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Population Council

2007

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Articles 91 - 112 of 112

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Day Of Dialogue—Insights And Evidence From Product Introduction: Lessons For Microbicides, Martha Brady, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory Jan 2007

Day Of Dialogue—Insights And Evidence From Product Introduction: Lessons For Microbicides, Martha Brady, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

HIV and AIDS

This report summarizes key issues and themes emerging from a Population Council Day of Dialogue held in March 2007. The Council convened this meeting of experts in the fields of product development, introduction, and social marketing; clinical trials; and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in order to identify key features that can be used to guide efforts to introduce microbicides.

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Community-Based Approaches To Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Hiv: Findings From A Low-Income Community In Kenya, Susan Kaai, Carolyn Baek, Scott Geibel, Peter Omondi, Benson Ulo, Grace Muthumbi, Carol Nkatha, Naomi Rutenberg Jan 2007

Community-Based Approaches To Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Hiv: Findings From A Low-Income Community In Kenya, Susan Kaai, Carolyn Baek, Scott Geibel, Peter Omondi, Benson Ulo, Grace Muthumbi, Carol Nkatha, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

The Horizons program, in partnership with International Medical Corps and Steadman Research Services International, conducted an intervention study in Kibera, an urban slum in Nairobi, Kenya to determine what effect three different community-based activities had on utilization of key prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services. The interventions included moving services closer to the population via mobile clinics, as well as increasing psychosocial support through the use of traditional birth attendants and peer counselors as PMTCT promoters. Data from the study showed that there were positive trends during the study period in most of the PMTCT indicators, including knowledge of MTCT, …

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Key Findings From An Evaluation Of The Mothers2mothers Program In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Carolyn Baek, Vuyiswa Mathambo, Sibongile Mkhize, Irwin Friedman, Louis Apicella, Naomi Rutenberg Jan 2007

Key Findings From An Evaluation Of The Mothers2mothers Program In Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, Carolyn Baek, Vuyiswa Mathambo, Sibongile Mkhize, Irwin Friedman, Louis Apicella, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

The Horizons program of Population Council, in collaboration with Health Systems Trust, completed the first evaluation of mothers2mothers (m2m) as part of its introduction in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. It is the first external evaluation that provides quantitative evidence about the role of the well-known m2m program in complementing services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT). m2m is a peer support program that aims to provide education and psychosocial support to HIV-positive pregnant women and new mothers, help women access existing health care, and follow up with mothers and babies to ensure they receive appropriate medical care after delivery. …

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Kenya: Begin Community Dialogue On Fgm/C By Discussing Cultural Justification, Frontiers In Reproductive Health Jan 2007

Kenya: Begin Community Dialogue On Fgm/C By Discussing Cultural Justification, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Female genital cutting is strongly supported among the Somali ethnic community in Kenya, and the severest form (infibulation) is primarily practiced. This type of cut is associated with increased incidence and seriousness of obstetric and gynecological problems relative to uncut women and those with less severe forms of FGM/C. As stated in this brief, efforts to encourage abandonment should begin with community discussion about the socio-cultural reasons for cutting. Simultaneously, health-care providers need training in how to manage complications of FGM/C. In 2004, FRONTIERS collaborated with UNICEF on a four-month diagnostic study on FGM/C practices among the Somali community in …

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South Africa: Youth Centers: A Costly Way To Provide Reproductive Health Services, Frontiers In Reproductive Health Jan 2007

South Africa: Youth Centers: A Costly Way To Provide Reproductive Health Services, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Numerous reproductive health programs sponsor youth centers, which provide recreation and job-skills training as a means of attracting young people to seek reproductive health services or information. However, the productivity, cost, and cost-effectiveness of this approach are not clearly documented. In 2000, FRONTIERS conducted a cost analysis as part of a larger study on the effectiveness of three different youth center models in South Africa. The study focused on 8 of the 12 centers included in the larger study, chosen to be representative of each model. All the selected centers offered clinical services, seven also offered reproductive health information or …

