Browsing by Author "Chale, Bahati Alfred"

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    The determinants of birth intervals: a case study of selected areas of Dodoma, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1992) Chale, Bahati Alfred
    This study attempted to investigate the determinants of birth intervals in selected areas of Urban and Rural districts of Dodoma. It was prompted by the paucity of data on patterns of child-spacing in Dodoma region. The findings of the study are based on data from a sample of 605 ever married women with at least two live births and aged 15-49 years. The data were collected from retrospective survey carried out between May and June 1991. The outcome of the study showed that the mean birth interval length in the sample was long, about 43 months. The main determinants of birth intervals in Dodoma Urban and Rural districts were postpartum amenorrhoea, waiting time to conception, infant and child mortality, breastfeeding, usual place of residence, children everborn, women education, maternal age, and women employment in modern sector. Thus it has been recommended that breastfeeding be encouraged to be long in order to extend intervals. Enrollment of girls has to be expanded in education institutions to provide them with general education. Also, education about child-spacing has to be incorporated in family life education which is being introduced in primary and secondary schools. It has also been suggested that further research should be made on: the effect of infant and child mortality on birth intervals in other areas of Tanzania; the demand of modern contraceptives in Dodoma region and Tanzania in general; and other factors that influence birth intervals.