Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Community Health Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 19 of 19

Full-Text Articles in Community Health

Exploring Community Health Worker Roles, Support, And Experiences In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In Kenya, Frontline Health Project Apr 2021

Exploring Community Health Worker Roles, Support, And Experiences In The Context Of The Covid-19 Pandemic In Kenya, Frontline Health Project

Reproductive Health

This brief presents quantitative results from a mixed-methods study conducted by Population Council Kenya which explores the experiences and roles of community health workers (CHWs) during COVID-19. The results indicate that CHWs are carrying out their routine work at higher levels, with increased responsibilities due to COVID-19.


Scales To Measure Motivation Among Community Health Workers, And Trust And Empowerment Among Their Clients: A Guide, Frontline Health Project Nov 2020

Scales To Measure Motivation Among Community Health Workers, And Trust And Empowerment Among Their Clients: A Guide, Frontline Health Project

Reproductive Health

This How-To Guide presents five multi-item scales to measure motivation among community health workers (CHWs), as well as clients' trust in CHWs, and empowerment within community health systems. The scales presented are intended for use in community health programs and in combination with other indicators in the CHW Performance Measurement Framework (published by the Frontline Health project in 2019) for routine data monitoring to improve quality and accountability in community health.


Best Bets For Accelerating Family Planning In Pakistan: Invest In Community Health Workers, Ali M. Mir, Kiren Khan Aug 2020

Best Bets For Accelerating Family Planning In Pakistan: Invest In Community Health Workers, Ali M. Mir, Kiren Khan

Reproductive Health

Integration of trained, equipped, and supported community health workers (CHWs) within a health system is recognized as a proven high impact practice for family planning (FP) services, with evidence from around the world confirming the need to complement facility-based FP services with CHW programs, particularly in areas where people’s access to health care is limited. There is also substantial evidence that delivering essential health services through CHWs can be cost-effective in a diversity of contexts, with a review of FP programs in 10 developing countries revealing that the average cost per couple-year of protection (CYP) was considerably lower among programs …


Strengthening In-Service Training And Continuing Education (Ist/Ce) For Frontline Health Workers For Bauchi And Cross River States, Ekechi Okereke, Godwin Unumeri, Ibrahim Suleiman, Aisha Jibril Jan 2019

Strengthening In-Service Training And Continuing Education (Ist/Ce) For Frontline Health Workers For Bauchi And Cross River States, Ekechi Okereke, Godwin Unumeri, Ibrahim Suleiman, Aisha Jibril

Reproductive Health

This brief details Council efforts to develop effective, and costed, in-service training and continuing education modules for frontline health workers in Bauchi and Cross River states in Nigeria. This project was funded by WHO to aid the training and development of Nigeria's public health worker sector.


Population Council's Support For Nigeria's Third National Human Resources For Health Conference And Efforts To Institutionalize Hrh Conferences In Nigeria, Ekechi Okereke, Godwin Unumeri, Ibrahim Suleiman, Aisha Jibril Jan 2019

Population Council's Support For Nigeria's Third National Human Resources For Health Conference And Efforts To Institutionalize Hrh Conferences In Nigeria, Ekechi Okereke, Godwin Unumeri, Ibrahim Suleiman, Aisha Jibril

Reproductive Health

This project brief describes the Population Council's partnership efforts with public health stakeholders in Nigeria to plan and host a third national conference for provision of necessary and relevant information on critical health issues to health staff and stakeholders throughout Nigeria.


Introduction Of Emergency Contraceptive Pills (Ecps) Through Lady Health Workers (Lhws) Program In Pakistan: Findings Of An Evaluation Study, Arshad Mahmood, Yasir Bin Nisar Jan 2012

Introduction Of Emergency Contraceptive Pills (Ecps) Through Lady Health Workers (Lhws) Program In Pakistan: Findings Of An Evaluation Study, Arshad Mahmood, Yasir Bin Nisar

Reproductive Health

This report documents the findings from a five-day study tour of Pakistani officials to Bangladesh, organized by the Population Council, to afford an opportunity for representatives of both the Ministry of Health and Population Welfare to learn from the experience of Bangladesh in introducing emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) through their National Public Health System. One of the recommendations was to enhance the availability of emergency contraception in Pakistan by making it available through outlets of the health system, especially through the network of the community-based Lady Health Workers (LHWs). There is a high unmet need for ECP in LHW areas, …


Critical Issues For Integrating Srh And Hiv/Aids Services To Provide Dual Protection Against Unintended Pregnancy And Hiv/Sti Acquisition, Population Council Jan 2012

Critical Issues For Integrating Srh And Hiv/Aids Services To Provide Dual Protection Against Unintended Pregnancy And Hiv/Sti Acquisition, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This document reports on a one-day symposium that was held by the STEP UP (Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy) Research Program Consortium, coordinated by the Population Council. STEP UP generates policy-relevant research to promote an evidence-based approach for improving access to family planning and safe abortion in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, and Senegal. The symposium’s objectives were to review and discuss critical and emerging issues around integrating SRH and HIV and AIDS services to enable dual protection, including new directions in dual protection technology and behaviour change interventions. The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the programmatic …