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Guatemala: On-Site Training And Outreach Increases Demand For And Provision Of Vasectomy, Frontiers In Reproductive Health Jan 2007

Guatemala: On-Site Training And Outreach Increases Demand For And Provision Of Vasectomy, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

About one-third of Guatemalan women use modern contraceptives and half of these use female sterilization. Despite the strong demand for permanent methods, vasectomy is used by less than 1 percent of all couples. An ineffective service introduction model contributes to the low use of vasectomy. In the traditional model, doctors are sent to a hospital (often abroad) where a relatively high number of vasectomies are performed, and the trainee performs at least five supervised vasectomies. In their home practice, however, trained doctors frequently find a low demand and, unable to routinely perform vasectomies, soon lose their enthusiasm and surgical skills. …

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Exploring The Choices Of Contraception And Abortion Among Married Couples In Tret, Rural Punjab, Pakistan, Muhammad Shafique Arif, Iram Kamran Jan 2007

Exploring The Choices Of Contraception And Abortion Among Married Couples In Tret, Rural Punjab, Pakistan, Muhammad Shafique Arif, Iram Kamran

Reproductive Health

In Pakistan, the contraceptive prevalence rate is 28 percent, unmet need for family planning services is 33 percent, and unwanted pregnancies are on the rise. A national study showed a fairly high induced abortion rate of 29 per 1,000 married women of reproductive age, and 1 out of 6 pregnancies resulted in induced abortion. This study explored how contraception and induced abortion are perceived as options for avoiding unwanted births by Pakistani men and women, to what extent they deliberately choose one over the other, and the language they use to talk about reproductive behavior decision-making. As noted in this …

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Poverty And Fertility: Evidence And Agenda, Sajeda Amin, John B. Casterline, Laura Spess Jan 2007

Poverty And Fertility: Evidence And Agenda, Sajeda Amin, John B. Casterline, Laura Spess

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This paper explores how poverty affects childbearing patterns in the contemporary developing world. In considering the association between poverty and fertility, we explore one measure of economic status, household asset holdings, in Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 51 countries since 1990. The results show that the association between poverty and fertility differs according to the measure of fertility considered. We conclude there is much to be gained from distinguishing between the impact of poverty on fertility aspirations and the implementation of those aspirations.

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The Role Of Schools In Promoting Sexual And Reproductive Health Among Adolescents In Developing Countries, Cynthia B. Lloyd Jan 2007

The Role Of Schools In Promoting Sexual And Reproductive Health Among Adolescents In Developing Countries, Cynthia B. Lloyd

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This Population Council working paper reviews the state of knowledge about relationships between schooling and adolescent reproductive health. With the spread of mass schooling and the growing share of adolescents who attend school, the opportunities for synergies between health and education policies and programs are growing. Data on cross-country variations in health conditions on the one hand, and variations in attendance and attainment patterns and school systems on the other hand, provide a framework for assessing alternative approaches to the promotion of adolescent sexual and reproductive health in different contexts. Disappointing findings from recent school-based reproductive health interventions in poor …

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Reaching Truckers In Brazil With Non-Stigmatizing And Effective Hiv/Sti Services, Magda Chinaglia, Sheri A. Lippman, Julie Pulerwitz, Maeve De Mello, Rick Homan, Juan Diaz Jan 2007

Reaching Truckers In Brazil With Non-Stigmatizing And Effective Hiv/Sti Services, Magda Chinaglia, Sheri A. Lippman, Julie Pulerwitz, Maeve De Mello, Rick Homan, Juan Diaz

HIV and AIDS

Research with mobile populations has demonstrated that men in the mobile workforce tend to be exposed to greater HIV risk, and have higher sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV prevalence, than those in less mobile or non-mobile professions. At the request of the Brazilian Ministry of Health and with support from USAID/Brazil, the Population Council conducted an assessment in Brazilian border areas to determine which populations were most in need of HIV prevention activities. The research revealed the presence of an extremely mobile, international truck driver community with little to no access to HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services. The …

