A household health interview survey on MCH services utilization was carried out in 22 villages of a rural district of Arsi region, Ethiopia, before the launching of an integrated MCH programme. Coverage of antenatal services was 26%, and 61% of the women who received antenatal care reported having had 3 or more visits. Antenatal care was positively associated with living within 10 km of the Health Centre. Twenty-eight percent of the mothers attended the under-5 clinic and most returned for 3 or more visits. In addition, 99% reported having breast-fed their last child but more than 25% started weaning only after the seventh month of age. Differences in practice of treating diarrhoea according to knowledge of ORS were found. Of the 33% of those with knowledge of ORS, almost 90% reported use of ORS for treating child's diarrhoea, showing a positive attitude towards modern health care. The proportion of women using family planning was 5%, with no difference found between Christians and Muslims. Results on EPI coverage validated data from routine reporting. Integration of MCH services including out-reach activities may increase access and coverage of MCH services.

A census and an ecologic survey were performed in 39 villages of a rural district of Arsi Region, Ethiopia, in difficult field circumstances. Information on age, ethnic group, education and family relationship, as well as data on health facilities and availability of basic services were collected. Supervised students, working in teams, were used as interviewers. Communities were involved through plenary meetings and community health agents participated in the data collection process. A total of 64,714 people in 12,152 households were registered. The repeatability of age assessment was investigated by comparing the results from two villages with data obtained in a pilot study carried out 6 months earlier. The technical error was only 0.80 and 1.67 in the 0-5 and 6-15 age-groups, respectively. Three percent of the total population was under one year, less than previously estimated. This may, in part, be due to the family planning programme in the region. Eighteen percent of the households were headed by females. School attendance was less common among females and in the Oromo ethnic group. The availability of basic services, including safe water and basic sanitation supplies, was very poor in the area.