Fertility differentials and determinants in Ghana : 1979/80

Abstract

The study was based on the Ghana Fertility Survey (GFS) 1979/80 dataset. The main objective of the study was to study fertility differentials and determinants at the national level as well as for three broad regional groups, with the emphasis on the regional analysis. The then nine administrative regions of Ghana were re-grouped into three broad regional groups as Regions 1, 2 and 3 on the basis of cultural similarity and geographical contiguity. In the analysis of fertility differentials, it was found that variables that seem to have a noticeable effect on fertility in Ghana included age at first marriage, place of work and to some extent, at least, in some of the regional groups, education and partner's occupation. Religion, ethnic group, husband's place of abode, number of times married and partner's education were found not to have important effect on fertility, when controlled for age and place of residence. In the analysis of fertility determinants, it was found that age at first marriage was the most important determinant of fertility in all the three regional groups. Education, however, was not found to be a major determinant of fertility in any of the three regional groups, especially in Region 1 where its effect was the weakest. Finally, it was observed that differences in fertility among the three regional groups were not significant.