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Preparedness Of Kenyan Health Workers To Deliver Hiv/Aids Services, National Aids And Std Control Programme, Ministry Of Health Kenya, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, Horizons Program Jan 2007

Preparedness Of Kenyan Health Workers To Deliver Hiv/Aids Services, National Aids And Std Control Programme, Ministry Of Health Kenya, Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, Horizons Program

HIV and AIDS

Most Kenyan adults do not know their HIV status. Patients who present to a health facility can learn their status as part of a diagnostic assessment, enabling health-care personnel to provide a more accurate clinical evaluation and accelerate access to comprehensive care. This is particularly relevant in Kenya because up to 60 percent of all medical ward hospital beds are occupied by HIV-infected patients. Therefore provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling, which includes diagnostic testing and counseling (DTC), provides an opportunity to interrupt the cycle of HIV transmission to patients’ partners and children. In 2004, the Kenya Ministry of Health launched …

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Changes In Stigma Among A Cohort Of People On Antiretroviral Therapy: Findings From Mombasa, Kenya, Susan Kaai, Avina Sarna, Stanley Luchters, Scott Geibel, Paul Munyao, Kishorchandra N. Mandaliya, Khadija Shikely, Marleen Temmerman, Naomi Rutenberg Jan 2007

Changes In Stigma Among A Cohort Of People On Antiretroviral Therapy: Findings From Mombasa, Kenya, Susan Kaai, Avina Sarna, Stanley Luchters, Scott Geibel, Paul Munyao, Kishorchandra N. Mandaliya, Khadija Shikely, Marleen Temmerman, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

Stigma has been a reality in the lives of people living with HIV (PLHIV) since the inception of the AIDS epidemic, and it can have profound implications for health, psychosocial well-being, and utilization of health services. In the industrialized world, the availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and a subsequent change in perception of AIDS as a chronic manageable disease has coincided with a decrease in stigma and discrimination directed toward PLHIV. However, little is known in developing countries about whether perceptions and experiences of stigma among PLHIV have changed following increased access to ART. The Horizons Program and the International …

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Psychosocial Benefits Of A Mentoring Program For Youth-Headed Households In Rwanda, Lisanne Brown, Janet C. Rice, Neil W. Boris, Tonya R. Thurman, Leslie M. Snider, Joseph Ntaganira, Laetitia N. Nyirazinyoye, Edward Kalisa, Emmanuel Nshizirungu Jan 2007

Psychosocial Benefits Of A Mentoring Program For Youth-Headed Households In Rwanda, Lisanne Brown, Janet C. Rice, Neil W. Boris, Tonya R. Thurman, Leslie M. Snider, Joseph Ntaganira, Laetitia N. Nyirazinyoye, Edward Kalisa, Emmanuel Nshizirungu

HIV and AIDS

In Rwanda, the combined effects of the 1994 genocide and the AIDS pandemic have devastated the lives of children and families. More than 300,000 young people have been “left behind,” not only by parents and other caregivers who have died, but also by extended families and communities who stigmatize and fail to support them. The phenomenon of youth-headed households in the region is a relatively recent development. Despite the long history of fostering in sub-Saharan Africa, family and community safety nets are overstretched. Youth-headed households may be a legitimate coping strategy; however, children living in youth-headed households are less likely …

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Implementing Sti/Hiv Prevention And Care Interventions For Men Who Have Sex With Men In Senegal, Amadou Moreau, Placide Tapsoba, Abdoulaye Ly, Cheikh Ibrahima Niang, Abdou Khoudia Diop Jan 2007

Implementing Sti/Hiv Prevention And Care Interventions For Men Who Have Sex With Men In Senegal, Amadou Moreau, Placide Tapsoba, Abdoulaye Ly, Cheikh Ibrahima Niang, Abdou Khoudia Diop