Replication Of The Community Mobilization For Postabortion Care (Commpac) Model In Naivasha District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya: An Evaluation Report, Chi-Chi Undie, Francis Obare, Saumya Ramarao Jan 2012

Replication Of The Community Mobilization For Postabortion Care (Commpac) Model In Naivasha District, Rift Valley Province, Kenya: An Evaluation Report, Chi-Chi Undie, Francis Obare, Saumya Ramarao

Reproductive Health

The Population Council’s RESPOND project worked with districts and communities in Kenya to: strengthen service delivery points to provide postabortion care (PAC) services; conduct community mobilization to improve involvement in and knowledge of the prevention and treatment of postabortion complications; build community capacity to address needs related to PAC; and encourage involvement in community action of those most marginalized and most affected by postabortion complications. The program succeeded at increasing knowledge of critical danger signs; enabling providers to effectively offer PAC services; and raising awareness of PAC, among other goals. The intervention was less successful in increasing FP knowledge, current …


Using Evidence To Improve Primary Health Care In Thai Nguyen Province, Population Council Jan 2011

Using Evidence To Improve Primary Health Care In Thai Nguyen Province, Population Council

Reproductive Health

In partnership with a number of local stakeholders, the Population Council Viet Nam is working to improve the evidence base available to health authorities and to use that evidence to improve health in Thai Nguyen Province. Building on cooperation between the Population Council and the Thai Nguyen Health Department, the project detailed in this report has three main elements: 1) developing a computerized information system to generate regular reports; 2) supporting research in the province to better understand health problems, health-seeking behavior, and health services; and 3) increasing the capability of managers and providers to better use the evidence generated. …


Initial Assessment Of Community Midwives In Rural Pakistan, Abdul Wajid, Zubaida Rashid, Ali M. Mir Jan 2010

Initial Assessment Of Community Midwives In Rural Pakistan, Abdul Wajid, Zubaida Rashid, Ali M. Mir

Reproductive Health

The goal of this Population Council study, funded by USAID through the Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN) project, was to assess the potential of community midwifery services in rural Pakistan in order to provide necessary evidence for future decisions regarding the training, practice, and placement of community midwives (CMWs). The introduction of a new cadre of skilled birth attendants is significant, especially at a time when Pakistan is working toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The report makes the following recommendations: 1) opportunities for practical training should be followed meticulously; 2) selection criteria should be revised especially for …


Process Evaluation Of Community Mobilization Activities, Zakir Hussain Shah Jan 2010

Process Evaluation Of Community Mobilization Activities, Zakir Hussain Shah

Reproductive Health

This report presents the findings of a process evaluation by the Population Council of community mobilization (CM) activities implemented under the PAIMAN project in Pakistan. PAIMAN developed a comprehensive communication, advocacy, and mobilization (CAM) strategy to increase knowledge and awareness of harmful practices among women and their family and to improve their health-seeking behaviors. The CAM roadmap acknowledges the importance of engaging communities in order to achieve behavior change and links clients with providers and services. The main objective of this evaluation was to assess the process of CM implementation and to identify its gaps in order to develop corrective …


Community Mobilization For Postabortion Care In Kenya: Baseline Evaluation Report, Chi-Chi Undie, Saumya Ramarao Jan 2010

Community Mobilization For Postabortion Care In Kenya: Baseline Evaluation Report, Chi-Chi Undie, Saumya Ramarao

Reproductive Health

Maternal health complications, including those arising from unsafe abortion and miscarriage, are a leading cause of morbidity among women in Kenya. These realities necessitate interventions to prevent unintended or unwanted pregnancies and to ensure access to quality care for women with postabortion complications. In response to this need, the RESPOND Project designed an intervention package aimed at increasing awareness and use of postabortion care (PAC) services and improving family planning, reproductive health, and maternal health outcomes. As part of the intervention, RESPOND works with districts and communities to: strengthen service delivery points to provide PAC services; conduct community mobilization to …


Training Institutions For Community Midwives In Pakistan: An Initial Assessment, Zakir Hussain Shah, Momina Salim, Mumraiz Khan Jan 2010

Training Institutions For Community Midwives In Pakistan: An Initial Assessment, Zakir Hussain Shah, Momina Salim, Mumraiz Khan

Reproductive Health

This study focuses on the training of community midwives (CMWs) in Pakistan, to specifically look at the institutions providing CMW training to see what resources (both physical and human resources) they had available and how these resources were being utilized. This study served as an early evaluation of the trainings and upgrades by the PAIMAN project, to assess how their interventions fared, and provides documentation for future decisions regarding the management, training, and practice of CMWs in Pakistan. As Pakistan transitions from a country with a high level of home births to a country where most births take place in …


