The Saradidi, Kenya, rural health development programme: retrospective demographic analysis

A census was done in Saradidi, Kenya from 1980 to 1982 as part of a community-based health development programme. The population was 42,755 (excluding 39 persons of unknown age or sex); 17.1% were less than five years old, 46.9% were below age 15, 4.7% were age 65 years or older and 19.7% were women in the reproductive years (age 15 to 44 years). The sex ratio was 86 males per 100 females due principally to migration of adult males for work. The mean number of persons per household was 4.0 and the mean village population was 764. The singulate mean age of marriage for men was 27.0 years and for women 19.9 years; 0.8% of adult men had never married. Only 0.1% of women by age 50 had never been married. Men were significantly more likely than women to be married to more than one spouse, divorce and separation was higher among men, and by age 50 about one-third of women were widows. Men had more years of formal education than women and young people of both sexes more than older people; 73.1% of men and 96.1% of women 60 years and more had never attended school. Infant mortality rates estimated indirectly ranged between 139 and 155 by area. A strong association was found between increasing education of the mother and decreased reported mortality of children. The total fertility of 6.2 was high but lower than the national average possibly because of the high rates of polygamy and primary infertility and the long periods of amenorrhoea and breast feeding which occurred after delivery. This area continues to have one of the highest levels of infant and child mortality in Kenya as well as relatively high fertility and a population with a very young age structure. This implies a continued very rapid rate of population growth which will make more difficult in the future the problems of delivering effective health services and overcoming poverty. A vigorous programme directed toward improving health is indicated which must include family planning.