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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Fertility Transitions In Kenya And Ghana: Trends, Determinants And Implications For Policy And Programs, Ian Askew, Baker Ndugga Maggwa, Francis Onyango
Fertility Transitions In Kenya And Ghana: Trends, Determinants And Implications For Policy And Programs, Ian Askew, Baker Ndugga Maggwa, Francis Onyango
Reproductive Health
The literature on fertility transitions in the sub-Saharan Africa region suggests that an early transition was observed across nearly all age groups, socioeconomic groups, and countries. This workshop report analyzes fertility transitions in Ghana and Kenya which are influenced by a multiplicity of factors, with marked similarities and differences between each country. Paradoxically, these analyses and critiques of policy and programming experiences suggest that, if enabling women and couples to achieve their wanted fertility rates within a rights-based approach that reduces inequities as well as reducing TFR toward replacement level are the goals of a national family planning program, then …
Family Planning Policy, Program, And Practice Decisionmaking: The Role Of Research Evidence And Other Factors, Karen Hardee, Kelsey Wright, Joanne Spicehandler
Family Planning Policy, Program, And Practice Decisionmaking: The Role Of Research Evidence And Other Factors, Karen Hardee, Kelsey Wright, Joanne Spicehandler
Reproductive Health
Current attention to increasing access to family planning has increased focus on ensuring that policy, programming, and practice are “evidence-based.” This paper seeks to answer when, what types, and how evidence is used in decision-making related to family planning. Views of what constitutes evidence need to be more aligned: researchers should understand that “evidence-based” does not only mean “research evidence-based” to decision-makers; and decision-makers must understand the value of robust research evidence among other evidence they consider when making decisions. Decision-makers appreciate research but it is only one factor they take into consideration—and may not be the most influential factor …
Landscape Analysis On Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Bangladesh, Charlotte E. Warren, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Rahat Ara Nur, Kanij Sultana, Karen Kirk, Amy Dempsey
Landscape Analysis On Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Bangladesh, Charlotte E. Warren, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Rahat Ara Nur, Kanij Sultana, Karen Kirk, Amy Dempsey
Reproductive Health
Globally more than 800 women die every day from preventable complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, and 99 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries. Every day approximately 7,200 babies are stillborn. Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E) contribute significantly to these mortalities. Eclampsia is the second most common direct cause of maternal death in Bangladesh followed by post-partum hemorrhage. Through the Ending Eclampsia project, the Population Council is seeking to expand access to proven, underutilized interventions and commodities for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of PE/E. In resource-poor countries, particularly Bangladesh, magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) for management of severe PE/E, …
Learning From Women About Hiv Risk, Hiv Testing Behaviors, And Prevention Practices In Mpumalanga, South Africa: A Descriptive Study To Inform Microbicides Introduction, Martha Brady, Saiqa Mullick, Barbara Friedland, Marlena Gehret Plagianos, Linda Du Plessis, Thabiso Mango
Learning From Women About Hiv Risk, Hiv Testing Behaviors, And Prevention Practices In Mpumalanga, South Africa: A Descriptive Study To Inform Microbicides Introduction, Martha Brady, Saiqa Mullick, Barbara Friedland, Marlena Gehret Plagianos, Linda Du Plessis, Thabiso Mango
HIV and AIDS
The provision of any new prevention product in clinical trial settings is often vastly different from implementation in “real life” public sector settings. In addition, use of antiretrovirals (ARV), such as tenofovir gel, for pre-exposure prophylaxis requires regular HIV testing to ensure users are uninfected before initiating and continuing product use. Therefore, before any ARV-based prevention product can be introduced to women, information is needed on HIV testing practices, how best to integrate products into existing primary health care systems, and women’s risk perception and health-seeking behaviors. The Population Council, in partnership with Solutions IPPT, conducted a study to learn …
Delivering Contraceptive Vaginal Rings—Task Shifting And Task Sharing In The Delivery Of Family Planning Services: Experiences From Kenya, Wilson Liambila, Saumya Ramarao, Heather Clark
Delivering Contraceptive Vaginal Rings—Task Shifting And Task Sharing In The Delivery Of Family Planning Services: Experiences From Kenya, Wilson Liambila, Saumya Ramarao, Heather Clark
Reproductive Health
This report describes the task-shifting and task-sharing policies and experiences relevant to the provision of family planning (FP) services in Kenya and the potential place for contraceptive vaginal rings. The feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptability of mid- and lower-level providers in the provision of FP services is documented. The report highlights how the provision of integrated RH/FP/HIV services could be delivered by various levels in the national health care system through task-sharing. Opportunities for facilitating delivery of the Population Council’s Progesterone Contraceptive Vaginal Ring (PCVR) within the national health care system in Kenya are also described. Kenya has in place policies …
