Impact of improved client-provider interaction on women\u27s achievement of fertility goals in Egypt

A two-phase operations research study was launched in Egypt in early 2000 with the goal of demonstrating how improving the quality of client–provider interaction (CPI) could be achieved in large healthcare systems, specifically in relation to family planning. The study was designed to explore how CPI improvements could enhance family planning knowledge, method continuation rates, client satisfaction, and achievement of fertility goals. Client outcome variables were expected to improve as a result of improving client–provider interaction. The study recommends continued development and testing of innovative, attractive, and well-designed IEC messages that influence woman\u27s fertility preferences; continuous training of health providers; and policies that consider reasonable and realistic mechanisms to train private physicians and service providers of other programs so women receive the same basic information and counseling regardless of the facility

The Straight Talk Campaign in Uganda: Impact of mass media initiatives—Summary report

This Horizons study in Uganda found that exposure by adolescents to Straight Talk, a mass media initiative focused on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH), was associated with greater ASRH knowledge, a greater likelihood of having been tested for HIV, and more communication with parents about ASRH issues

Men in maternity study: Results from the pre-intervention survey of pregnant women and their husbands at the three interventions, and of only women at three control Employees\u27 State Insurance Corporation dispensaries in Delhi, India: Preliminary findings

The Frontiers in Reproductive Health program, a USAID-funded project of the Population Council, is conducting an operations research (OR) study that investigates the effects of male participation in a new model of maternity care that is gender sensitive and provided at the primary-care level. The immediate objectives are to increase the use of family planning methods in the postpartum period and to promote STI primary preventive practices in men and women. The three-year study called Men in Maternity (MiM) is being conducted in South Africa and India. In India, the project is collaborating with the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). The MiM intervention is facilitating the inclusion of men in their wives\u27 antenatal and postpartum care with couple and individual counseling during pregnancy and at six weeks postpartum. The data presented in this report is derived from the baseline survey conducted from November 2000 to November 2001 of pregnant women between 10 and 26 weeks of gestation who were attending antenatal clinics at the six ESIC dispensaries

Men in maternity study: A summary of the findings from pre-intervention interviews with women and their husbands attending antenatal clinics at ESIC facilities in Delhi

The Frontiers in Reproductive Health program, a USAID-funded project of the Population Council is conducting an operations research (OR) study that investigates the effects of male participation in a new model of maternity care that is gender sensitive and provided at the primary-care level. The immediate objectives are to increase the use of family planning methods in the postpartum period and to promote STI primary preventive practices in men and women. The three-year study called Men in Maternity (MiM) is being conducted in South Africa and India. In India, the project is collaborating with the Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). The MiM intervention is facilitating the inclusion of men in their wives\u27 antenatal and postpartum care with couple and individual counseling during pregnancy and at six weeks postpartum. The data presented in this update derives from a detailed Preliminary Findings Report. Interviews, conducted from November 2000 to November 2001, took place in all cases only after consent was first given by the women

Involving men in maternity care in India

The Men in Maternity study investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and cost of a new, more comprehensive model of maternity care that encouraged husbands’ participation in their wives’ antenatal and postpartum care. The study was conducted in India, in collaboration with the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Delhi Directorate at their primary health facilities called dispensaries. The study found that men accompanied their wives to the clinics and participated actively in the intervention. There were significant changes in family planning knowledge and behaviors of both men and women; although there was little acknowledgement of STI risk, knowledge and use of dual protection did increase. Clients who participated in the intervention reported more discussions with providers and more satisfaction with family planning methods. With some changes in design to improve the impact of breastfeeding practices and STI knowledge and attitudes about risky behavior, the authors recommend that the total intervention package can be implemented and will have an impact on men and women’s reproductive health, future unwanted fertility, and consequently on pregnancy outcomes

Helping youth prevent HIV: An evaluation of the Straight Talk program in Uganda

Mass media initiatives are being implemented globally to provide information and foster HIV preventive behavior, however there has been limited evaluation of these efforts in sub-Saharan Africa. The Straight Talk (ST) program in Uganda has targeted youth with HIV and reproductive health (RH) information for over a decade. Evaluation results show positive associations between exposure to ST media and a number of key outcomes among youth, including sexual behavior, knowledge, and attitudes. In 2005–06, the Horizons Program conducted the first impact evaluation of the ST program in Uganda to document its effects on young people. This brief focuses on the findings of the adolescent survey. Overall, the study indicates that many Ugandan adolescents have benefited from ST products, and that greater exposure was associated with greater benefits. This includes less sexual activity among exposed males, and higher levels of HIV testing and RH knowledge among exposed youth. The ST program is using the results of the Horizons’ evaluation to strengthen the successful elements of its activities and address gaps

Improving adolescent reproductive health in Bangladesh

An operations research project was launched in northwestern Bangladesh with the objective of preventing adverse outcomes and promoting healthy lifestyles among adolescents by providing reproductive health education and services. The Population Council, in collaboration with the Urban Family Health Partnership and its three nongovernmental service delivery partners, worked in three urban areas of the country. On the basis of its findings, the study first recommends implementation of a combination of reproductive health interventions at the school, community, and health-facility levels, accompanied by community sensitization, to effectively respond to adolescent reproductive health needs. Second, information providers such as teachers and facilitators should be trained to effectively convey reproductive health education to adolescents. Third, since the adolescents showed positive attitudes toward health facilities for contraceptives and STI services, relevant authorities should prepare health facilities for adolescent-friendly services, and future interventions should be designed focusing on unmarried sexually active adolescents

Improving the reproductive health of adolescents in Senegal

In October 1999, the Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS) program began a three-year collaboration with the World Health Organization, the Senegal Ministries of Health, Education, and Youth, the Center for Research and Training in Health and Population, and the Population Training Group to test interventions to improve the reproductive health of youth aged 10–19. The community-based intervention included sensitization on adolescent reproductive health for community and religious leaders, reaching parents through women’s groups, and education sessions led by peer educators using a life-skills curriculum. As part of the clinic-based intervention, providers and peer educators were trained to offer youth-friendly services. The school-based intervention trained teachers and peer educators to provide reproductive health information through a reproductive health curriculum tailored to in-school youth. The report concludes that reaching adolescents with reproductive health information is feasible despite the sensitive nature of this issue in Senegal’s socio-cultural context. A multi-agency partnership between the health department, the communities, the schools, and the media proved that the multisectoral approach is feasible when organized through an operational technical committee

Improving sexual and reproductive health of female adolescents in Bangladesh by providing information and services

There are 14 million female adolescents in Bangladesh. Half of them aged 15–19 years are married. A large majority of adolescents are ignorant about sexuality, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV and AIDS. Attempts to address the needs of the adolescents through the existing health and education systems have so far been inadequate despite relevant policies have been in place. The country is facing the challenge of implementing the policies in an effective manner. This study was carried out to assess the feasibility of providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services, and to assess its impact on knowledge, attitude and service utilization. A quasi-experimental design with pre-post measurements was used. Interventions included training of teachers, facilitators, and service providers for providing SRH information and services to adolescents in schools, communities, and health facilities respectively. Interventions resulted in a significant increase in the level of SRH knowledge among adolescents compared to the control site. Adolescents who were exposed to the interventions showed more favorable attitudes towards use of health facility for contraceptives services and use of condom by unmarried sexually active adolescents than the non-exposed in the experimental sites. This was also translated into the increased use of health facilities for SRH services