Estimation of some reproductive behavior indices of women in Kenya from census data

Abstract

This thesis was set to present estimates of some indices of reproductive behaviour of women in Kenya at regional level from information derived from 1969 and 1979 censuses. The indices estimated are mean age at birth of first child, mean age at birth of last child, mean length of time between birth of first child and last child and the mean inter-birth spacing. Two methods have been applied to obtain these estimates namely: Suchindran-Horne (1984) and Sivamurthy (1987) methods. Suchindran-Horne method uses the age specific fertility rates as the main input data. Sivamurthy's method uses the life table approach to derive the indices on assumption that the age specific fertility rates act as the unconditional probabilities of birth rates with the respective ages. The data required in this case are the schedules of the age specific fertility rates. In the application of these methods, the indices so obtained are synthetic and refer only to the hypothetical cohorts w ho experience the schedule of the age specific fertility rates. In chapter two the derivation and computational procedure IS presented. The results of the application are presented in chapter three and in chapter four we have the summarv conclusion and recommendations. From the results of the analysis it is observed that mean age first birth at national level was around 19 years in 1969 and 1979 while the mean age at last birth was around 41 years

resulting into a mean length of time between first and last birth of .justoyer 21 years and a mean inter birth spacing;of about 33 months. At regional (district) leyel mean age is found to cluster between 19 to 20 years in both periods. Most, of the observed changes in the indices over the period is in Rift Valley and Coast Provinces. Substantial variations in the indices was observed when level of education was considered than residence. Although in all the regions considered urban fertility was lower than rural there was no much variation in mean age at first birth.