African Population Studies (UAPS) / Etude de la Population Africaine (UEPA)
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Inter-spousal communication: A means for achieving concordant fertility goals
No full textBackground:Spousal communication strategy has gained attention as an effective means of reducing couple’s fertility preferences, its continuous measurement cannot be overemphasised in literatureObjecive:This study examined concordance and discordance in the desired number of children among couples in Nigeria.Methods:The study used the 2013 Couple dataset of Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The method of data analyses involved univariate, chi-square and binary logistic regression.Results:The result showed that 34% of couples agreed on common fertility desires, while 66% disagreed. The logistic regression analysis using Likelihood Ratio test, showed that couples communication significantly explained the indirect effects of background variables on concordant fertility desire (P<0.001).Conclusion:We therefore, recommend that couples’ communication on family size preferences be encouraged by programs geared towards achieving SDG-3,5 aimed at improving women and child health and gender equality in decision making
Children, waste and well-being: A critical analysis of socio-environmental justice in almajirai solid waste management in Northern Nigerian Cities
No full textContext: Whereas academic discourse on socio-environmental justice (SEJ) globally has focused on race, ethnicity and wealth, and gender inequalities, research on SEJ in relation to children, their well-being and waste management in Africa has remained neglected.This paper focuses on the Almajirai, children in the Islamic educational system, and critically examines SEJ in Almajirai involvement in the solid waste management (SWM) system of cities in northern Nigeria.Data Source and Method: The study is situated in the city of Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Mixed methods approach used for data collection included consultations with key stakeholders, ethnographic and field observations; key informant interviews (KIIs), questionnaire survey of 350 respondents sampled purposively, and a critical review of literature. Percentages were utilized for analysis of quantitative data while quotations and transcriptions were made from interviews. Findings: Findings indicate that while many Almajirai contribute to environmental well-being through collection, disposal and recycling of waste, they often suffer unbridled socio-environmental injustice in their quest for a livelihood and also for their perceived association with insecurity in northern Nigeria.Conclusion: In the light of the findings and the overarching juvenile-related sustainable development goals (SDGs) targets, the paper rethinks the role of Almajirai in SWM while articulating possible policy benefits of scaling up engagement with Almajirai in the post-2015 development era
Is technical demography becoming less relevant? Two decade review of published articles in selected demography journals
No full textBackground: In this paper, we reviewed development in the field of technical demography and empirically demonstrate that there has been a decline in the proportion of technical demographic studies published in the last two decades.Methods: All original articles published in nine demographic journals from Africa, Europe, Australia, Canada and United States were reviewed. We derived yearly aggregate for total number of articles and number of technical demographic papers from 1994 to 2015. We illustrated the trends in the proportion of technical demographic studies in a graph and also estimated the annual rate of decline using least square regression techniques.Results: A total of 4091 studies were published in 465 issues of the selected journals between 1994 and 2015 of which 371 (9.0%) were related to technical demography. The proportion of technical demographic papers declined gradually at an annual rate of 0.42% (CI= 0.29-0.62) between 1994 (12.0%) and 2015 (10.0%).Conclusion: Technical demography need to be strengthened in order to provide the critical data and evidence required to objectively monitor the post-2015 development goals
Too young to be a wife! analysis of the factors influencing child marriages and its influence on the preferred number of children among women in Zambia.
No full textContext/Background: Zambia has one of the highest rates of child marriages in the world. This study sought to establish the determinants of child marriage in rural and urban areas of Zambia, and to determine the influence of child marriage on fertility preferences of women in Zambia.Data source and methods: The study utilized data from the 2013-2014 Zambia Demographic Health Survey. Data was analysed using the Binary Logistic and Poisson regression models.Results: Timing of conception, age at first sex, region of residence, education level of respondent and their partners, and family size were significant predictors of child marriages in urban areas. In rural areas, region of residence, age at fist sex, education level of respondent and their partners, and family size had significant influence on child marriages. The study further found that women who got married below the age of 18 preferred a higher number of children.Conclusion: The study established that various factors influence child marriages in urban and rural Zambia and in turn child marriages influence the preferred number of children. The findings suggest a multipronged approach to addressing the root cause of the problem
Effect of HIV/AIDS on fertility: historical evidence from South Africa’s women educators
No full textContext/Background: The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a public health challenge. Globally, South Africa ranks second in HIV prevalence and has the second lowest fertility rate in sub-Saharan Africa. The effect of HIV/AIDS on fertility is contentious, although it is often assumed in population projections that HIV/AIDS reduces fertility. This study examines the effect of HIV/AIDS on the probability of getting pregnant among South Africa’s educators controlling for confounders.Data Source and Methods: The data consisted of a representative sample of educators in public schools in South Africa in 2004. Statistical analysis utilized multivariate logistic regression.Results: Controlling for confounders, HIV positive women educators aged 18-34 had higher odds of being pregnant in the preceding 12 months compared with HIV negative women educators in the same age group.Conclusion: There was no evidence from this study that HIV positive women were less likely to be pregnant than HIV negative women
Navigating livelihood uncertainty: prevailing wisdoms guiding fertility preferences in rural Malawi
No full textContext/Background: Malawi has experienced social and demographic change although economic livelihoods remain characterized by uncertainty. Economic models of fertility posit shifts in the value of children but the role of uncertainty in shaping prevailing wisdoms about good childbearing is often overlooked.Data Source and Methods: Thematic content analysis with 48 in-depth interviews collected with 29 women in Central Malawi at two time points during 2016. Findings: Three dominant schema, or prevailing wisdoms, about good childbearing emerged as guiding individuals through uncertain futures. When implemented, they can both encourage and discourage further childbearing. Economic considerations are dominant in discussions of fertility goals but these don’t always reflect individualistic calculations of available resources. Furthermore, normative uncertainty can encourage less contingent fertility preferences.Conclusion: How individuals navigate fertility goals matters for reducing unintended pregnancy, and for economic and health policy. Investment in stable livelihoods, not just poverty alleviation, and expanded family planning services represent long-term investments
Does religion affect alcohol and tobacco use among students at North-West University, South Africa?
