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Using Systematic Screening To Integrate Health Services In India And Senegal: Pilot Study Versus Scale-Up Results, James R. Foreit
Using Systematic Screening To Integrate Health Services In India And Senegal: Pilot Study Versus Scale-Up Results, James R. Foreit
Reproductive Health
This study examines the effectiveness of using systematic screening to integrate health services in India and Senegal. First, a pilot study of relatively small-scale experiments was undertaken to determine if systematic screening for unmet needs for health services could increase the number of preventive care services clients receive at healthcare visits. FRONTIERS then participated in the scale-up to test the effect of different supervision and training strategies on the frequency of provider screening. Results show that systematic screening may have the potential to produce important increases in the number of services provided in many developing country settings at the pilot …
Helping Youth Prevent Hiv: An Evaluation Of The Straight Talk Program In Uganda, Susan E. Adamchak, Karusa Kiragu, Cathy Watson, Medard Muhwezi, Tobey Nelson Sapiano, Ann Akia-Fiedler, Richard Kibombo, Milka Juma
Helping Youth Prevent Hiv: An Evaluation Of The Straight Talk Program In Uganda, Susan E. Adamchak, Karusa Kiragu, Cathy Watson, Medard Muhwezi, Tobey Nelson Sapiano, Ann Akia-Fiedler, Richard Kibombo, Milka Juma
HIV and AIDS
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 …
'Dare To Be Different': Enhancing Life Skills Education For Hiv Prevention In South African Schools, Tobey Nelson Sapiano, Nathi Sohaba, Eka Esu-Williams
'Dare To Be Different': Enhancing Life Skills Education For Hiv Prevention In South African Schools, Tobey Nelson Sapiano, Nathi Sohaba, Eka Esu-Williams
HIV and AIDS
In South Africa, approximately 5.5 million people are living with HIV. One of the main strategies the South African Government has used to build HIV prevention awareness and promote behavior change among young people is school-based life skills education. Since 2000, the Horizons Program has conducted research exploring the impact of life skills education and other school-based HIV prevention activities on young South Africans. In contrast to the high HIV prevalence among youth ages 15–24, estimated to be over 10 percent, prevalence for youth ages 10–14 is estimated at just over 1 percent. People aged 10–14 are particularly receptive to …
Patterns And Implications Of Male Migration For Hiv Prevention Strategies In Karnataka, India, Niranjan Saggurti, Ravi K. Verma, Pranita Achyut, Saumya Ramarao, Anrudh K. Jain
Patterns And Implications Of Male Migration For Hiv Prevention Strategies In Karnataka, India, Niranjan Saggurti, Ravi K. Verma, Pranita Achyut, Saumya Ramarao, Anrudh K. Jain
HIV and AIDS
Karnataka is one of the high HIV prevalence states in India. Results from the National Family Health Survey indicate that 0.69 percent of adults aged 15–49 were infected with HIV in 2005–06. According to sentinel surveillance system data, HIV prevalence among pregnant women receiving antenatal care (ANC) in Karnataka was 1.3 percent. Further, 18 of the state's 27 districts have recorded HIV prevalence of more than 1 percent among pregnant women receiving ANC in sentinel sites. Strong male migration patterns are evident in some of the state’s high HIV prevalence districts. According to the 2001 census, Karnataka ranks fourth in …
Senegal: Education And Public Declarations Contribute To Tostan's Success, Population Council
Senegal: Education And Public Declarations Contribute To Tostan's Success, Population Council
Reproductive Health
In 1998, the nongovernmental organization Tostan implemented a village empowerment program in southern and western Senegal to help communities, especially women, improve living and health conditions in their villages, and to mobilize villages to hold public declarations supporting abandonment of harmful practices, particularly female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage. The program included modules on hygiene, literacy and numeracy, human rights, and children’s and women’s health. The Tostan approach has since been implemented more broadly in Senegal and in Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Sudan. In 2005–06, FRONTIERS evaluated the long-term impact of the program, focusing on the abandonment of FGM/C …
Kenya: Training Can Enhance Providers' Management Of Fgm/C And Willingness To Advocate Against The Practice, Population Council
Kenya: Training Can Enhance Providers' Management Of Fgm/C And Willingness To Advocate Against The Practice, Population Council
Reproductive Health
In 2004, FRONTIERS collaborated with UNICEF on a study of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Kenya’s Somali community and on ways of managing maternal care for cut women. The study showed that the health-care system in North Eastern Province, where many Somalis live, is ill prepared to deal with women who have been cut, particularly infibulated women who are pregnant or delivering. The study recommended improving providers’ ability to counsel and treat pregnant cut women as part of an overall improvement of maternal care, and strengthening providers’ role as behavior change agents within communities. In 2005, FRONTIERS launched an intervention …
Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua: Promoting Family Planning During The Postpartum Period Can Increase Contraceptive Acceptance, Population Council
Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua: Promoting Family Planning During The Postpartum Period Can Increase Contraceptive Acceptance, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The World Health Organization recommends that women receive information on family planning (FP) during antenatal care (ANC), immediately after birth, and during postpartum and well-baby care. However, few studies have assessed the effect of information during each of these stages on women’s use of contraceptive methods. Data collected by FRONTIERS in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nicaragua have been analyzed to answer this question. Use of maternal care services, exposure to FP information, and use of postpartum contraception varies among countries. All women interviewed in the Dominican Republic attended ANC services and delivered in a facility; ANC use and institutional …
Africa Regional Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Network Consultation: Technical Exchange And Planning Meeting, Population Council
Africa Regional Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Network Consultation: Technical Exchange And Planning Meeting, Population Council
Reproductive Health
In March 2008, the Population Council brought together members of the Africa Regional Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Network for a South-South technical exchange meeting. The objectives were to identify best practices from existing programs, provide an evidence base for new programming, and develop mechanisms for South-South technical assistance. As detailed in this report, discussions covered the medical, legal, and psychosocial issues associated with SGBV prevention and response activities. Participants identified the following: Protocols and guidance documents are essential for ensuring comprehensive, quality response at all levels. Enabling access and utilization of the full range of medical services remains …
Assessing Routine Health Information System In Selected Paiman Districts By Using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (Lqas) Technique, Pakistan Initiative For Mothers And Newborns (Paiman)
Assessing Routine Health Information System In Selected Paiman Districts By Using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (Lqas) Technique, Pakistan Initiative For Mothers And Newborns (Paiman)
Reproductive Health
The Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN) is a five-year project funded by USAID. Its goal is to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in Pakistan through viable initiatives and capacity building of existing programs and structures within health systems and communities to ensure improvements and supportive linkages in the continuum of health care for women from the home to the hospital. PAIMAN is compiling data from three data sources and making efforts to improve the functioning of these Health Information Systems (HISs) for efficient management of health services at the district level through generation of quality data and their …
Kenya And Ethiopia: Community And Religious Leaders Are Effective Advocates For Hiv Testing For Young Couples, Population Council
Kenya And Ethiopia: Community And Religious Leaders Are Effective Advocates For Hiv Testing For Young Couples, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Early marriage is common for girls in much of sub-Saharan Africa. A common belief is that marriage protects them from HIV, but studies show that married girls are at much higher risk from HIV and from maternal morbidity and mortality. FRONTIERS conducted operations research in Ethiopia and Kenya to assess the acceptability and feasibility of community-based interventions to raise awareness of the HIV risks of early marriage and promote the use of HIV counseling and testing (C&T) services by couples. The studies were an initial phase in a planned four-year intervention; this brief reports on the feasibility of the approach. …
Meeting The Family Planning Needs Of Postpartum Women, Ricardo Vernon
Meeting The Family Planning Needs Of Postpartum Women, Ricardo Vernon
Reproductive Health
The first days, weeks, and months after a delivery represent a period of substantial information and service needs for both mother and child, including treatment of hemorrhage and infections, breastfeeding information and support, nutritional complements and micronutrients, immunizations for children and mothers, counseling for managing intimate partner violence and depression, and, most importantly, contraception. In areas of high HIV prevalence, contraceptives and antiretroviral therapy are especially critical elements of postpartum care. Yet despite its strategic importance, few organizations have made it a priority to address women's reproductive health and fertility needs during the year following delivery. The situation is compounded …
Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua: Women Living With Hiv Have Unmet Family Planning Needs, Population Council
Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nicaragua: Women Living With Hiv Have Unmet Family Planning Needs, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Women living with HIV in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nicaragua are marginalized in many ways, including their access to family planning (FP) services. Making FP services accessible to persons living with HIV (PLWH) is one of four key strategies that WHO promotes in its comprehensive approach to prevent HIV infections in infants and young children. This strategy also increases the coverage and quality of FP services among a population commonly underserved and at high risk of unplanned pregnancy. Expanded access to antiretroviral therapy in many developing countries has improved the life expectancies and health of many PLWH who are …
Multisectoral Youth Rh Interventions: The Scale-Up Process In Kenya And Senegal, Stephanie Joyce, Ian Askew, Anta Fall Diagne, Nafissatou J. Diop, Humphres Evelia