Mainstreaming Emergency Contraception Pills In Kenya, Jill Keesbury, Monica Wanjiru, Katherine Maina Jan 2010

Mainstreaming Emergency Contraception Pills In Kenya, Jill Keesbury, Monica Wanjiru, Katherine Maina

Reproductive Health

To improve access to emergency contraception (ECP) and ensure that adequate information is provided to all users, the Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, the Population Council, and Population Services International-Kenya undertook a three-year effort to mainstream ECP in Kenya. This brief presents the results of this initiative and discusses strategies for further strengthening ECP provision. Kenya has emerged as a leader in ECP programming in the region and has demonstrated that it is possible to strengthen ECP services in both the public and private sectors while at the same time increasing public awareness, knowledge, and use of the …


Ensuring Community Participation In Mch/Fp Activities: Lessons Learned From A Pilot Project, Abbas Bhuiya, Ubaidur Rob, Maruf Rabban Quaderi Jan 1998

Ensuring Community Participation In Mch/Fp Activities: Lessons Learned From A Pilot Project, Abbas Bhuiya, Ubaidur Rob, Maruf Rabban Quaderi

Reproductive Health

Family planning (FP) and maternal and child health (MCH) in Bangladesh have achieved commendable success in the recent past, mostly through a large-scale government service-delivery system supported by donors and nongovernmental organizations. Although encouraged by this success, there was concern about programmatic, financial, and social sustainability of the program, including quality of services. It is now believed that most of these concerns will be taken care of if effective community participation can be ensured. A pilot project was initiated in 1997 in Anowara, a low-FP-performing area in rural Chittagong, with assistance from the Population Council. The main objective of the …


Community Participation In Health, Family Planning And Development Activities: A Review Of International Experiences, Abbas Bhuiya, Fatima Yasmin, Farida Begum, Ubaidur Rob Jan 1996

Community Participation In Health, Family Planning And Development Activities: A Review Of International Experiences, Abbas Bhuiya, Fatima Yasmin, Farida Begum, Ubaidur Rob

Reproductive Health

The family planning (FP)/maternal and child health (MCH) program in Bangladesh has achieved success in the recent past, mostly through a large-scale government service-delivery system with support and cooperation from donors and nongovernmental organizations. There is concern about the financial and social sustainability of the program. Other issues include achievement of replacement-level fertility within a stipulated period and improvement of MCH-FP service quality. It is widely believed that most of the concerns will be taken care of with effective community participation. Before activating community initiatives, it is worth carrying out action research. A literature review was completed from July to …


A Model Of Costs Of A Cbd Programme, Saumya Ramarao, John Townsend, M.E. Khan Jan 1995

A Model Of Costs Of A Cbd Programme, Saumya Ramarao, John Townsend, M.E. Khan

Reproductive Health

This study is a collaborative effort of the Population Council, New Delhi, and the Centre for Development and Population Activities, New Delhi. Cost analysis is an analytical tool that provides program managers and planners with information about existing and potential programs. Existing programs can be evaluated for efficiency and effectiveness, while the resource requirements of future programs can be estimated. In the context of family planning (FP) programs, cost analysis provides policymakers and program managers with sufficient data on efficient ways to meet the demand for FP services with available resources. As FP programs mature and requirements for the resources …


Lessons Learned From A Community-Based Distribution Programme In Rural Bihar, S. Parveen, M.E. Khan, John Townsend, Bella C. Patel Jan 1995

Lessons Learned From A Community-Based Distribution Programme In Rural Bihar, S. Parveen, M.E. Khan, John Townsend, Bella C. Patel

Reproductive Health

The state of Bihar in North India ranks near the bottom of the Indian states in terms of its demographic situation. The infant mortality rate as of 1991 was 69 per 1,000, and the contraceptive prevalence rate as of 1990 was 26 percent. Bihar ranks near the bottom among other states of India in almost all indicators of social and economic development. One reason for its low performance is weak management. Besides poverty, a poor communications network and lack of proper infrastructure further make the implementation of programs difficult. Workers have misconceptions about FP methods, and educational activities are poorly …


Employment-Based Family Planning Services, Placide Tapsoba, Ian Askew, J. Tunde Taylor Thomas, Sering Falu Njie, Momodou Jasseh Jan 1993

Employment-Based Family Planning Services, Placide Tapsoba, Ian Askew, J. Tunde Taylor Thomas, Sering Falu Njie, Momodou Jasseh

Reproductive Health

Although The Gambia Family Planning Association (GFPA) has always been interested in promoting contraceptive use in the Greater Banjul Area (GBA), insufficient funds and the need to prioritize program expansion in rural areas hindered this. The GFPA operates two clinics in GBA, open to few workers. The government has three Family Planning and Maternal and Child Health clinics in Banjul, also used by few workers. Factory managers, trade union leaders, and the GFPA believe that a well-organized family planning (FP) education and service delivery program could benefit employees and employers. This operations research study tested the feasibility of a work-based …