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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Acceptability And Feasibility Of Introducing Strengthened School-Based Sexual And Reproductive Health Information And Services In Accra, Ghana, Terence Adda-Balinia, Philip Teg-Nefaah Tabong, Maya Teye, Philip Baba Adongo, Placide Tapsoba, Harriet Birungi
Acceptability And Feasibility Of Introducing Strengthened School-Based Sexual And Reproductive Health Information And Services In Accra, Ghana, Terence Adda-Balinia, Philip Teg-Nefaah Tabong, Maya Teye, Philip Baba Adongo, Placide Tapsoba, Harriet Birungi
Reproductive Health
An initial study conducted by Population Council under the Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancies (STEP UP) project in 2012 assessed the knowledge and reproductive health needs of adolescents living in selected slums in Brong Ahafo and Greater Accra regions with the view of informing an improvement in adolescent sexual health (ASRH) programming in Ghana. The study concludes that stakeholders generally believed there was the need for enhanced adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in school as the present system of delivering these services were not sufficiently addressing ASRH needs. The use of trained psychologists and health workers was …
A State-Of-The-Art Synthesis On Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: What Do We Know Now?, Bettina Shell-Duncan, Reshma Naik, Charlotte Feldman-Jacobs
A State-Of-The-Art Synthesis On Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: What Do We Know Now?, Bettina Shell-Duncan, Reshma Naik, Charlotte Feldman-Jacobs
Reproductive Health
Efforts to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) are a rising priority on many national and global agendas. Thus it is imperative to have a clear understanding of the scale and scope of the practice, and where it occurs, as well as the dynamics of change and the broader context surrounding it. This state-of-the-art synthesis offers a snapshot of the most recent data available as of July 2016 and the most relevant contextual information on key FGM/C issues in clear, nontechnical language that can help inform policymakers, donors, program planners, and other key stakeholders. The data point to “hot spot” geographic …
Evidence To End Fgm/C: Research To Help Girls And Women Thrive, Population Council
Evidence To End Fgm/C: Research To Help Girls And Women Thrive, Population Council
Reproductive Health
This factsheet describes a new Population Council–led research program, funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, which will join the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on FGM/C: Accelerating Change and the Girl Generation in the Campaign to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) within One Generation. The program will generate high-quality evidence to influence strategic investment, policy, and programming to end FGM/C. This five-year program will work in 6–9 sub-Saharan African countries to dramatically expand the body of evidence on the most effective approaches to ending FGM/C. The research program will be organized around four themes: building the picture of where, …
Root Causes And Persistent Challenges In Accelerating The Abandonment Of Fgm/C, Jacinta Muteshi-Strachan
Root Causes And Persistent Challenges In Accelerating The Abandonment Of Fgm/C, Jacinta Muteshi-Strachan
Reproductive Health
No abstract provided.
Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence: A Guide For Trainers, Odongo Odiyo, Chi-Chi Undie, Margaret Mak'anyengo
Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence: A Guide For Trainers, Odongo Odiyo, Chi-Chi Undie, Margaret Mak'anyengo
Reproductive Health
This the first regional document devoted to building the capacity of providers to respond to intimate partner violence (IPV). The training guide is a follow-on initiative to the 6th Best Practices Forum in Health of the East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) Health Community, held in August 2012. This Forum brought to the fore research findings from the region centering on the acceptability and feasibility of IPV screening, and culminated in the passage of a resolution by Health Ministers that prescribes the integration of gender-based violence screening into healthcare settings in the ECSA region. This training guide responds to this …
Screening For Sexual And Gender-Based Violence In Emergency Settings In Uganda: An Assessment Of Feasibility, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi, Jane Harriet Namwebya, Wossen Taye, Lilian Maate, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Anne Katahoire, David Apollo Kazungu, Darlson Kusasira, Zahra Mirghani, Joanina Karugaba
Screening For Sexual And Gender-Based Violence In Emergency Settings In Uganda: An Assessment Of Feasibility, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi, Jane Harriet Namwebya, Wossen Taye, Lilian Maate, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Anne Katahoire, David Apollo Kazungu, Darlson Kusasira, Zahra Mirghani, Joanina Karugaba
Reproductive Health
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a global predicament to which over a third of women worldwide are exposed. Its negative consequences for reproductive, maternal, adolescent, and mental health are well-documented, however there is sparse evidence for the feasibility of SGBV screening interventions in emergency contexts. Employing a descriptive case study design, this study assessed the feasibility of implementing SGBV screening and referral protocols within health facilities in the emergency setting in Western Uganda. Providers from two health facilities were trained to screen female clients routinely for current exposure to intimate partner violence and lifetime exposure to nonpartner sexual violence. …
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Uganda (Brief #7), Population Council
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Uganda (Brief #7), Population Council
Reproductive Health
