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Articles 1 - 30 of 51
Full-Text Articles in International Public Health
Increasing Institutional Delivery And Access To Emergency Obstetric Care Services In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Increasing Institutional Delivery And Access To Emergency Obstetric Care Services In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council conducted a formative in rural Uttar Pradesh (UP), India to determine the impact of the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) scheme on the current status of institutional delivery in the region, to understand the facilitating factors and barriers in delivering in a health facility, and to identify programmatic and behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives that could accelerate the adoption of institutional delivery. JSY was launched as an intervention to address the barriers to institutional delivery, through the introduction of community-based women volunteers. The study shows that with the introduction of the JSY the rate of institutional delivery jumped …
The Pregnancy Cycle Approach To Safe Motherhood, Saumya Ramarao, Sarah Raifman
The Pregnancy Cycle Approach To Safe Motherhood, Saumya Ramarao, Sarah Raifman
Reproductive Health
The Population Council's Reproductive Health program partnered with the Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF), the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), and the PAC Consortium, to address the UN Millenium Development Goal of improving maternal health, and reducing child mortality. Specifically this brief examines the pregnancy cycle approach whereby women’s needs from facilitating a desired pregnancy to successful parturition are addressed in a range of settings—home, community and health facility. This brief covers the different stages including abortion and postabortion care, antenatal care, delivery, and postpartum and beyond.
Maternal And Neonatal Health Services In Sudan: Results Of A Situation Analysis, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Maha El-Rabbat
Maternal And Neonatal Health Services In Sudan: Results Of A Situation Analysis, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Maha El-Rabbat
Reproductive Health
This project brief is based on the results of a situation analysis (SA) study that was done collaboratively by the Population Council and Sudan Ministry of Health (MOH) with funds from UNFPA, UNICEF, and Packard Foundation. The analysis showed an uneven distribution of reproductive health (RH) staff across Sudan, and nurses and nurse midwives are the key in RH services. There was also limited access to family planning services. Antenatal care was limited, and pregnant women in the study seldom received counseling on birth spacing or birth preparedness. Birth attendants also lacked adequate knowledge and skills. Emergency obstetric care was …
Increasing Early And Exclusive Breastfeeding In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Increasing Early And Exclusive Breastfeeding In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council conducted a formative study in rural Uttar Pradesh, India to determine the current status of early and exclusive breastfeeding, understand the facilitating factors and barriers in adopting the desired breastfeeding practices, and identify programmatic and behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives to promote the practice. Findings indicate that efforts by Primary Health Centre staff to counsel and encourage women to breastfeed early could significantly increase adoption of this practice. The policy brief identifies barriers that reflect a lack of knowledge and misperceptions about breastfeeding, but finds that education, supportive family members, and knowledgeable health workers can facilitate breastfeeding. …
A Strategy For The Reduction Of Maternal And Neonatal Mortality, Population Council
A Strategy For The Reduction Of Maternal And Neonatal Mortality, Population Council
Reproductive Health
As part of the strategies to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, the introduction of a minimum integrated package of maternal and newborn care including Active Management of the Third Stage of Labor (AMTSL) and Essential Newborn Care (ENC) are simple and inexpensive approaches in poor countries. This brief reports on a study conducted by the Senegal Ministry of Health and Prevention, with support from IntraHealth and the Population Council, whose objectives included: 1) evaluating the functional capacity of the targeted health structures to offer the AMTSL and ENC, 2) evaluating the knowledge and skills of the providers, and 3) identifying …
Life-Skills Education Leads To Improved Effect On Adolescents' Sexual Behavior, Population Council
Life-Skills Education Leads To Improved Effect On Adolescents' Sexual Behavior, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project (KARHP) was a three-pronged program implemented in schools, communities, and health facilities, to provide information and services to adolescents in order to improve their reproductive health outcomes. This operations research summary from the Population Council sought to discover whether the activities started under the project and desired reproductive health outcomes had been sustained in the 10-year period since inception, and to identify challenges experienced in sustaining the model. Although the survey suggests that the efforts to sustain KARHP/ASRH activities may be having desirable behavioral outcomes among adolescents, there is a need to strengthen these …
Greenstar Social Marketing Private-Sector Activities In Paiman Project: Process Evaluation Of Greenstar Social Marketing Initiatives To Improve And Expand Maternal And Newborn Health Services And Coverage, Munir Afridi
Reproductive Health
The Population Council provided support for this process evaluation of Greenstar Social Marketing which established a healthcare private provider network (GoodLife clinics) primarily in the urban areas in 10 districts of the PAIMAN project in Pakistan. This network provides maternal and newborn health and reproductive health and family planning services and products. The information collected in this survey points to areas where Greenstar strategies are close to being fully met as well as to areas where the strategies are not being met. The detailed findings should allow Greenstar to focus on those areas most in need of attention: all groups—provider, …
