataset, the respondent being a female of reproductive age that has already given birth or who is married or exposed to pregnancy. Females qualifying for the individual interview schedule were chosen from the responses to household (cover) questionnaire.
Kind of Data
Sample survey data
Unit of Analysis
Households and individuals
Version
Version Description
Version 1: Edited, anonymised dataset for public distribution
Version Notes
Users should note that quality concerns have been identified in relation to the 1987 South African DHS, including political interference, coverage gaps, and broader structural constraints associated with the apartheid context. Nonetheless, subsequent research demonstrates that despite these limitations, the dataset remains reasonably clean and provides the most reliable evidence available on levels, trends, and determinants of health service use in South Africa during the late apartheid period (Phillips, 1999: Demographic Survey Data in South Africa: An Evaluation of Methodology and Quality).
Coverage
Geographic Coverage
The survey had national coverage
Geographic Unit
The lowest geographical unit is Magisterial District
Universe
The universe of the survey was female housheold members aged 12 to 49, who had given birth or were pregnant, or had been/were married or in a "steady" relationship.
access_policy
Access conditions
Public access data for use under a Creative Commons CC-BY (Attribution-only) License
Citation requirements
Human Sciences Research Council [HSRC], Demographic and Health Survey 1987, South Africa [dataset]. Version 1. Pretoria: HSRC [producer],1987. Cape Town: DataFirst [distributor], 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25828/090x-7e53
