Urban panel survey - Dhaka: characteristics of sampled population, demigraphic events, fertility regulation, sources of MCH-FP services 1995

Abstract

The Urban Panel Durvey (UPS) is an ongoing programme of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B). The UPS collects data on demographic events and selected health and family planning indicators from a probaility sample of about 33,000 persons drawn from an estimated population of 3,80,000 in Zone 3 of Dhaka city. The study population include separate slum and non-slum samples. The board purposes of the UPS are: (a) to provide data required for designing urban-specific health and family planning service improvement interventions, and (b) to assist in monitoring and evaluting intervantions, including validation of the routine servece statistics, e.g. demographic events, contraceptive-use status. Bacic socioeconomic and demographic data are collected from each household at the time of registration into the system. Data on vital events, use of family planning methods, and sources of selected health care are collected every three months through home visits. Thos report is based on the 1995 UPS data. Separate estimates have been presented for the slum and non-slum populations. The results of the analysis of data showed that the slum population experienced a higher level of mortality and fertility compared to that of the non-slum population. Both the slum and non-slum population were characterized by high mobility. The contraceptive prevalence rate and access to health and family planning services were markedly lower for the slum population compared to the non-slum population. Based on findings, it is recommended that the health programmes should continue to design and test innovative and cost-effective strategies to improve the access to and effectiveness of health and family planning services, especeally for the urban poor.