Browsing by Author "Pazvakawambwa, Lillian"

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    Determinants of fertility in Namibia
    (2012) Indongo, Nelago; Pazvakawambwa, Lillian
    In-depth studies on fertility in Namibia have been lacking so far. This examines the fertility trends in Namibia over the past 2 decades and examines fertility differentials across the various sub-groups of Namibia population, and factors affecting such differentials using NDHS data. Estimates of the amount of variance in the total number of children ever born that could be explained by each of the independent variables were made using multiple regression analysis for the three data sources. Overall, results from descriptive analysis show that fertility levels in Namibia have been decreasing over the past two decades. The decrease could be associated with an increased trend in the prevalence of use of modern contraceptives which doubled since 1992. Age at first birth has remained constant but age at first marriage continues to increase. As a result, postponement of marriage increases the probability that women remain childless or that they have fewer children than desired. Replacement level is projected to be attained much faster than expected and the study recommend for further research that focuses on policy implications of family planning programmes once replacement level has been achieved to maintain it.
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    Explaining marital patterns and trends in Namibia: A regression analysis of 1992, 2000 and 2006 demographic and survey data
    (2013) Pazvakawambwa, Lillian; Indongo, Nelago; Kazembe, Lawrence N.
    BACKGROUND: Marriage is a significant event in life-course of individuals, and creates a system that characterizes societal and economic structures. Marital patterns and dynamics over the years have changed a lot, with decreasing proportions of marriage, increased levels of divorce and co-habitation in developing countries. Although, such changes have been reported in African societies including Namibia, they have largely remained unexplained. OBJECTIVES and METHODS: In this paper, we examined trends and patterns of marital status of women of marriageable age: 15 to 49 years, in Namibia using the 1992, 2000 and 2006 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data. Trends were established for selected demographic variables. Two binary logistic regression models for ever-married versus never married, and cohabitation versus married were fitted to establish factors associated with such nuptial systems. Further a multinomial logistic regression models, adjusted for bio-demographic and socio-economic variables, were fitted separately for each year, to establish determinants of type of union (never married, married and cohabitation). RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate a general change away from marriage, with a shift in singulate mean age at marriage. Cohabitation was prevalent among those less than 30 years of age, the odds were higher in urban areas and increased since 1992. Be as it may marriage remained a persistent nuptiality pattern, and common among the less educated and employed, but lower odds in urban areas. Results from multinomial model suggest that marital status was associated with age at marriage, total children born, region, place of residence, education level and religion. We conclude that marital patterns have undergone significant transformation over the past two decades in Namibia, with a coexistence of traditional marriage framework with co-habitation, and sizeable proportion remaining unmarried to the late 30s. A shift in the singulate mean age is becoming distinctive in the Namibian society.
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    Factors influencing academic performance in Basic Business Statistics course at Polytechnic of Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2013) Pazvakawambwa, Lillian; Ngololo, Elizabeth Ndeukumwa; Dumeni, Efraim
    The Polytechnic of Namibia offers the Basic Business Statistics course for all its undergraduate registered students for the Bachelor of Technology degrees in Business Administration, Public Administration ,Marketing, Human Resources Management and Economics programmes as part of their curriculum requirements, on full-time, part-time and distance education (open learning) basis. Academic performance in this course is generally poor, leaving a lot of students with the Basic Business Statistics Course outstanding even after their final year of study, thus delaying their graduation.This paper seeks to the determinants of the students' performance in this course by fitting a binary logistic regression based on the population of distance students who enrolled for the course in the first semester of 2012. The dependent variable is the performance or final result (Pass or Fail} for the Basic Business Statistics course. The independent variables include gender of student, Matric Score (Moths, English), home language, and degree programme.
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    Health Information Literacy of the University of Namibia’s Students
    (University of Namibia, 2015) Nengomasha, Cathrine T.; Abankwah, Ruth M.; Uutoni, Wilhelm; Pazvakawambwa, Lillian
    This article presents the findings of a study on the health information literacy of students at the University of Namibia main campus. The study was conducted between 2013 and 2014 and consisted of two hundred and seventy one (271) participants aged between 17-19 years old. The quantitative study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data. The findings show that the majority of the respondents strongly believed that health information is important and they were able to seek health information. They also strongly agreed that they knew where to seek health information and they liked to get health information from a variety of sources. The respondents indicated that they were more comfortable getting information from the Internet than print sources. A gap in health information literacy was revealed by the fact that the respondents found it difficult to know who to believe in health issues, suggesting difficulties in critically evaluating the health information and sources. The study concludes that although UNAM students appeared knowledgeable in some health information issues, there are some gaps which need to be addressed. The study therefore recommends Kickbusch’s (2008) three way intervention strategy which comprises of culture and society, health and education systems to address the existing gaps in health information literacy.
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    A hurdle negative binomial regression model for non-marital fertility in Namibia
    (2014) Pazvakawambwa, Lillian; Indongo, Nelago; Kazembe, Lawrence N.
    The rise of non-marital fertility, which seems to defy the Bongaarts model by decoupling marriage from fertility, has become a subject of interest in both the developed and developing world. Consequences of non-marital fertility are mostly negative particularly in developing countries. In Namibia, although premarital childbearing has been reported to be high and increasing, no studies have explicitly analyzed factors influencing non-marital fertility. This paper uses data from the 2006/7 Namibia DHS to establish the determinants of non-marital fertility among women by applying a two-part model, with one part to describe the presence of non-marital birth and the other part to explain its intensity (number of children born). Using the number of children ever born as an outcome, we explored various count data models. Based on the Voung statistics model comparison, we settled for the Hurdle logit Negative Binomial regression to model the number of non-marital births. Non-marital fertility in Namibia is associated with the age, with young women likely to have lower fertility compared to older women. Women with secondary or higher education had lower fertility compared those with no formal education. Findings also show that rural women higher fertility propensity compared to their urban counterparts even though there was no significant difference in fertility intensity. With regard to socio-economic status, fertility intensity decreased as the women got richer. Intervention efforts should focus on promoting education among girls and women especially in rural areas to improve their socio-economic status, reduce teenage pregnancy and non-marital fertility.
