Public Health Commons^™

Peru: Tell Clients How To Use Their Chosen Method, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

In 1998, the Peruvian Ministry of Health (MOH) issued quality of care norms to ensure that family planning providers respond to clients’ reproductive health care needs and goals. In mid-1999, the Population Council collaborated with the MOH on a study to determine whether length of counseling sessions affects amount of information provided. The study focused on 19 health centers in 10 urban areas. Six simulated clients (women posing as clients) made a total of 114 visits to the health centers during June–July 1999. Each client was trained to say that she wanted to switch from the rhythm method to a …

Pérou: Informer Les Clients Sur Le Mode D'Utilisation De Leur Méthode De Choix, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Egypt: Ngos Need To Join Forces To End Fgc, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Until recently, the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) has been nearly universal in Egypt. However, a 1998 national survey found the first signs of a decline in the practice among adolescents since 1994. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working in community development, health, and women’s rights have played a leading role in advocating eradication of FGC in Egypt. To document and assess the impact of anti-FGC programs, the Population Council conducted an assessment from August 1999 to February 2000. Researchers telephoned numerous Egyptian NGOs to identify those most actively involved in anti-FGC programs. Then they conducted in-depth interviews with officials of …

Egypt: Encourage Journalists To Cover Reproductive Health, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

To raise public awareness of reproductive health (RH) issues, the Population Council’s Frontiers project and the Futures Group’s Policy project jointly organized four press briefings and provided background materials to key journalists from Arabic newspapers and magazines. From May 1999 to June 2000, project staff worked closely with 20 Egyptian journalists, including editors of women’s pages and senior editors. The press briefings covered youth, marriage patterns, contraceptive technology, and menopause. The press kit prepared for each briefing contained fact sheets, reference materials, a contact list of key experts, and an evaluation sheet. To assess RH reporting and track coverage resulting …

Egypte: Encourager Les Journalistes À Couvrir Les Questions Relatives À La Santé De La Reproduction, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Mali: Fgc Excisors Persist Despite Entreaties, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

About 94 percent of Malian women aged 15–49 have experienced female genital cutting (FGC). In Mali, FGC is associated with serious gynecological and obstetric complications. In 1998, the National Center of Scientific and Technological Research of the Mali Ministry of Secondary and Higher Education and Scientific Research conducted an evaluation of programs to eradicate FGC. The study assessed the work of three national nongovernmental organizations working in Bamako and five regions of Mali. These NGOs had attempted to persuade traditional practitioners of FGC (“excisors”) to abandon the practice. All three NGOs employed outreach workers to educate excisors and community members …

Indonesia: Coordinated Studies Are Needed To Access Trends, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

In 1999, the Population Council/Indonesia conducted a critical review of 11 Indonesian surveys and studies that measured various indicators of maternal and child health (MCH) between 1996 and 1999. Many of these studies tried to link these indicators with the nation’s economic crisis that began in July 1997, however attributing changes in MCH indicators to the economic crisis may be misleading. Population Council staff sought to explain how these studies came up with divergent findings. As noted in this brief, longitudinal studies with consistent indicators and representative study populations are needed to identify changes in MCH indicators.

Indonésie: Des Études Coordonnées Sont Nécessaires Á L'Évaluation Des Tendances, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Meet Women's Health Needs With Postabortion Care, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Worldwide, one in eight pregnancy-related deaths result from complications of unsafe abortion such as bleeding, infection, or internal injuries. Many of these deaths could be prevented if women had the means to avoid unplanned pregnancy. At the 1994 United Nations International Conference on Population and Development, 180 governments identified postabortion care (PAC) as a high-priority public health issue. As part of the resulting global PAC initiative, the Population Council and other international organizations collaborated with governments and nongovernmental organizations in a worldwide program of operations research on interventions to improve postabortion care. This brief highlights the major findings of this …

Meeting Women's Health Care Needs After Abortion, Dale Huntington

Reproductive Health

Women who seek emergency treatment for abortion complications—bleeding, infection, and injuries to the reproductive tract system—should be a priority group for reproductive health care programs. These women often receive poor-quality services that do not address their multiple health needs. They may be discharged without counseling on postoperative recuperation, family planning (FP), or other reproductive health (RH) issues. Women who have had an induced abortion due to an unwanted pregnancy are likely to have a repeat abortion unless they receive appropriate FP counseling and services. Preventing repeat unsafe abortions is important for RH programs because it saves women's lives, protects women’s …