HIV and AIDS

Exploratory research conducted by the Horizons Program in 2002 revealed that men who have sex with men (MSM) in Dakar, Senegal, are particularly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. Further, the stigma and discrimination suffered by many MSM result in the concealment of sexual behaviors from health-care providers, making it difficult to receive appropriate services. Finally, there is a lack of HIV-prevention campaigns geared to this group. Key stakeholders in Dakar developed and implemented an intervention to meet the STI/HIV prevention needs of MSM and address prevailing stigma that effectively serves as a barrier to care. The intervention …

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Patterns And Implications Of Male Migration For Hiv Prevention Strategies In Andhra Pradesh, Ravi K. Verma, Niranjan Saggurti, Madhumita Das, Saumya Ramarao, Anrudh K. Jain Jan 2007

Patterns And Implications Of Male Migration For Hiv Prevention Strategies In Andhra Pradesh, Ravi K. Verma, Niranjan Saggurti, Madhumita Das, Saumya Ramarao, Anrudh K. Jain

HIV and AIDS

HIV is widespread in Andhra Pradesh, with high HIV prevalence among pregnant women receiving antenatal care and patients receiving treatment for sexually transmitted infections. High HIV prevalence among women indicates that the infection, rather than being restricted to groups at high risk, is present in the general population. Districts with high HIV prevalence are also destinations for large numbers of male migrants. Migration may be a major contributor to the spread of HIV in the state, however empirical evidence is limited. Furthermore, evidence is required to maximize the impact of programmatic inputs intended to contain the spread of the epidemic. …

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Exploring The Barriers To Accessing Care And Treatment For Hiv-Infected Children In India: A Diagnostic Study, Avina Sarna, Jaleel Ahmad, Glory Alexander, Vaishali Sharma Mahendra, Ashok Rau, Arjun Singh, Naomi Rutenberg Jan 2007

Exploring The Barriers To Accessing Care And Treatment For Hiv-Infected Children In India: A Diagnostic Study, Avina Sarna, Jaleel Ahmad, Glory Alexander, Vaishali Sharma Mahendra, Ashok Rau, Arjun Singh, Naomi Rutenberg

HIV and AIDS

Each year 27 million births take place in India. A conservative estimate of HIV prevalence of 1 percent among antenatal women translates to about 80,000 HIV-infected children being born annually. The latest figures from the National AIDS Control Organisation show that there are about 5,600 documented HIV-positive children (0–14 years), but a very small number are receiving antiretroviral therapy. The Population Council and partners conducted a qualitative study in three high-prevalence states of India to explore the facilitators and barriers to accessing care for HIV-positive children and assessed the current level of adherence to ART among children receiving treatment. A …

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Current Research And Good Practice In Hiv And Aids Treatment Education, Avina Sarna, Ellen Weiss Jan 2007

Current Research And Good Practice In Hiv And Aids Treatment Education, Avina Sarna, Ellen Weiss

HIV and AIDS

This report was prepared by UNESCO and WHO for presentation at the HIV and AIDS Treatment Education Technical Consultation in Paris, November 22–23, 2005. There is a growing realization among program managers and donors that merely providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) and training health providers is not sufficient and that unless efforts are made to engage communities and individuals to improve their knowledge and understanding of HIV, AIDS, and ART, programs will not meet the targets set by these initiatives and will fall short of contributing to the goal of attaining universal access to treatment. This report describes current research and …

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Increasing Use Of The Iud Through Community And Clinic Based Education Activities In Rural Honduras, Ivo Flores Flores, Elida Rosa Aguilar Fonseca, Rosa Merlen Flores, Ricardo Vernon, Jorge Solorzano, Suyapa Pavon, Marco Tulio Falck, Alba Lidia Sanchez Jan 2007

Increasing Use Of The Iud Through Community And Clinic Based Education Activities In Rural Honduras, Ivo Flores Flores, Elida Rosa Aguilar Fonseca, Rosa Merlen Flores, Ricardo Vernon, Jorge Solorzano, Suyapa Pavon, Marco Tulio Falck, Alba Lidia Sanchez

