2001 Press Releases

National Seminar to Present Demographic and Health Survey in Turkmenistan

Nov. 28, 2001

A National Seminar to unveil the Turkmenistan Demographic and Health Survey of 2000 will be held at the Four Points Ak-Altyn Hotel at 10:00 a.m. on November 29, 2001. Deputy Minister of Health of the Government of Turkmenistan Byashim Sopyev and USAID Country Representative John Kropf will present the survey, which was developed for the Government of Turkmenistan to use in creating health and nutrition policies in the coming years. The National Seminar will summarize the results of more than half a year of preparatory work, four months of data collection, data entry and processing, and about nine months of analysis of the results. The day-long seminar will include presentations on reproductive health, child nutrition, anemia, and related topics.

The survey, carried out by USAID's contractor organization MacroInternational, contains unique information on maternal and child health in Turkmenistan. Information in the 2000 Turkmenistan DHS was collected from 7,919 women of reproductive age (15 - 49) and their children under age five in all velayats of Turkmenistan using scientific representative sampling. The data collection was carried out by specially trained interviewers using questionnaire and methods of clinical assessment and blood testing.

The program was designed to provide current data on women's reproductive health and histories, nutritional status of women and children, knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, child immunization and related health issues.

The Demographic and Health Survey of Turkmenistan is part of the worldwide Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program, which has beenw implemented in more than 70 countries. It is fully funded by USAID.