IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH DATA ECOSYSTEMS

Findings from the South Africa Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS) 2016 Key Indicator Report shows that in the last three years, on average the number of children ever born per woman was 2.6 compared to an average of 2.9 over a three year period ending in 1998. As of 2016 the average for the year is at 2.4 children per woman, and this is 0.2 children lower than the three year average based on the Community Survey of 2016.

South Africans are aware of HIV and AIDS testing and in this regard 93% of them are aware of this medical condition. Although 81% have ever tested for HIV and AIDS, in the age group 15-24, 31 % have never tested for HIV and AIDS.

South Africans engage in multiple sexual partnerships. Overall, 5% of women reported that they had two or more partners in the past 12 months, and 45% had intercourse in the past 12 months with a person who was neither their spouse nor lived with them. On the other hand, three times the proportion of female experience, that is seventeen percent of men age 15-49, reported that they had two or more partners in the past 12 months, and 55% had intercourse in the past 12 months with a person who was neither their spouse nor lived with them.

By 2016, 96% of delivery of children was in a clinic compared to 83% in 1998. Of these 97% were with a skilled health provider compared to 84% in 1998. There are less tears on the faces of mothers as more of those born live to witness their first birthday. However, stunting remains real as children under five fail to grow at the corresponding pace to their age. Amongst boys almost one in three is stunted and amongst girls one in four is. On the other end of the scale South Africans remain obese, especially the Blacks (20%) and by race and sex, it is highest amongst Coloured women at 26%.

In relation to alcohol consumption the differences between men and women and across races is not as pronounced compared to racial and sex based differences in smoking. However the differences still remain significant. Drinking starts at a level where 1 in every four youths amongst girls have at least taken alcohol by the age of 15-19 and the percentage rises sharply to more than one in three by the age of 20-35 before it drops to one in five by age 65.

South Africans continue to experience and suffer violent relationships and this is most severe amongst the widowed, living together and divorced or separated and these are respectively on in five, one in three and 40% suffer violence. Although lowest at the highest quintile, the violence by income level is uniform at one in five for all other income quintiles expert where it is one in four.