Reproductive Health

Demographic Research and Program Evaluation

CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, Demographic Research and Program Evaluation Team (DRPET) uses a variety of scientific approaches—population-based surveys, surveillance systems, qualitative research, rapid assessment tools—to produce information vital to understanding complex reproductive, maternal, and child health issues around the world.

To improve the management and targeting of their health programs and services, public health leaders, policy makers, and medical professionals need accurate and timely information about their country’s population and health status. DRPET staff members have extensive experience in demographic research techniques, medical epidemiology, and in the development and analysis of information to monitor and evaluate such essential topics as—

Contraceptive use and need.
Maternal and infant mortality.
Fertility.
Behavioral risk factors.
HIV/AIDS awareness and prevalence.

Maternal and child health.
Health care services use.
Violence against women.
Gender equity.

DRPET’s technical assistance includes advanced approaches to health surveys, surveillance, and program evaluation that are tailored to meet countries’ needs. This includes efficient sampling techniques, user-friendly data processing software, and expert support for data analysis. Our technical experts place strong emphasis on working hand-in-hand with the host country institutions and partners. Together, we build local scientific and technical capacity in all aspects of project design such as data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of findings.

We are currently focused on scientific and technical activities in the following areas:

DRPET scientific and technical activities are carried out in partnership with—