Health and Fertility Archive

Central American Population Program
University of Costa Rica

The Central American Population Program has compiled a set of fertility and health surveys carried out by different Central American institutions and international agencies in Central America, Panama, and Belize. The data files for each survey are available to researchers with the purpose of promoting research on the topics investigated in the surveys and to encourage comparative studies.

The surveys contain information on birth histories, knowledge and use of contraceptives, nuptiality, maternal-child health immunization, knowledge and use of ORT, and use of health services.

The surveys cover different years and were carried out with different purposes. The first surveys had the objective of measuring contraceptive prevalence and access to family planning information. The recent surveys contain, in addition to information on use and knowledge of contraception, detailed information on maternal child health such as child anthropometry, prevalence and treatment of diarrhea and respiratory infections in children, immunization, and knowledge of HIV transmission.

A raw data file, a data dictionary, and a file containing the frequencies of the variables are available for each survey. The information can be accessed on line at the website of the Central American Population Program, which also contains a description of each survey and information on fertility levels at the time of the survey.

The data files and copies of the questionnaires can also be obtained by writing to the Central American Population Program and covering the reproduction and mailing costs.

The development of the Fertility and Health Archive is a permanent activity of the Central American Population Program. It is funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation, and has benefited from the collaboration of RAND, the Division of Reproductive Health of the Centers for Disease Control and the Office of Population Research

Address:

Programa Centroamericano de Población
Archivos de Fecundidad y Salud
Universidad de Costa Rica
Aptdo. 2060
San José, Costa Rica