Deadline for submitting applications extended to December 4, 2024
2025 DHS Program Mentored Papers Program
The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program is now accepting applications for the 2025 DHS Mentored Papers Program. Alumni of past DHS analysis training programs are eligible to apply. The Mentored Papers Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The 2025 Mentored Papers Program will be completely virtual. Each team will be paired with a DHS co-author. Together, they will be expected to jointly complete a publishable-quality journal manuscript in English using DHS Program data on one the following topics:
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Climate and Health—Includes analyses of associations between climate change or environmental factors and demographic or health outcomes. Proposals for papers that combine DHS Program data (DHS, MICS, or SPA) and geospatial covariate (GC) datafiles are especially welcome. GC datafiles are extractions of environmental and other data from external sources that are spatially linked to DHS sample clusters. Paper proposals that combine other external data will be considered, pending approval of their quality (reliability) and confirmation that they can be matched to DHS program data appropriately by The DHS Program’s geospatial experts.
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Gender and Health—Includes analyses of relationships between gender and health factors or among gender measures. Papers in this topic area may address gender-based violence, women’s empowerment, men’s and boys’ engagement, sexual and gender minorities (SGM), reproductive empowerment, decision-making, gender disparities, and/or measurement considerations related to gender or reproductive empowerment, male engagement, or gender-based violence.
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Youth and Health—Includes analyses of the health-related aspects of adolescents and young adults. Research topics encompass sexual and reproductive health (including sexual debut, early childbearing/teenage pregnancy), mental health and well-being, health seeking behaviors, substance use, and access to youth-responsive healthcare services, or examination of social contexts (e.g., schooling, livelihoods, household structure) in relation to these topics. Proposals combining SPA data or data from national health and/or school surveys, school-based health records with DHS data are encouraged, with consideration for papers incorporating external sources to provide a comprehensive view of youth health.
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Mental Health—Includes analyses using data from the DHS mental health optional module to explore which factors are associated with better/poorer mental health. Papers in this topic area may cover a wide range of focal areas, including, but not limited to, gender differences in mental health outcomes and their determinants; the association of mental health challenges with adverse life events/experiences (e.g. intimate partner violence, death of a child unintended pregnancies/births, adverse pregnancy outcome (miscarriage/stillbirth), divorce/separation, or living in poverty); or an exploration of which factors are specific to individual countries and which are shared across them.
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Migration—Includes analyses on the relationship between migration (either of the individual or other household members) and health and other outcomes. Papers in this topic area may address a range of different subtopics, such as the relationship between migration and use of health services (such as contraception), employment, education, or economic wellbeing.
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Service Provision—Includes analyses using data from The DHS Program’s Service Provision Assessment (SPA) or combining data from a DHS and a SPA or similar health facility survey. Research topics include but are not limited to effective coverage, quality of care (including readiness, provision of care, or patient experience).
For all tracks, proposals based on multi-country analyses or using multiple surveys in one country are encouraged. If a proposal meets the criteria for several of the above topics, it can be considered under up to three different topics.
Eligibility and Requirements
- We are accepting applications from authors conducting research in any DHS survey countries. Authors on the same team do not have to be from the same country.
- Applications are accepted from alumni of past DHS Fellows or DHS, MIS, or SPA Data Analysis workshops in survey countries. Both authors on a team must each be alumni of one of these programs. Authors on the same team do not need to have completed the same prerequisite program.
- Applicants must apply in groups of two.
- Applicants cannot be government employees. Publicly funded university staff are NOT considered government employees and therefore ARE eligible.
- Team members must be available for the entirety of the program (see anticipated timeline below).
- Survey country authors will develop papers with mentorship from and in collaboration with a co-author from the DHS Program. Selected applicants will be the lead authors of the papers.
- The papers will be submitted to a relevant peer-reviewed journal and produced as a pre-print in the DHS Working Paper series.
- The language for the program is English.
- Applicants should have some experience working in either Stata or R.
Anticipated Timeline
November 1, 2024
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Call for applications issued
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November 29, 2024
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Applications are due
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December 2-20, 2024
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Applications reviewed and author teams selected
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January 6-24, 2025
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Selected author teams notified, acceptance letters and contracts acquired, mentors confirmed
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January 29, 2025
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MPP 2025 Kick off meeting held
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January 29 - February 14, 2025
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USAID SME assigned to author teams |
February 17-28, 2025
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1st meeting between author team and USAID SME held
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March 28, 2025
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Analysis plan and tabulation plan due*
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April 25, 2025
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Draft results tables and figures due*
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May 7, 2025
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Program Check-in Meeting #1
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May 8-23, 2025
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2nd meeting between author team and USAID SME held
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June 27, 2025
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Interim drafts of papers due*
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June 30-July 11, 2025
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Mentors review and provide feedback on draft papers
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August 13, 2025
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Program Check-in Meeting #2
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August 29, 2025
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Final draft of papers due to the DHS publications team* |
September 16 - October 4, 2025
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Authors respond to review and edits from the publications team |
Awards
Selection of participants will be primarily based on the merits of their proposal. Additional factors considered will be gender balance, fluency in English and previous experience in data use and statistical analysis.
Each participant will be awarded a $2,000 honorarium to cover research expenses which will be paid in installments based upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables. Incomplete or late submissions will be deducted from this payment.
Application Procedure
Each team should submit a single application that contains the following items in PDF format:
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A completed team application form
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A brief, original paper proposal (1 to 2 pages) with the following sections clearly described
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rationale and research question
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scope of analysis (including including DHS Surveys, variables and analytical approaches)
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potential policy implications. Indicate if other data sources will be combined with DHS data in your analysis. Single country and multiple country analyses will be considered.
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In addition, the joint application should include the following from each team member:
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a curriculum vitae with complete contact information and a list of publications
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information about their DHS data, statistics, and programming experience
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a brief description of their experience, key takeaways, and any applications of what was learned in the DHS Fellows Program or Analysis Workshop attended.
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If selected, each candidate will be asked to provide written confirmation of their availability throughout 2025.
Contact Information
Please send inquiries to The DHS Program, ICF, 530 Gaither Road, Suite 500, Rockville, MD USA 20850. Email: mentoredpapers@dhsprogram.com.
Please see our privacy policy for workshop applications.
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>>> The application period is closed. <<<