The Central Statistical Office (CSO) conducted the third Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) between August and November 1999. The 1999 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) is a nationally representative survey that was implemented by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) from August to November 1999. Although significantly expanded in content, the 1999 ZDHS is a follow-on to the 1988 and 1994 ZDHS surveys and provides updated estimates of the basic demographic and health indicators covered in the earlier surveys. The 1999 ZDHS was conducted in all of the ten provinces of Zimbabwe. The 1999 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) is one of a series of surveys undertaken by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) as part of the Zimbabwe National Household Survey Capability Programme (ZNHSCP) and the worldwide MEASURE DHS+ programme. The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC), the Department of Population Studies of the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), the National AIDS Coordinating Programme (NACP), and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare (MOH&CW) contributed significantly to the design, implementation, and analysis of the ZDHS results. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) provided funds for the implementation of the 1999 ZDHS. Macro International Inc. provided technical assistance through its contract with USAID. UNICEF/Zimbabwe supported the survey by providing additional funds for fieldwork transportation. The primary objectives of the 1999 ZDHS were to provide up-to-date information on fertility levels, nuptiality, sexual activity, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding practices, nutritional status of mothers and young children, early childhood mortality and maternal mortality, maternal and child health, and awareness and behaviour regarding AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The 1999 ZDHS is a follow-up of the 1988 and 1994 ZDHS surveys, also implemented by CSO. The 1999 ZDHS is significantly expanded in scope and provides updated estimates of basic demographic and health indicators covered in the earlier surveys. KEY RESULTS Like the 1988 ZDHS and the 1994 ZDHS, the 1999 ZDHS was designed to provide information on levels and trends in fertility, family planning knowledge and use, infant and child mortality, and maternal and child health. Specific questions were also asked about the respondent's knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding the HIV/AIDS virus and other sexually transmitted diseases. Like the1994 ZDHS, the 1999 ZDHS also collected data on mortality related to pregnancy and childbearing (i.e., maternal mortality). The ZDHS data are intended for use by programme managers and policymakers to evaluate and improve family planning and health programmes in Zimbabwe. Fertility. The 1988, 1994, and 1999 ZDHS results show that Zimbabwe continues to experience a fairly rapid decline in fertility. Marriage. The median age at first marriage in Zimbabwe has risen slowly over the past 30 years. Women age 20-24 marry about one year later than women 40-49 (19.7 years and 18.8 years, respectively). The proportion of women married by age 15 declined from 9 percent among those age 45-49 to 2 percent among women age 15-19 years. Polygyny. One in six women in Zimbabwe reported being in a polygynous union. Fertility Preferences. More than half (53 percent) of the married women in Zimbabwe would like to have another child. Family Planning. Since 1994, knowledge of family planning in Zimbabwe has been universal and has not varied across subgroups of the population. The pill, condoms, and injectables are the most widely known methods. Antenatal Care. Utilisation of antenatal services is high in Zimbabwe; in the five years before the survey, mothers received antenatal care from a trained medical professional for 93 percent of their most recent births; 13 percent from a doctor and 80 percent from a trained nurse or a midwife. Delivery Characteristics. In 1999, the percentage of births delivered in health facilities (72 percent) was slightly higher than the percentage recorded in the 1994 ZDHS (69 percent). Childhood Vaccination. Three in four children 12-23 months have been vaccinated against six diseases (tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and measles). Two in three children completed the vaccination schedule by the time they turned one year. Childhood Diseases. In the 1999 ZDHS, mothers were asked whether their children under the age of five years had been ill with a cough accompanied by short, rapid breathing in the two weeks preceding the survey. Childhood Mortality. Data from surveys since 1988 indicate that early childhood mortality in Zimbabwe declined until the late 1980s, after which there was stagnation and an upward trend in the past five years. Adult and Maternal Mortality. As in 1994, the 1999 ZDHS collected information that allows estimation of adult and maternal mortality. Perceived Problems in Accessing Women's Health Care. Women are sometimes perceived to have problems in seeking health care services for themselves. Nutrition. Breastfeeding is nearly universal in Zimbabwe; 98 percent of the children born in the past five years were breastfed at some time. AIDS-related Knowledge and Behaviour. Although practically all Zimbabwean women and men have heard of AIDS, the quality of that knowledge is sometimes poor; 17 percent of women and 7 percent of men could not cite a single means to avoid getting HIV/AIDS.