Integrating A Reproductive Health Framework Within Primary Care Services: The Experience Of The Reproductive Health Intervention Study, Karima Khalil, Abdel Moneim Farag, Assem Anwar, Dina Galal, Olfia Kamal, Karraze Shorbagi, Miral Breebaart, Hind Khattab, Nabil Younis, Huda Zurayk

Reproductive Health

This paper is part of the Policy Series in Reproductive Health, which shares research undertaken by the Reproductive Health Working Group (RHWG). It describes the Reproductive Health Intervention Study, which designed and tested a model of essential reproductive health (RH) services. RHWG was established in 1988 as part of a special program on the health of women and children within the context of the family and community initiated by the Population Council’s Regional Office for the West Asia and North Africa region. The paper identifies a framework of basic service components that address RH and shows that their delivery is …

Report On The International Symposium On Quality Of Care In China, Population Council

Reproductive Health

In 1995, China’s State Family Planning Commission (SFPC), the governmental agency charged with developing and implementing China’s population policy, issued an official call for the reorientation of the family planning program from a focus on demographic targets to meeting clients’ needs. In support of this reorientation effort, the SFPC selected six rural counties and five urban districts with comparatively good socioeconomic conditions as pilot sites for a quality-of-care experiment. This report provides a summary of an international symposium on quality of care held in Beijing from November 17–19, 1999. The symposium was sponsored by SFPC with the support of the …

Adolescents And Reproductive Health In Pakistan: A Literature Review, Ayesha Khan

Reproductive Health

This report reviews research and findings on adolescents and reproductive health in Pakistan. The material is drawn from a range of national surveys and medical research, as well as information gathered by nongovernmental organizations. Although adolescents make up a quarter of the population of Pakistan, they are still a new subject for research. The characterization of adolescents for this review is individuals ages 10–19, whether or not they are married, sexually active, or parents. The discussion of the research material is based on the assumption that adolescence is a developmental phase, a transition from childhood to adulthood. Basic data on …

From The Home To The Clinic: The Next Chapter In Bangladesh's Family Planning Success Story Rural Sites, Linda Bates, Md. Khairul Islam, Sidney Ruth Schuler, Md. Alauddinn

Reproductive Health

This study reports on Bangladesh’s new program model for reproductive health service delivery and people's reactions to it. NGOs in Bangladesh have discontinued door-to-door contraceptive distribution in response to the government’s integrated, clinic-focused approach. The findings from this study strongly support these policy changes: clients and communities are responding favorably to many aspects of the new model, and there do not seem to be intractable social barriers to service utilization. As the NGOs and the Bangladesh government proceed with implementation of the integrated, essential health services model, additional strategies will be needed to erode the paternalistic service delivery culture that …

Intra-Household Decision-Making On Health And Resource Allocation In Borgou, Bénin, Pierre Ngom, Salome Wawire, Timothee Gandaho, Pierre Klissou, Toussaint Adjimon, Mbaye Seye, Emile Akouanou, Laurie Winter

Reproductive Health

The African Population and Health Research Centre carried out this study, with support from FRONTIERS and USAID, in order to inform Benin’s Projet Intégré en Santé Familiale (Integrated Project on Family Health—PROSAF) about socio-cultural factors in Borgou that can impede health improvements. More specifically, the study aimed to identify key players in household decisionmaking processes, map out patterns of health-seeking behavior, elucidate how such patterns are associated with prevailing health services utilization, assess community valuation of existing health services and products, and recommend to PROSAF approaches to identified target groups for their intervention. The findings indicate that for all the …

Integrating Issues Of Sexuality Into Egyptian Family Planning Counseling, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Laila Nawar, Hala Youssef, Dale Huntington

Reproductive Health

The Population Council studied the acceptability of including sexuality issues in family planning (FP) in Egypt, a conservative society with social restrictions around discussions of sex. The study results showed that sexuality counseling is acceptable to family planning clients in Egypt; in fact, sexuality-related problems and concerns were found to be very common in the study group. Similarly, training family planning service providers on issues of sexuality is both feasible and acceptable to providers. The report offers recommendations for refining existing FP training programs and services including: integrating issues of sexuality into FP counseling, training FP service providers on the …

