The 2006 Benin DHS found that immunization rates are decreasing and child nutrition has worsened in recent years. In addition, fertility rates and unmet need for contraception continue to be high. In Benin, less than half of all children age 12 to 23 months (47 percent) have received all of their basic vaccinations. In 2001, by contrast, 59 percent of all children were fully immunized. Malnutrition, especially undernutrition, among children in Benin is very high and has gotten worse. More than four in ten children (43%) are stunted or too short for their age and 22 percent are severely stunted.

In addition, the survey found that 1.2 percent of adults ages 15 to 49 are HIV positive. As in other African countries, women have a higher HIV prevalence than men (1.5 percent compared to 0.8 percent) and urban areas have a higher prevalence (1.7 percent ) than rural areas (0.9 percent). For both men and women, HIV prevalence is highest among those who are divorced, separated or widowed. More than one in ten widowed women (10.6%) is HIV-positive.

The 2006 Benin DHS is the third of its kind undertaken in the country, but it is the first to include HIV testing. The nationally representative survey is based on interviews with more than 17,000 women age 15 to 49 and more than 5,000 men age 15 to 64. The last DHS survey was conducted in 2001.