Multisectoral Youth Rh Interventions: The Scale-Up Process In Kenya And Senegal, Stephanie Joyce, Ian Askew, Anta Fall Diagne, Nafissatou J. Diop, Humphres Evelia
Reproductive Health
As in many developing countries, young people in Kenya and Senegal (aged 10–20) account for about 25 percent of the population. To ensure their future contribution to their countries, it is of vital strategic importance to safeguard their welfare. Rapid social change in both countries exposes youth to sexual and reproductive health (RH) risks, including unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and sexual violence. Beginning in 1999, the Population Council’s FRONTIERS program conducted operations research studies that tested the feasibility, acceptability, and cost of a public-sector, multisectoral intervention to enhance young people’s RH knowledge and behavior. Study findings showed …
Profile Of Abortion Seekers In Ghana And Their Decision-Making Processes, Philomena Nyarko, Cletus Adohinzin, Saumya Ramarao, Placide Tapsoba, Ayorinde Ajayi
Profile Of Abortion Seekers In Ghana And Their Decision-Making Processes, Philomena Nyarko, Cletus Adohinzin, Saumya Ramarao, Placide Tapsoba, Ayorinde Ajayi
Reproductive Health
In 2006, a consortium of agencies, including the Population Council, came together to provide technical and financial support to the Government of Ghana in the rollout of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) services. The consortium collaborated with the government in expanding women’s access to modern family planning and CAC. The consortium’s program, Reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity (R3M), aims to reduce unwanted pregnancy and severe complications and deaths caused by unsafe abortion. The formative research in this report was undertaken to provide a profile of beneficiaries, their needs for information and services, their decision-making process in seeking care, and the quality …
Sexuality Education For Youth In Maharashtra: Yes Or No?, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Sexuality Education For Youth In Maharashtra: Yes Or No?, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Serious reservations have been expressed in Maharashtra about the sexuality component of programs intended to build awareness of safe and healthy behaviors for school-going youth. This policy brief answers: Is there a need for sexuality education in school and out-of-school in Maharashtra? Are the concerns expressed supported by evidence? Evidence was obtained from the Youth in India: Situation and Needs study conducted in Maharashtra, which explored young people’s awareness of sexual and reproductive matters, sexual experiences of youth, parent–child communication on sexual and reproductive matters, and experience and acceptability of sexuality education programs. Parents were asked whether they had discussed …
Parents Matter: How Supportive Parenting Influences The Behaviours Of Youth, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Parents Matter: How Supportive Parenting Influences The Behaviours Of Youth, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
In India, policies and programs have increasingly recognized the need to actively engage parents in enabling adolescents to make safe and healthy transitions to adulthood. The design of appropriate strategies to engage parents is, however, hampered by the paucity of evidence available. Little is known about the socialization of daughters and sons, the extent to which socialization practices differ for daughters and sons, and the extent to and ways in which parents communicate sensitive matters to their adolescent children. Similarly, research is limited that sheds light on the role of socialization patterns and parental interaction in influencing young people’s schooling …
Young People's Participation In Civil Society And Political Life In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Young People's Participation In Civil Society And Political Life In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Youth participation in civil society and political life is increasingly recognized as an important development objective. The opportunities for participation that young people experience in their communities may influence their development and the types of transitions they make to adulthood. Moreover, behaviors and attitudes relating to community participation that individuals adopt as young people predict lifelong civic affiliations and perspectives. In India, the National Youth Policy 2003 has underscored the role of India’s youth in political decision-making, and has argued for greater representation of youth in appropriate bodies as well as more extensive youth participation in program design and implementation. …
Romance And Sex Before Marriage Among Young Women And Men In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Romance And Sex Before Marriage Among Young Women And Men In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Premarital partnerships among youth are widely discouraged in India. Indeed, there is a widespread perception that youth do not find opportunities to mix and form romantic relationships, and that premarital sex is negligible. These kinds of perceptions are often cited to argue against the provision of sexuality or family life education and sexual and reproductive health services to unmarried young people. While several small studies have noted that sizable proportions of young people, particularly young men, are sexually active before marriage, the lack of rigorous evidence on the levels and patterns of intimate partnerships among youth continues to hamper the …
