The primary objective of the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) is to provide up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. The NDHS provides a comprehensive overview of population, maternal, and child health issues in Nepal. Specifically, the 2016 NDHS: Collected data that allowed calculation of key demographic indicators, particularly fertility and under-5 mortality rates, at the national level, for urban and rural areas, and for the country’s seven provinces Collected data that allowed for calculation of adult and maternal mortality rates at the national level Explored the direct and indirect factors that determine levels and trends of fertility and child mortality Measured levels of contraceptive knowledge and practice Collected data on key aspects of family health, including immunization coverage among children, prevalence and treatment of diarrhea and other diseases among children under age 5, maternity care indicators such as antenatal visits and assistance at delivery, and newborn care Obtained data on child feeding practices, including breastfeeding Collected anthropometric measures to assess the nutritional status of children under age 5 and women and men age 15-49 Conducted hemoglobin testing on eligible children age 6-59 months and women age 15-49 to provide information on the prevalence of anemia in these groups Collected data on knowledge and attitudes of women and men about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS and evaluated potential exposure to the risk of HIV infection by exploring high-risk behaviors and condom use Measured blood pressure among women and men age 15 and above Obtained data on women’s experience of emotional, physical, and sexual violence The information collected through the 2016 NDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in the Ministry of Health and other organizations in designing and evaluating programs and strategies for improving the health of the country’s population. The 2016 NDHS also provides data on indicators relevant to the Nepal Health Sector Strategy (NHSS) 2016-2021 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