No full textThe present study used multidimensional measures of religion to assess religion’s influence in engendering positive behaviours as measured by alcohol and tobacco use among a sample of undergraduate students at the North-West University in South Africa. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to examine the effect of religion on youth alcohol and tobacco use. Zero-order correlations showed that measures of religion not only correlated positively with each other, but they correlated negatively with both current use of alcohol and tobacco. Religious affiliation was insignificant, but self-rated religiosity was positively associated with drinking among females who reported that they always drink alcohol, frequency of church attendance increased the odds of drinking among females who reported that they never drink compared to those who reported that they drink occasionally. Social class, as measured by father’s education was negatively associated with both alcohol and tobacco use. On the whole, religious commitment continues to act as the protective factor against these two anti-social behaviours of the youth
Determinants of under-five mortality clustering in a health and demographic surveillance system in Zamfara State, northern Nigeria
No full textDespite global reduction, under-5 mortality remains high in most developing countries and tends to cluster among certain individuals, households and communities. We assess levels and factors influencing under-5 mortality clustering in a rural setting in northern Nigeria. Data were collected from January 2011 to December 2013 at Nahuche Health and Demographic Surveillance System. Binomial distribution and Poisson regression model were used to assess family level clustering and factors associated with under-5 mortality clustering. Results show that there was under-5 mortality clustering, with 5% of the compounds accounting for 35% of all deaths. Surviving beyond infancy was associated with reduced incidence rate of under-5 mortality clustering (p<0.05). Child’s age, source of drinking water and type of provider at delivery during the most recent birth (p<0.05) influenced under-5 mortality clustering. Findings call for evidence-based policies to reduce under-5 mortality
Trends and determinants of female age at first marriage in Sub-Saharan Africa (1990-2014): What has changed?
No full textThe study analysed trends and determinants of female age at first marriage in Ghana, Kenya and Zambia using DHS datasets across defined survey horizons: 1990-1999, 2000-1999 and 2010-2014. The data analysis employed frequency distribution, cross tabulation and Cox proportional regression techniques. The results revealed female median age at first marriage as 17. The result showed a reduction in the proportion marrying at age ≤17 between 1990 and 2014 by 9.8% (Ghana), 6.2% (Kenya) and 7.2% (Zambia). Women with tertiary education and rich households had lower hazard ratio to marry at age ≤17 compared with those without education and from poor households (HR: 0.39, CI: 0.0.36-0.43) and (HR: 0.86, CI: 0.81-0.90) respectively. The study supports the use of child-marriage market model to heighten female age at first marriage through access to tertiary education. The boost in female education could be harnessed for sustainable development through provisions of job opportunities
Challenges for Urban Housing Development for Improving Livelihoods and Well-being of Population of Low-Income Group in Tanzania: The Case of Dar es Salaam
No full textDevelopment of housing is essential source of improved livelihoods and well-being of rapid population growth. Data collected from a sample population of 186 respondents and that gathered through documentary analysis revealed that urban housing in Dar es Salaam is facing a challenge in accumulation for the population to improve their livelihood and well-being. The challenge is attributed to low capability level of the population in taping financial resource from micro institutions to expand housing. The conclusion made in the paper is enhancing capability of the population in accessing finance form micro institutions is crucial for them to expand housing which is the main source for improving their livelihood and well-being. The following are suggested to enhance the capability of the population: There is a need to provide training to the population on the use of the NGOs to get housing finance and also encourage them to become members of SACCOS. These will enable to access finance from the institutions another policy consideration is that there is a need for the officials of the finance institutions to visit the population in order to identify their needs related to housing improvement. Also there is a need to raise accountability in institutions involved in supplying water, electricity and land so as the population can acquire the facilities adequately as part in the housing development