Education And Transition To Work Among Youth In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Education And Transition To Work Among Youth In Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The extent to which India will be able to successfully harness its demographic dividend depends significantly on the situation of its youth, notably on the levels of education and market-oriented skills they attain. In many states, youth have made progress on these fronts. Youth in Maharashtra have made considerable strides in terms of educational attainment, yet it is not clear that they are prepared for the challenges they will face in a globalized world. Looking at the current educational and employment situation of youth in Maharashtra, this policy brief argues that significant investments in terms of appropriate policies and programs …
Factsheet: Youth In India: Situation And Needs Study—Key Indicators, 2006-2007: Bihar, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Factsheet: Youth In India: Situation And Needs Study—Key Indicators, 2006-2007: Bihar, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This factsheet provides selected key indicators for the state of Bihar, drawn from the Youth in India: Situation and Needs Study (Youth Study) 2006–07. The main goal of the Youth Study was to provide information on the situation of youth in India and the life choices available to them on a broad range of sexual and reproductive health issues, including both behaviors and their antecedents, through a population-based study. Findings are expected to inform evidence-based programming to address the health and other needs of young people. The subnational Youth Study was undertaken in six states: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, …
Burkina Faso: Political Will, Law Enforcement, And Educational Campaigns Appear To Be Reducing Fgm/C, Population Council
Burkina Faso: Political Will, Law Enforcement, And Educational Campaigns Appear To Be Reducing Fgm/C, Population Council
Reproductive Health
In 2006, FRONTIERS collaborated with the National Committee Against the Practice of FGM/C on an analysis of recent trends in female genital mutilation/circumcision (FGM/C) in rural and urban Burkina Faso. The study, conducted to help develop policies and programs for FGM/C abandonment in Burkina Faso and more widely in Africa, had three components: a description of the institutional, political, and programmatic environment in Burkina; a secondary analysis of data from existing studies; and an assessment of the community’s perceptions and behavior regarding FGM/C, as well as the factors that contribute to abandonment or continuation of the practice. For the policy …
The Female Condom In Ghana: Exploring The Current State Of Affairs And Gauging Potential For Enhanced Promotion, Reshma Naik, Martha Brady
The Female Condom In Ghana: Exploring The Current State Of Affairs And Gauging Potential For Enhanced Promotion, Reshma Naik, Martha Brady
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The female condom (FC) is the only safe and effective female-initiated method that provides simultaneous protection against unintended pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. An exploratory exercise was conducted by the Population Council to gain an understanding of the current and historical landscape of FC procurement, distribution, and programming in Ghana and to explore the viability of enhancing national FC promotion. The exercise revealed that a large-scale launch of the FC occurred in Ghana in 2000 and was largely successful in raising product awareness; however, uptake remained low. Momentum has waned since the initial launch and financial …
Youth In India: Situation And Needs 2006-2007, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Youth In India: Situation And Needs 2006-2007, Maharashtra, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The Youth in India: Situation and Needs Study (Youth Study) is the first-ever subnationally representative study conducted to identify key transitions experienced by married and unmarried youth in India. While today’s youth are healthier, more urbanized, and better educated than earlier generations, social and economic vulnerabilities persist. In the course of the transition to adulthood, young people face significant risks related to sexual and reproductive health, and many lack the knowledge and power to make informed sexual and reproductive choices. Several national policies and programs formulated since 2000 have underscored a commitment to addressing the multiple needs of this group …
Evaluation Of Berhane Hewan: A Pilot Program To Promote Education And Delay Marriage In Rural Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar, Eunice N. Muthengi
Evaluation Of Berhane Hewan: A Pilot Program To Promote Education And Delay Marriage In Rural Ethiopia, Annabel Erulkar, Eunice N. Muthengi
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
The Berhane Hewan Program pilot-tested in rural Ethiopia from 2004–06 was developed to sensitize community members to the dangers of child marriage, prevent early marriage among unmarried adolescents, and provide support for girls who are already married. The program included social mobilization of girls aged 10–19 into groups led by female mentors; support to stay in school or convening of groups outside of school including nonformal education and livelihoods skills; and community-wide conversations on early marriage and reproductive health issues affecting girls. Economic incentives were provided to families who did not marry off their daughters during the project period. Population-based …
Food On The Table: The Role Of Livelihood Strategies In Maintaining Nutritional Status Among Art Patients In Kenya And Zambia, Fiona Samuels, Naomi Rutenberg, Joseph Simbaya, Jerry Okal, Nicodemus Kisengese, Stanley Luchters, Susan Kaai, Scott Geibel