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in humanitarian contexts is recognized by the UN Refugee Agency as a global concern and as a priority in its programming. Crisis-affected populations often face multiple forms of SGBV at multiple time periods (during conflict, during flight from conflict, and within post-conflict settings). The Africa Regional SGBV Network, set up in 2006, is addressing SGBV in humanitarian contexts in East and Southern Africa. This Learning Brief is one in a series of two that share critical findings on effective responses to the issue in Uganda. This brief highlights the endline evaluation which measured the effectiveness …
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Zambia (Brief #5), Population Council
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Zambia (Brief #5), Population Council
Reproductive Health
Over a third of sexual violence cases reported at police stations and health facilities in Lusaka, Zambia from 2000–04 involved children ages 10–14, according to a 2009 Population Council review. National gender crime statistics show that 2,234 cases of defilement were reported to the police in Zambia in 2013 alone. In an attempt to ensure that child survivors receive the full range of both legal/justice and healthcare services, Zambia Police Service, the Ministry of Health, and the Population Council are working to operationalize Zambia’s National Guidelines for the Multidisciplinary Management of Survivors of Gender-Based Violence. This Learning Brief is one …
Progesterone Vaginal Ring: Beneficial Role In Supporting Breastfeeding, Population Council
Progesterone Vaginal Ring: Beneficial Role In Supporting Breastfeeding, Population Council
Reproductive Health
This brief provides evidence for the benefits of the Progesterone Vaginal Ring (PVR), as it supports (and even promotes) breastfeeding so that infants and children are well nourished, protected from a host of illnesses, and benefit from nursing that is uninterrupted by a pregnancy. In addition, the PVR enhances contraceptive protection for the mother so that she has ample time to recover from the previous pregnancy and delivery, while devoting her attention to the newly delivered baby. In this context, when breastfeeding has been recognized as a health behavior that impacts both mother and child and has the potential to …
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Bangladesh On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Bangladesh On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Maternal and newborn deaths due to pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are preventable, yet in Bangladesh PE/E is the second most common direct cause of maternal mortality, after postpartum hemorrhage. To appreciate the enormity of this problem, at national and district levels, in 2015 the Population Council conducted a landscape analysis in four districts. This brief details the findings on national policy awareness, service provider knowledge and skills, facility capacity and preparedness, and community knowledge and perceptions. The brief concludes with recommendations based on these findings.
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Kogi On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Kogi On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Maternal and newborn deaths due to pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E) are preventable, yet in Nigeria this is the most significant direct cause of maternal deaths. To appreciate the enormity of this problem at country and state levels, a landscape analysis was conducted by the Population Council in 2015 on PE/E in seven states in Nigeria. This brief presents results for the landscape analysis in Kogi. It is clear from the findings that at the state policy level, there is limited knowledge of what has been developed nationally; there is confusion about how policies, guidelines, and protocols reach not only the …
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Sokoto On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Sokoto On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Maternal and newborn deaths due to pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E) are preventable, yet in Nigeria this is the most significant direct cause of maternal deaths. To appreciate the enormity of this problem at country and state levels, a landscape analysis was conducted by the Population Council in 2015 on PE/E in seven states in Nigeria. This brief presents results for the landscape analysis in Sokoto. This landscape analysis identified the gaps in facilities’ and providers’ capacities for preventing, detecting, and managing PE/E. The brief concludes that a multi-pronged approach is required to address the systems issues that create barriers to …
Barriers To Fistula Repair In Nigeria: A Formative Study, Population Council
Barriers To Fistula Repair In Nigeria: A Formative Study, Population Council
Reproductive Health
A formative research study was conducted in Nigeria to better understand the barriers and enabling factors for fistula repair care delivery and access. This brief presents results from a literature review conducted to identify and understand the delays in accessing and receiving treatment and corresponding barriers, to document interventions that help to overcome barriers, and to specify gaps in the literature that require further research. The report concludes that women’s concern over healing and reintegration reflects their expectation that the holistic approach of hospitals will bring them back to normal life incorporating physical, sexual, psychosocial, and economic rehabilitation. Awareness, financial, …
Contraceptive Use Dynamics In India: Cohort Study Of Modern Spacing Contraceptive Users, Population Council
Contraceptive Use Dynamics In India: Cohort Study Of Modern Spacing Contraceptive Users, Population Council
Reproductive Health
This two-page activity brief provides an overview of the Evidence Project’s Contraceptive Use Dynamics in India activity. Modern contraceptive use in India has steadily increased, but remains heavily skewed toward female sterilization. Use of modern spacing methods such as injectables, the pill, and the IUCD is low, and discontinuation rates are high. Achieving the goal of expanding the method mix by increasing reliance on modern spacing methods, as laid out in India’s FP2020 commitment, requires understanding and addressing the reasons for discontinuation and for method switching (or non-switching), from both the users’ and the providers’ perspective.