Delivering Contraceptive Vaginal Rings: Review Of Postpartum And Postnatal Care Programs In Nigeria, Godwin Unumeri, Salisu Mohammed Ishaku
Delivering Contraceptive Vaginal Rings: Review Of Postpartum And Postnatal Care Programs In Nigeria, Godwin Unumeri, Salisu Mohammed Ishaku
Reproductive Health
Postpartum family planning is a major component of postpartum care services. The Population Council is working to introduce an additional method of contraception in Nigeria—the Progesterone Contraceptive Vaginal Ring (PCVR). The PCVR is administered vaginally but acts systemically to inhibit ovulation. The PCVR contains natural progesterone and is meant for breastfeeding women to augment lactational amenorrhea. As the Council conducts a series of activities as a prelude to eventual introduction of the PCVR in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, the detailed evaluation of the postpartum program environment is very important. Understanding the prevailing postpartum and postnatal care landscapes will be crucial …
Expanding The Role Of Research Evidence In Family Planning Policy, Program, And Practice Decisionmaking, Karen Hardee, Kelsey Wright
Expanding The Role Of Research Evidence In Family Planning Policy, Program, And Practice Decisionmaking, Karen Hardee, Kelsey Wright
Reproductive Health
This working paper focuses on the emerging knowledge translation literature to provide lessons learned on ways to increase the role that evidence plays in decision-making for family planning and reproductive health policies, programs, and practices. It is part of a larger synthesis of the literature that explores what “evidence” means, what types of evidence policymakers, program managers, and implementers seek when facing implementation decisions, and how evidence relates to other factors that influence decision-making. This paper and the larger synthesis are based on a literature search whose objective was to locate references on evidence-based policy in health or social science, …
Delivering Contraceptive Vaginal Rings: Review Of Postpartum Service Packages In Kenya, Wilson Liambila, Saumya Ramarao, Heather Clark
Delivering Contraceptive Vaginal Rings: Review Of Postpartum Service Packages In Kenya, Wilson Liambila, Saumya Ramarao, Heather Clark
Reproductive Health
The postnatal period is a critical phase in the lives of mothers and newborn babies. Most maternal and infant deaths occur during this time, yet this is the most neglected period for the coverage and provision of quality care. The building blocks of the WHO health systems model were applied in describing the status and health system structures that support the provision of postpartum and postnatal care (PNC) services in Kenya. Many opportunities exist for facilitating the delivery of the Population Council’s Progesterone Contraceptive Vaginal Rings (PCVR) within PNC services in Kenya, such as integration with other primary health care …
How Does Quality Of Care Relate To A Rights-Based Approach To Family Planning Programs?, Jan Kumar
How Does Quality Of Care Relate To A Rights-Based Approach To Family Planning Programs?, Jan Kumar
Reproductive Health
Quality of care has long been a pillar of health care in general and family planning programs in particular. However, the theme has been getting less attention in recent years and its meaning has gotten blurred, confusing the discourse and what it is donors and governments should invest in and monitor. This paper compares definitions of quality and contrasts them with the essentials of a rights-based approach. It aims to create common understanding of what these terms mean, where they overlap, and how they differ. In its conclusion, this paper argues in favor of adopting the broader construct of rights-based …
Arv-Based Hiv Prevention For Women: State Of The Science And Considerations For Implementation In Zimbabwe. Report From A Provider Workshop, Population Council
Arv-Based Hiv Prevention For Women: State Of The Science And Considerations For Implementation In Zimbabwe. Report From A Provider Workshop, Population Council
HIV and AIDS
This report provides an overview of the presentations and discussions emerging from a Provider Workshop on ARV-Based HIV Prevention for Women: State of the Science and Considerations for Implementation in Zimbabwe convened by the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Population Council in Harare in May 2014. The workshop in Zimbabwe is part of a broader global process to begin paving the path for microbicides introduction while awaiting the results of the ongoing confirmatory trial (FACTS 001) of tenofovir gel in South Africa. USAID is spearheading a global effort toward a “Shared Vision and Strategic Plan for Microbicide …
Participatory Research Results From Training With The Mabinti Tushike Hatamu Out-Of-School Girls Program: Tanzania 2015, Kelly Hallman, Ilan Cerna-Turoff, Neema Matee
Participatory Research Results From Training With The Mabinti Tushike Hatamu Out-Of-School Girls Program: Tanzania 2015, Kelly Hallman, Ilan Cerna-Turoff, Neema Matee
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The Mabinti Tushike Hatamu (Girls let’s be leaders!) program is designed to test and evaluate strategies for reducing the vulnerability of out-of-school adolescent girls in Tanzania aged 10–19 years to HIV/AIDS, pregnancy, and unfavorable life outcomes. MTH is led by the Tanzania AIDS Commission, implemented by Restless Development, and supported by UNICEF. The Population Council developed a strategy for Restless Development to capture the richness of its activities. The Council designed a training session and a companion toolkit in participatory action research for community volunteers, aged 19–23 years, to use within their girl groups. This report describes the findings from …