Food On The Table: The Role Of Livelihood Strategies In Maintaining Nutritional Status Among Art Patients In Kenya And Zambia, Fiona Samuels, Naomi Rutenberg, Joseph Simbaya, Jerry Okal, Nicodemus Kisengese, Stanley Luchters, Susan Kaai, Scott Geibel
HIV and AIDS
As understanding of the multidimensional nature of HIV epidemics improves, it is increasingly recognized that policy and program interventions, whether focusing on prevention, treatment and care, or impact mitigation, must take into account the integral role of food and nutrition security. More broadly, interventions need to consider how people’s livelihoods evolve and adapt to deal with the multifaceted nature of HIV. In eastern and southern Africa, evidence pointing to a vicious cycle between HIV and food and nutrition insecurity is mounting. Programs are now being implemented that link HIV to food and nutritional security, as well as to livelihoods. However, …
Increasing Women's Use Of The Iud For Family Planning, Ricardo Vernon
Increasing Women's Use Of The Iud For Family Planning, Ricardo Vernon
Reproductive Health
The intrauterine device (IUD) is highly effective, easy to use, and has few side effects. The device costs the provider about US$2 and offers a duration of protection that makes it the most cost-effective of the temporary methods if used for two years or more. The IUD's many advantages also make it a good alternative for reducing unmet need for long-term contraception around the world. Between 5 and 17 percent of all married women of reproductive age in 53 less developed countries do not want to have more children but are not using a contraceptive method. Because the IUD can …
Adapting Focused Antenatal Care: Lessons From Three African Countries, Harriet Birungi
Adapting Focused Antenatal Care: Lessons From Three African Countries, Harriet Birungi
Reproductive Health
In 2001, the World Health Organization issued guidance on a new model of antenatal care (ANC) called goal-oriented or focused antenatal care (FANC), for implementation in developing countries. The new model reduces the number of required antenatal visits to four, and provides focused services shown to improve maternal outcomes. FANC emphasizes helping women maintain normal pregnancies by identifying existing health conditions, detecting emerging complications, promoting health, preparing for a healthy birth, and educating clients on postpartum care including nutrition, breastfeeding, and family planning. Trials conducted in Argentina, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand proved that FANC was safe and was a …
Assessment Of Knowledge And Attitudes Of Married Women On Maternal And Newborn Health (Mnh) In Selected Union Councils Of Project Districts, Pakistan Initiative For Mothers And Newborns (Paiman)
Assessment Of Knowledge And Attitudes Of Married Women On Maternal And Newborn Health (Mnh) In Selected Union Councils Of Project Districts, Pakistan Initiative For Mothers And Newborns (Paiman)
Reproductive Health
The World Health Organization estimates that 585,000 women die from pregnancy-related conditions each year. Pregnancy-related conditions, including dysfunctional labor, hemorrhage, infection, toxemia, and unsafe abortion, are the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age in many developing countries. The Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN) is a five-year project funded by USAID. Its goal is to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in Pakistan, through viable initiatives and capacity building of existing programs and structures within health systems and communities to ensure improvements and supportive linkages in the continuum of health care for women from the home to …
Factsheet: Youth In India: Situation And Needs—Key Indicators, 2006-2007: Rajasthan, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Factsheet: Youth In India: Situation And Needs—Key Indicators, 2006-2007: Rajasthan, International Institute For Population Sciences (Iips)
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
This factsheet provides selected key indicators for the state of Rajasthan, drawn from the Youth in India: Situation and Needs Study (Youth Study) 2006–07. The main goal of the Youth Study was to provide information on the situation of youth in India and the life choices available to them on a broad range of sexual and reproductive health issues, including both behaviors and their antecedents, through a population-based study. Findings are expected to inform evidence-based programming to address the health and other needs of young people. The subnational Youth Study was undertaken in six states: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, …
School As A Workplace In Kenya: Evaluation Of The Teachers Matter Hiv/Aids Project, Karusa Kiragu, Caroline Mackenzie, Jennifer Weiss, Murungaru Kimani, Debbie Gachuhi
School As A Workplace In Kenya: Evaluation Of The Teachers Matter Hiv/Aids Project, Karusa Kiragu, Caroline Mackenzie, Jennifer Weiss, Murungaru Kimani, Debbie Gachuhi
HIV and AIDS
The Horizons program of the Population Council embarked on an operations research initiative in Kenya to test the feasibility of implementing a teacher-centered workplace program based in schools. The study was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Kenya Institute of Education, the Teachers Service Commission, and UNICEF. Called Teachers Matter, the project’s main audience was primary and secondary school teachers. The purpose of the research was to assess whether such a program would improve teachers’ HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors; increase the proportion of teachers seeking voluntary testing and counseling; and enhance their ability to cope with …