The birth rate for women in Jordan for the current year reached 2.6 children for every woman of reproductive age, with rural areas recording a higher birth rate of 2.8 compared to urban areas.

The results of the 2023 Population and Family Health Survey, which was launched by the Department of Statistics (DoS) on Thursday, showed a decline in the overall fertility rate in Jordan of 1 percent since the previous survey carried out in 2017-2018, which recorded a 2.7 birth rate.

At the governorate level, the birth rate ranged from 1.9 in Aqaba to 3.1 in Ajloun and Mafraq, and the birth rate among women living in Syrian refugee camps was higher compared to those who did not live in those camps (4.9 and 3.9 children, respectively).

Regarding maternal care, the survey results showed that 97 percent of women received prenatal care from a health professional (doctor, nurse, or midwife), and only 18 percent of women received the tetanus shot required to provide full protection for the last birth during the two years
preceding the survey, and more than 99 percent of live births during the two years preceding the survey took place in a health facility.

Regarding child mortality, the results showed that there were 14 deaths per 1,000 live births, and the mortality rate for children under 12 months was one death per 1,000 children, while the total mortality rate for children under the age of five was 15 deaths per 1,000 live births. The neonatal mortality rate was 9 deaths per 1,000 live births, and the postnatal mortality rate was 6 deaths per 1,000 live births.

According to the results, there is a decrease in the neonatal mortality rate over time, from 21 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, and during the same period, the infant mortality rate decreased from 34 to 14 deaths per 1,000 live births, while the neonatal mortality rate decreased from 34 to 14 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, and the under-five mortality rate decreased from 39 to 15 deaths per 1,000 live births.

T
he results showed that 16 percent of people aged 5 years or older suffer from some difficulties in at least one of the six areas of performance, while 4 percent of the population suffers from great difficulty in performing functions or cannot perform any functions at all, and the percentage was highest among those aged 60 years and over, at 19 percent. Difficulty seeing was the most common impaired functions with 9 percent, followed by difficulty walking or climbing stairs with 7 percent, and difficulty remembering or concentrating with 4 percent.

The results indicated that nearly a third of children between the ages of 6 and 59 months suffer from anemia, including 19 percent who suffer from mild anemia, 13 percent who suffer from moderate anemia, and less than 1 percent who suffer from severe anemia.

The prevalence of anemia among Jordanian children remained largely unchanged between 2002 and 2023, declining slightly from 34 percent to 32 percent.

Regarding anemia among women, the survey showed that 32 pe
rcent of women suffer from anemia, including 17 percent who suffer from mild anemia, 14 percent who suffer from moderate anemia, and 1 percent who suffer from severe anemia.

The percentage of anemia in women also increased from 26 percent in 2002 to 43 percent in the period 2017-2018 before falling to 32 percent in 2023.

Director General of the DoS Haider Freihat said during the launch of the results of the Population and Family Health Survey for the year 2023 that the Department seeks to provide demographic and health statistics that are considered a beacon of stimulating information to bring about further development and change and monitor progress towards achieving the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals.

He pointed out that the primary goal of this survey is to provide comprehensive data on reproduction, child mortality, family planning, maternal and child health and nutrition, women’s empowerment, and many other health issues, as a tool for evaluating current population and health programs and policies
.

Freihat explained that, for the first time in the history of this survey, a model was added for people with functional difficulties who are considered an integral part of society, adding that there is a need to shed light on this category of society through digital facts and evidence to reflect it on all population and health policies and decisions.

Source: Jordan News Agency