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SummaryThis paper examines the effects of a child's place of birth, mother's education, region of residence and rural and urban residence on infant mortality in Nigeria between 1965 and 1979, using data from the 1981/82 Nigeria Fertility Survey. Infant mortality rates declined in all regions between 1965 and 1979. Children born in modern health facilities, irrespective of their mothers' place of residence, experienced significantly lower rates of infant mortality than those born elsewhere. Logistic regression analysis showed that all other variables tested were also significant, although some to a lesser degree. Efforts to reduce infant mortality in Nigeria should include policies that rectify rural and urban differentials in the distribution of health facilities and encourage their use.

Against the backdrop of a high prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus infection in Zimbabwe, this paper analyses data from the 1997 Zimbabwe Sexual Behaviour and Condom Use Survey to throw light on the degree to which sexually active adults consistently use condoms in high-risk sexual situations. The multivariate results indicate that at the time of the survey, consistent condom use in non-marital relationships is significantly higher for males than females, higher among those who had access to information about condoms from multiple sources than among those with limited access, and higher among those who have positive attitudes to condoms than among those with negative attitudes. Even though consistent condom use with non-marital partners is higher for those who know a source where condoms can be obtained, this effect is due to the fact that these respondents have more positive attitudes towards condoms. Likewise, the higher levels of consistent condom use exhibited by those who are aware of the efficacy of condoms are due to the fact that men have higher awareness of this, and men use condoms more consistently than women. In sum, the results suggest that the effects of the respondents' sex and their knowledge of the prophylactic importance of condoms and where condoms might be obtained are a function of other socioeconomic advantages they have. It is, therefore, concluded that programmes that use mass media information, education and communication campaigns to reduce shyness, embarrassment and stigma about condom use can help increase consistent use of condoms in non-marital relationships in Zimbabwe.

Expanding access to family planning (FP) is a driving aim of global and national FP efforts. The definition and measurement of access, however, remain nebulous, largely due to complexity. This article aims to bring clarity to the measurement of FP access. First, we synthesize key access elements for measurement by reviewing three well‐known frameworks. We then assess the extent to which the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS)—a widely used data source for FP programs and research—has information to measure these elements. We finally examine barriers to access by element, using the latest DHS data from four countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. We discuss opportunities and limitations in the measurement of access, the importance of careful interpretation of data from population‐based surveys, and recommendations for collecting and using data to better measure access.

This paper investigates how and why DHS data were used in select health policy decision-making processes and how best the use of evidence can be supported in future. We use data from in-depth interviews with 22 professionals working in health and policy think-tanks, government agencies, foundations, survey research, and non-government organizations. We undertake a cross-case thematic analysis of the interview content and available documents to develop three case studies (Malawi, India, and Rwanda) of evidence-based policymaking. These case studies outline the way in which DHS data were used in a variety of policymaking contexts and how it facilitated policymakers' appreciation of the scope of problems, highlighted mismatch between population health needs and service provision, supported advocacy efforts, provided concise and compelling issue framing, and catalyzed high-level political commitments. The paper presents a framework that can be used to understand the use of evidence in health policy decision-making in developing countries.