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    Multivariate statistical modelling of family formation processes among women in Namibia
    (University of Namibia, 2015) Pazvakawambwa, Lillian
    Family formation is a significant event in life-course of individuals. Many studies have revealed shifts in demographic processes including child-bearing patterns, age at sexual debut and first marriage, and marital status over the years. While there have been numerous studies in demographic processes in specific populations, very few studies have focused on family formation processes, and little or no quantitative research has been conducted on the distribution and dynamics and determinants of family formation in Namibia. This study employed a cross-sectional retrospective mixed methods design to achieve various objectives namely: to examine emerging marital patterns and trends in Namibia since attaining its independence in 1990; to analyze the hazards of first marriage and sexual debut and determinants of age at first marriage and sexual debut ; to establish factors associated with non-marital fertility; to examine perceptions of women regarding key union principles and values on matters of divorce, cohabiting, widowhood, polygamy, sex before and outside marriage based on a qualitative study; and to come up with family formation recommendations to guide policy and also pave way for further research. The study used data from the Namibia 1992 to 2006/7 DHS and from focus group discussions, which gave in-depth understanding on perceptions on family formation processes. Trend analysis, binary and multinomial logistic regression models were used to model the patterns and determinants of marital status. Discrete time hazard models through Bayesian Structured Additive Regression (STAR) approach were used to estimate the hazards of a woman’s sexual debut and first marriage. The Hurdle Logit Negative Binomial (HLNB) regression model was used to model non-marital fertility. Findings indicated a general change away from marriage, with a shift in mean age at marriage which rose from 21 years in 1992 to almost 23 years in 2006. Cohabitation was prevalent among those less than 30 years of age; the odds were higher in urban areas and increased since the year 1992. Be as it may marriage remained a persistent nuptiality pattern, and common among the less educated and employed, but had lower odds in urban areas. Multinomial regression results suggested that marital status was associated with age-at-first-marriage, total children born, region, place of residence, education level and religion. Marital patterns have undergone significant transformation over the past two decades in Namibia, with a coexistence of traditional marriage framework with co-habitation, and sizeable proportion of women remaining unmarried to the late 30s. An upward shift in the mean age is becoming distinctive in the Namibian society. Period and cohort effects in the timing of first sex were evident among women in Namibia. Efforts to discourage early sexual debut should be stepped up especially in North-Eastern Namibia. Results did not suggest a significant nonlinear pattern of age at first marriage with age, cohort and period. First marriage timing in Namibia was influenced by the woman’s age, birth cohort, period, place of residence, highest educational level, socio-economic status and region. Intervention strategies should not only target schools and the wider community in isolation, but should involve the individual family units as they have a bigger role to play in this regard. Non-marital fertility was associated with the age, educational level, urbanity, and socio-economic status. Rural women had higher fertility propensity compared to their urban counterparts even though there was no significant difference in fertility intensity. Fertility intensity decreased as the women got richer. Intervention efforts should focus on promoting education among girls and women especially in rural areas to improve their socio-economic status, reduce teenage pregnancy and non-marital fertility. Qualitative findings supported the quantitative findings and gave an in-depth understanding of women’s perceptions on family formation processes.
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    Prevalence, trends and risk factors of breast cancer Mortality in Namibia: 2000-2015
    (University of Namibia, 2017) Pazvakawambwa, Lillian; Embula, S.P.
    The objectives of the study were to establish prevalence, trends and risk factors for breast cancer survival in Namibia. Secondary data was available from the Namibia Cancer Association Registry for breast, cervical and prostate cancer from the year 2000 to 2015. Patient survival was measured by age at death and the event variable was whether the patient was still alive or dead. Covariates included sex, ethnicity, and region. Descriptive summary statistics in form of tables, charts and graphs were used to profile the background characteristics of the patients. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed and the Cox proportional hazards model was used to establish the determinants of survival among cancer patients. Results showed that breast cancer survival was influenced by age, region and ethnicity. Policy efforts should focus on the whites, basters and Herero speaking groups. Khomas region had the highest percentage of cancer cases and this calls for further research on the causes.
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    Socio-economic determinants of obesity of Namibian women in the reproductive age group: A binary logistic regression model
    (University of Namibia, 2013) Pazvakawambwa, Lillian; Tjipueja, Werner
    Obesity leads to reduced lifer expectancy, increased likelihood of a wide range of diseases Obesity also lowers self-esteem and has negative consequences on the cognitive and social development of a person. World-wide, obesity is a leading yet preventable cause of death and its prevalence both in children and adults is increasing day by day. Compared to men, women have a relatively higher burden of disease attributable to overweight and obesity. This paper establishes the socio-economic factors influencing obesity in women in Namibia using logistic regression. The outcome variable was Obesity (1 for Obese, 0 for Not obese). The independent variables included the total number of children ever born to the woman, her place of residence; current age of the woman, her highest level of education, her economic status, contraceptive use, smoking habits, age of the woman at first birth, place of residence, region, and religion. Results indicate that in Namibia, obesity of a woman is associated with the age of the woman, her highest level of education, her economic status, contraceptive use, smoking habits, and the age of the woman at first birth. Policy and intervention programs to reduce obesity should focus on encouraging women to delay onset of child-bearing, to embark on lifelong regular exercise and diet programs. Even though smoking was inversely related to obesity, women should be encouraged to stop smoking because of its other devastating health effects.