Increasing The Coverage Of Reproductive Health Issues In The Egyptian Press, Sahar Hegazi, Mona Khalifa

Reproductive Health

This project, based on previous experiments of the FRONTIERS and POLICY projects, aimed to widen media coverage in Egypt of critical reproductive health issues and to communicate related research findings in a more systematic manner. Increasing coverage in the Egyptian press first required an assessment of the current coverage. Second, a network was formed of about 20 journalists from newspapers and magazines of different publishing houses, followed by four roundtable discussions on critical reproductive health issues. The results of evaluation sheets from the roundtable discussions showed a general increase in the journalists’ knowledge about reproductive health issues, especially for important …

An Assessment Of The Community Based Distribution Programs In Ghana, Jane Chege, Diouratie Sanogo, Ian Askew, Angela Bannerman, Steve Grey, Evam Kofi Glover, Francis Yankey, Joana Nerquaye-Tetteh

Reproductive Health

This study was carried out to describe the major NGO community-based distribution (CBD) programs in Ghana, and to assess in some detail the functioning, quality of care, and performance of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) program. The study showed that national coverage by the NGO programs is extensive—virtually all the 110 districts in the 10 regions have at least one program. However, coverage within districts is sparse, as each program covers only a few communities. The results have been communicated to the NGOs whose programs were included in the study and PPAG has already identified a number of …

Integrating Men Into The Reproductive Health Equation: Acceptability And Feasibility In Kenya, Esther G. Muia, Violet Kimani, Ann Leonard

Reproductive Health

This study’s objective was to improve understanding of Kenyan men’s actual and potential roles as supportive partners in various phases of reproductive health (RH), to help in the design of strategies to encourage men’s greater participation in a variety of RH initiatives in Kenya. The results of the study clearly show that, to a larger extent than anticipated, men in Kenya already participate in women-centered RH services. Overall the institutional barriers seemed to be more overwhelming than the cultural barriers, given that one of the reasons frequently given for nonparticipation was fear of non-acceptance by the health providers. Based on …

Rights, Technology, And Services In Reproductive Health: A Report From A Meeting, Marion Carter, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

Reproductive Health

The Population Council’s Robert H. Ebert Program on Critical Issues in Reproductive Health convened a two-day meeting to explore some of the compelling issues at the intersection of technology, services, and rights. Nearly 70 professionals from the research, policy, service delivery, human rights, and advocacy fields came together to grapple with some of the political aspects of reproductive technologies. Participants also discussed how these technologies can facilitate or constrain rights, depending on the interests involved and the particular social, political, and economic contexts in which they are used. This report on the meeting concludes that in order for program managers …

Mali: Les Exciseuses Persistent Malgré Les Supplications, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Enhancing The Use Of Emergency Contraception In A Refugee Setting: Findings From A Baseline Survey In Kakuma Refugee Camps, Kenya, Esther G. Muia, Joyce Olenja

Reproductive Health

In August 1992, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) at the request of the United Nations, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and the Kenyan Government, initiated a primary health care program in the Kakuma Refugee Camp. Since then, the population of the camp has continued to grow, and activities have moved from a crisis to a maintenance phase. In January 1997, IRC assumed the additional responsibility of the camp hospital, bringing the entire health sector under their management. IRC's programs focus on maintaining and improving public health and promoting self-reliance, particularly of the most vulnerable communities. This project focuses …

Factors Associated With Healthy Eating: Attitudes, Cultural Adherence, And Snacking Behavior Among Korean-American Adolescents, Kyoung Eun Oh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Adolescents have increased nutrition needs and report frequent meal skipping and snacking, but there are few studies that examine the determinants of unhealthy eating, especially among ethnic minority groups. This study investigated dietary intake and snacking behavior among Korean-American adolescents in the Los Angeles area. We determined the relationship between dietary fat intake and overall quality of the diet as assessed by two healthy eating indices: the Healthy Eating Index (HEl) and Mean Nutrient Adequacy Ratio (MNAR). HEl assessed degree of compliance to Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans while MNAR assessed nutrient consumption compared to Recommended Dietary …