Understanding Married Women's Vulnerability To Hiv Infection In Egypt: An Exploratory Study, Doaa Oraby, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab
Understanding Married Women's Vulnerability To Hiv Infection In Egypt: An Exploratory Study, Doaa Oraby, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab
Reproductive Health
This study examines the behavioral, sociocultural, economic, programmatic, and legal factors that aggravate Egyptian women’s vulnerabilities to HIV/AIDS. The study concludes that in low-prevalence settings like Egypt, targeted interventions are the most strategic and cost-effective: for example, HIV awareness-raising with a special focus on the preventive role of consistent, correct condom use, and creating a cadre of peers that could provide psychosocial support and HIV counseling to migrant workers. Furthermore, premarital and antenatal care programs should include HIV awareness-raising and provider-initiated counseling and testing after screening of women to identify those at risk for HIV infection. Concurrently, efforts should be …
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Swaziland (Brief #3), Population Council
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Swaziland (Brief #3), Population Council
Reproductive Health
Nearly half of girls aged 13–24 in Swaziland suffer some form of sexual violence, according to the country’s 2007 Violence Against Children (VAC) survey. About 10 percent of girls reported experiencing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in school in particular. The Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) is recognized as Swaziland’s leading SGBV prevention, response, and advocacy organization. This Learning Brief describes how SWAGAA is tackling SGBV in schools in three different ways: 1) helping girls take more control of their school experience through a new self-efficacy module in the Girls’ Empowerment Clubs; 2) encouraging girls, and giving them the …
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Uganda (Brief #6), Population Council
The Africa Regional Sgbv Network Learning Brief Series: Learning Updates From Uganda (Brief #6), Population Council
Reproductive Health
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in humanitarian contexts is recognized by the UN Refugee Agency as a global concern and as a priority in its programming. Crisis-affected populations often face multiple forms of SGBV at multiple time periods (during conflict, during flight from conflict, and within post-conflict settings). The Africa Regional SGBV Network, set up in 2006, is addressing SGBV in humanitarian contexts in East and Southern Africa. This Learning Brief is one in a series of two that share critical findings on effective responses to the issue in Uganda. This brief notes that relatively higher screening, disclosure, referral, and …
Assessing Maternal And Newborn Health Commodities In Bangladesh, Population Council
Assessing Maternal And Newborn Health Commodities In Bangladesh, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children aims to increase access to 13 commodities in 50 countries. As part of this global effort, the Population Council conducted a landscape analysis in Bangladesh to review policies, guidelines, availability, and use of these commodities. The landscaping exercise had two objectives: 1) to provide a comprehensive description of maternal and newborn health (MNH) commodity issues from policy to point of care; and 2) to engage stakeholders in rolling out the UN Commission recommendations. Based on its findings the analysis recommends: stronger advocacy with pharmaceutical companies to manufacture a single loading …
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Ebonyi On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Findings From Landscape Analysis In Ebonyi On Pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Maternal and newborn deaths due to pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E) are preventable, yet in Nigeria this is the most significant direct cause of maternal deaths. To appreciate the enormity of this problem at country and state levels, a landscape analysis was conducted by the Population Council in 2015 on PE/E in seven states in Nigeria. This brief presents results for the landscape analysis in Ebonyi which identified the gaps in facilities’ and providers’ capacities for preventing, detecting, and managing PE/E; assessing community awareness, beliefs, and experiences of PE/E; and determined priority areas for research and programs to improve access to …
A Systematic Review Of The Treatment And Management Of Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Pakistan, Saleem Shaikh, Ali M. Mir
A Systematic Review Of The Treatment And Management Of Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Pakistan, Saleem Shaikh, Ali M. Mir
Reproductive Health
Pakistan is one of the six countries that account for more than 50 percent of the world’s maternal deaths. According to Population Council estimates, each year nearly 8.6 million women become pregnant in the country. Of these, 1.2 million women are likely to face obstetric complications. Each year, there are nearly 14,000 pregnancy-related deaths. Information is lacking on context-specific health-system barriers that prevent optimal use of the lifesaving medicine magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) in Pakistan. Although efforts in Pakistan both at the national and subnational level are ongoing on the prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E), results are generally …