Reproductive Health

This document presents the results of an operations research project implemented by the Ministry of Health in Honduras with technical and administrative assistance from the Population Council’s Frontiers in Reproductive Health (FRONTIERS) program, ASHONPLAFA, and EngenderHealth, and funding from USAID. The project tested a strategy to inform communities about the availability of the IUD in nearby health centers and about the method’s most salient attributes. The main conclusion is that communication of messages about a specific contraceptive method, while also communicating messages about other contraceptive methods, through printed materials (flyers, brochures, and posters) and interpersonal messages (individual talks and counseling) …

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Developing And Testing Strategies For Increasing Awareness Of The Iud As A Contraceptive Option, Ricardo Vernon, M.E. Khan, Harriet Birungi, Ian Askew, William Stones Jan 2007

Developing And Testing Strategies For Increasing Awareness Of The Iud As A Contraceptive Option, Ricardo Vernon, M.E. Khan, Harriet Birungi, Ian Askew, William Stones

Reproductive Health

A workshop was held in England in 2004 to identify the most promising interventions for increasing access to the IUD and to generate protocols for small-scale operations research projects to be undertaken in selected countries. Participants were academics, policymakers, program staff, and service providers from Bangladesh, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, and Nepal. The workshop objectives were to review international experiences with approaches to increase access to and use of the IUD; identify factors explaining the decline in IUD use in many countries; identify factors favoring client demand for IUD; review barriers to effective IUD service delivery; identify issues of …

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Technical Assistance To The Institute Of Reproductive Health, Georgetown University In Researching Introduction Strategies For The Standard Days Contraceptive Method (Sdm), Saumya Ramarao, James R. Foreit Jan 2007

Technical Assistance To The Institute Of Reproductive Health, Georgetown University In Researching Introduction Strategies For The Standard Days Contraceptive Method (Sdm), Saumya Ramarao, James R. Foreit

Reproductive Health

The Institute of Reproductive Health (IRH), Georgetown University tested the impact of introducing the standard days contraceptive method (SDM) with the technical assistance (TA) of Population Council staff. FRONTIERS technical assistance had the immediate effect of allowing IRH to carry out evaluations of the SDM in Asia and Latin America. The IRH studies also produced important lessons learned on strategies for the introduction of natural methods. IRH staff responsible for the India and Ecuador projects learned specific skills in cost-analysis and research instrument design.

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Effect Of Introducing An 'Afternoon Pay Clinic' On Service Utilization And Cost Recovery (Nepal), Mahendra Pd. Shrestha, Rajesh Swar, Pradeep Panda, M.E. Khan, Rick Homan Jan 2007

Effect Of Introducing An 'Afternoon Pay Clinic' On Service Utilization And Cost Recovery (Nepal), Mahendra Pd. Shrestha, Rajesh Swar, Pradeep Panda, M.E. Khan, Rick Homan

Reproductive Health

An operations research study was initiated with financial and technical assistance from the FRONTIERS program to examine whether introducing an afternoon clinic at the Chhetrapati Family Welfare Center (CFWC) in Nepal with a substantially higher registration fee could improve cost recovery by adding more to program revenues than to program costs. The study showed, however, that premium pricing of afternoon services generated very little additional demand for services. Even with a premium price, the afternoon clinic could reach its cost recovery goal only if the volume of afternoon clients were to increase significantly. However, client perceptions about the ability of …

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Young People's Sexual And Reproductive Health In India: Policies, Programmes And Realities, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy Jan 2007

Young People's Sexual And Reproductive Health In India: Policies, Programmes And Realities, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy

Reproductive Health

This paper presents an overview of key policies and government programmes intended to reduce HIV vulnerability and improve sexual and reproductive health among young people in India, and identifies the extent to which these policies and programmes have addressed the gamut of unique sexual and reproductive needs of young women and men. It also explores the extent to which programmes have been adapted to accommodate state-level differences in the sexual and reproductive vulnerability of youth; the review takes the examples of two states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, characterised by both early marriage and high HIV prevalence, and Madhya Pradesh, characterised by …

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