Client-Centered Versus Traditional-Directive Educational Approach: A Randomized Study Of Exercises And Perceived Control Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Melissa D. Olfert

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A patient’s adherence to self-management therapies in diabetes strongly influences health outcomes, health care utilization, and ultimately health care costs. Engaging in regular exercise therapy reduces risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this randomized prospective study was to determine if a client-centered approach (CCA) toward diabetes education, verses a traditional-directive approach (TDA), would improve exercise participation, perceived control, intention to exercise, and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Fifty-nine type 2 patients were randomized into two groups: CCA and TDA. Diabetes education in the CCA group provided empowerment toward acquiring knowledge, skills, and responsibility …

The Effect Of Stress And Genetic Factors On Alcohol Consumption Among Males In Olancho District, Honduras, Gloria Amanda Madrid

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Alcoholism is a major public health problem globally. More than twenty studies have examined the association between the neurotransmitter dopamine DRD2 TaqI polymorphism and the onset of alcoholism, with half supporting an association. This study was based on the assumption that there is a relationship between the presence of the DRD2, one’s exposure to stress, and alcohol consumption. We examined the gene-stress interactional model in a sample of 309 males of Mayan descendents in the Olancho district of Honduras (age range 18-87). Participants were interviewed by a health care professional and blood samples were obtained for genetic identification. The Michigan …

Predicting Milk And Soft Drink Consumption Among Female Adolescents Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Nada Osman Kassem

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A total of 756 female adolescents, aged 13 to 18 years, from five public high schools in Antelope Valley Union High School District located in North Los Angeles County participated in this study between February 1999 and March 1999. The ethnic composition was 53.3% White/Anglo Americans, 19.3% Hispanics or Latinos and 10.2% Black/African Americans. The constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control and their underlying beliefs) were assessed to determine the predictors of low-fat milk and regular soda consumption. A cross-sectional design with group-administered questionnaires was utilized.

Most participants (89.6%, n = 636) …

Risk Factors Associated With Infant Mortality Among Very Low Birthweight Infants Of Teenage Mothers In San Bernardino County, C. Letitia Henry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background. Typically, infant mortality decreases as maternal age increases in teenagers. In contrast to these national data, San Bernardino County (SBC) experienced a different phenomenon in 1989-1994 among very low birthweight (VLBW) infants. The infant mortality rate (IMR) of VLBW infants born to mothers under 17 years old (283 per 1000 live births) was significantly lower than the IMR of VLBW infants born to mothers between the ages of 17-19 years old (430 per 1000 live births) (p = .02).

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to explain the discrepancy between IMRs of VLBW infants of younger teenage mothers …

Looking Back: Unneeded X-Rays, Allan Mazur

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

From the discovery of x-rays in 1896 to the present, Dr. Mazur explores the history of risk management of radiation exposure from x-rays and nuclear fallout.

Factors Associated With Asthma Readmissions In Children's Hospitals, Maria Acedo Kronenburg

Health Services Research Dissertations

Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood. Pediatric asthma hospitalization rates and costs of care have risen in recent years. Readmissions, an adverse outcome often used to monitor quality of care, may account for the increase in asthma hospitalization rates. This research examined selected hospital and patient risk factors related to asthma readmissions, using Donabedian's framework for structure, process, and outcomes to assess the quality of care for children with asthma. Outcome measures included readmission for asthma within one year of initial hospitalization, readmission within 30 days, and multiple readmissions within one year. Structure factors measured were insurance …

University Baccalaureate Curriculum Analysis For Safety And Health In The United States Of America (Usa) Toward A Model University Baccalaureate Curriculum, Margie L. Kolbe-Mims

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The goal of this research was to determine a model safety and health baccalaureate curriculum. A secondary target was to ascertain if safety and health practitioners and safety and health educators would concur on course offerings. To simplify this study effort, a search of literature was conducted on the Occupational Safety and Health field. There were no in-depth studies of this type for such a general population; therefore no instrument was available for this study. The perusal of literature indicated that most such studies had been conducted using a more specific target group of subjects. That is, faculties or former …