Building A National Pro-Choice Alliance In Mexico: Evaluation Of The Alliance Media Campaign To Promote Access To Safe, Free, And Legal Abortion Services, Population Council
Building A National Pro-Choice Alliance In Mexico: Evaluation Of The Alliance Media Campaign To Promote Access To Safe, Free, And Legal Abortion Services, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council and Alliance partners designed a legal abortion media campaign aimed at informing women in Mexico City of their legal right to a safe, free elective abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The impetus for the campaign was the apparent lack of knowledge regarding the legality of abortion in Mexico City among low-income, marginalized women of reproductive age combined with the inadequate number of Mexico City Ministry of Health facilities equipped to provide services to women living in an expansive metropolitan area such as Mexico City. This brief presents results of an evaluation that show that …
Using The Community Informant Based (Made-In And Made-For) Methodology For Estimating Maternal Mortality Ratio (Mmr) In Districts Haripur And Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Population Council
Using The Community Informant Based (Made-In And Made-For) Methodology For Estimating Maternal Mortality Ratio (Mmr) In Districts Haripur And Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Through its Reproductive Maternal and Neonatal Child Health project, GIZ Pakistan is assisting the Government of Pakistan in strengthening its health system’s capacities for ensuring effective, efficient, client-oriented, and affordable reproductive, maternal, newborn, and adolescent health care. GIZ engaged with senior national and provincial government officials who indicated their interest in applying the innovative Made-In/Made-For (Maternal Death, from Informants/Maternal Death, Follow On Review) methodology, a cost-effective alternative for generating reliable estimates of maternal mortality through community-based informant networks. This Population Council study in two pilot districts identified specific areas that need strong policy and programmatic interventions to improve maternal health …
Understanding Fertility Regulation Strategies Among Educated Women In Accra, Cicely Marston, Alicia Renedo, Gertrude Nyaaba, Kazuyo Machiyama, Placide Tapsoba
Understanding Fertility Regulation Strategies Among Educated Women In Accra, Cicely Marston, Alicia Renedo, Gertrude Nyaaba, Kazuyo Machiyama, Placide Tapsoba
Reproductive Health
In Ghana fertility is declining, especially among urban educated women, yet according to the Ghana DHS, use of modern family planning methods fell between 2003 and 2014 in Greater Accra, particularly among better-educated and urban women. Recent studies have shown strong resistance to hormonal methods, reportedly because of fear of side effects. This study aimed to understand fertility regulation strategies among educated women in Accra using a qualitative, exploratory approach. Use of different methods was bound up in women’s modern identities and their attempts to meet the demands of modern urban life (get a good education and a professional, well-paid …
Landscape Analysis Of The Family Planning Situation In Pakistan, Population Council
Landscape Analysis Of The Family Planning Situation In Pakistan, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Pakistan faces a number of challenges to increasing modern contraceptive use. Although there are encouraging signs, such as improved male participation, the addition of about four million current FP users, from 2007 to 2013, and a responsive policy environment with demonstrated political and financial commitment to meeting the country’s FP2020 goals, the task that lies ahead is still huge. This report presents the findings of a landscape analysis of family planning (FP) in Pakistan by the Population Council in 2015 and 2016, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This landscape analysis assesses both demand and supply side …
Scaling Up Family Planning In Zambia—Part 2: The Cost Of Scaling Up Family Planning Services, David Collins, Colin Gilmartin
Scaling Up Family Planning In Zambia—Part 2: The Cost Of Scaling Up Family Planning Services, David Collins, Colin Gilmartin
Reproductive Health
This costing study is Part 2 of a broader implementation research study designed to establish the feasibility of integrating successful interventions and lessons from the Scaling Up Family Planning (SUFP) project into Zambia’s health system at the conclusion of the project, and to contribute to the global learning on scaling up family planning services. The main contribution of the costing study was to examine the cost implications in determining the scope and pace of scale up. Challenges experienced during the project reportedly included lack of equipment and limited space in some facilities, government staff shortages, and irregular access to supplies …
Evidence To End Fgm/C Research Programme: Presentation At The Sixtieth Session Of The Un Commission On The Status Of Women, Jacinta Muteshi-Strachan
Evidence To End Fgm/C Research Programme: Presentation At The Sixtieth Session Of The Un Commission On The Status Of Women, Jacinta Muteshi-Strachan
Reproductive Health
No abstract provided.
Effectiveness Of A Community-Based Sgbv Prevention Model In Emergency Settings In Uganda: Testing The 'Zero Tolerance Village Alliance' Intervention, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi, Francis Obare, George Odwe, Jane Harriet Namwebya, Paul Orikushaba, Prosmolly Ayebale, William Onen, Fiona Nicholson, Rachel Chisinga-Francis, Peter Netshabako, Anne Katahoire, David Apollo Kazungu, Darlson Kusasira, Zahra Mirghani, Joanina Karugaba
Effectiveness Of A Community-Based Sgbv Prevention Model In Emergency Settings In Uganda: Testing The 'Zero Tolerance Village Alliance' Intervention, Chi-Chi Undie, Harriet Birungi, Francis Obare, George Odwe, Jane Harriet Namwebya, Paul Orikushaba, Prosmolly Ayebale, William Onen, Fiona Nicholson, Rachel Chisinga-Francis, Peter Netshabako, Anne Katahoire, David Apollo Kazungu, Darlson Kusasira, Zahra Mirghani, Joanina Karugaba
Reproductive Health
Although sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is recognized as a growing problem in emergency settings, and the highest number of forcibly displaced people in recorded history were reported by UNHCR in 2015, evaluations of primary SGBV prevention models in these contexts have remained sparse. This study assessed the effectiveness of implementing a community-based SGBV prevention—the ‘Zero Tolerance Village Alliance’ intervention—in Western Uganda. The study demonstrated that the model is an effective means of fostering SGBV prevention in emergency settings. It proved to be particularly effective in: moderating negative gender attitudes and beliefs related to SGBV; positively changing perceptions of community …
Health Impacts Of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Synthesis Of The Evidence, Samuel Kimani, Jacinta Muteshi-Strachan, Carolyne Njue
Health Impacts Of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Synthesis Of The Evidence, Samuel Kimani, Jacinta Muteshi-Strachan, Carolyne Njue
Reproductive Health
The Africa Coordinating Centre for the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, with support from the Population Council, sought to synthesize the evidence on the health impacts of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), identify recommended interventions, and compile and analyze the existing reference materials. The goal of this review is to inform the development of a comprehensive set of training guidelines and materials for frontline healthcare providers so they can manage the care of women and girls who have undergone FGM/C, prevent the practice at the community level, and accelerate abandonment of FGM/C practices. This analysis underscores the health impacts associated with …
Scaling Up Family Planning In Zambia—Part 1: Assessment And Feasibility Of Maintaining An Innovative Program, Benjamin Bellows, Mary Nambao, Luigi Jaramillo, Roz Fanaiayan, Mardieh Dennis, Karen Hardee
Scaling Up Family Planning In Zambia—Part 1: Assessment And Feasibility Of Maintaining An Innovative Program, Benjamin Bellows, Mary Nambao, Luigi Jaramillo, Roz Fanaiayan, Mardieh Dennis, Karen Hardee
Reproductive Health
To support the Government of Zambia in addressing its reproductive health challenges and in meeting its goals for 2020, the United Kingdom Department for International Development funded a four-year effort to support public sector contraceptive expansion under the Scaling Up Family Planning (SUFP) Project, led by Abt Associates. Launched in 2012, and with a focus on hard-to-reach areas and youth and expanding access to long-acting reversible contraceptives, SUFP was a technical assistance program designed to strengthen the ability of the public sector to provide services to meet the country’s FP2020 goals. SUFP focused on capacity building, infrastructure strengthening, behavior change …
Fact Sheet—How Does Quality Of Care Relate To A Rights-Based Approach To Family Planning Programs?, Jan Kumar
Fact Sheet—How Does Quality Of Care Relate To A Rights-Based Approach To Family Planning Programs?, Jan Kumar
Reproductive Health
Because policymakers are challenged by numerous, overlapping definitions of quality of care, with uncertainty about which to adopt, there is a need for common understanding of each construct and its contribution to family planning (FP). This factsheet describes several definitions of quality in health care that are widely accepted. It concludes that improving and assuring quality of care is a legal, ethical, and practical imperative, and is instrumental in achieving outcomes that benefit women, children, and programs. If donors embrace, fund, and hold governments accountable to the fullness of a rights-based approach for FP with an explicit focus on assuring …