Initial Assessment Of Community Midwives In Rural Pakistan, Abdul Wajid, Zubaida Rashid, Ali M. Mir
Initial Assessment Of Community Midwives In Rural Pakistan, Abdul Wajid, Zubaida Rashid, Ali M. Mir
Reproductive Health
The goal of this Population Council study, funded by USAID through the Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns (PAIMAN) project, was to assess the potential of community midwifery services in rural Pakistan in order to provide necessary evidence for future decisions regarding the training, practice, and placement of community midwives (CMWs). The introduction of a new cadre of skilled birth attendants is significant, especially at a time when Pakistan is working toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The report makes the following recommendations: 1) opportunities for practical training should be followed meticulously; 2) selection criteria should be revised especially for …
Improving The Health Care Response To Gender-Based Violence: Project Evaluation Report, Meiwita P. Budiharsana, Mai Quoc Tung
Improving The Health Care Response To Gender-Based Violence: Project Evaluation Report, Meiwita P. Budiharsana, Mai Quoc Tung
Reproductive Health
Consistent with previous studies, this study provides evidence that gender-based violence (GBV) remains a problem in Viet Nam with indications that it may be on the increase. In 2009 the Population Council Viet Nam in collaboration with the Hanoi Health Department, carried out an evaluation among the staff of Duc Giang Hospital to assess the extent to which awareness and perceptions of GBV had changed since a pilot intervention project commenced in 2005. Overall the project has been very effective in raising awareness and willingness to integrate GBV screening in the health services. This report documents the results and lists …
Effect Of Dai Training On Maternal And Neonatal Care: An Operations Research Study, Peter C. Miller, Gul Rashida, Abdul Wajid, Zeba Tasneem, Lubna Mahmood, Minhaj Ul Haque
Effect Of Dai Training On Maternal And Neonatal Care: An Operations Research Study, Peter C. Miller, Gul Rashida, Abdul Wajid, Zeba Tasneem, Lubna Mahmood, Minhaj Ul Haque
Reproductive Health
This study examines the use of training traditional birth attendants, or "dais" as they are known in Pakistan, to reduce maternal mortality. By training dais to adopt safer routine delivery, newborn care practices, and recognize and refer in case of emergencies, dais can improve maternal and neonatal health. While one group of women met with specially trained dais who received Safe Motherhood Applied Research Training (SMART), a control group met with dais who offered health services only. The objectives of this evaluation were to determine whether dais substantially improved their performance after attending the "SMART dai" training course, to determine …
Reach Of Media And Interpersonal Communication In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Reach Of Media And Interpersonal Communication In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Reproductive Health
RK Swamy BBDO and the Population Council carried out an analysis to assess the reach of the media and interpersonal communication (IPC). The advertising agency and partner in a Population Council–led consortium analyzed data to explore the reach of various mass media and viewership patterns. The Population Council analyzed the reach of other sources of information, including mobile phones, mid-media, IPC, and mass media (print media, radio, and TV). This policy brief discusses describes the current status and trends in mass media exposure and media reach by audience segmentation. It also explores the reach of mid-media and IPC between frontline …
Future Of Family Planning Program In Bangladesh: Issues And Challenges, Ubaidur Rob, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan
Future Of Family Planning Program In Bangladesh: Issues And Challenges, Ubaidur Rob, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan
Reproductive Health
Bangladesh experienced large population growth in the past, but due to a successful family planning program, the total fertility rate (TFR) declined rapidly until the mid-nineties. Over the last decade, the country experienced a slow pace in fertility decline with a small increase in the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR). This slow pace in fertility decline is causing serious concern for reaching replacement level fertility by 2015. CPR increased seven-fold from 1975 to 2000, but there was no significant increase from 2000-09, demonstrating the weakness of present program efforts. This raises concern among researchers, policymakers, and program managers about the prospect …
Media Perspectives On Partnerships To Address Family Health In Northern India: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Media Perspectives On Partnerships To Address Family Health In Northern India: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Ideosync Media Combine, a partner in the Population Council-led consortium, conducted a qualitative study of media agencies to explore the perspectives of senior media managers in northern India on the following issues: (a) the decisionmaking process related to content; (b) the approaches adopted for audience targeting and feedback; (c) the extent of health-related coverage in the media and the process of prioritization of other development issues; and (d) partnership priorities and possibilities for collaboration. The policy brief discusses findings related to these issues and presents implications for the behavior change communication strategy.
Private Sector's Role In Health Service Provision In Senegal, Population Council
Private Sector's Role In Health Service Provision In Senegal, Population Council
Reproductive Health
In Senegal, private providers are a major source of health services, including contraceptive services, and private sector partnerships are a key component of the Ministry of Health strategy toward achieving national health objectives. This brief reports on SMNI/PF/PALU—a five-year USAID-bilateral project aiming to foster high-quality service delivery, and build strong links between all levels of the health system and communities, including between private and public health sectors. In Senegal, private businesses have hosted innovative advocacy activities, committed to health supplies and information management, and demonstrated a general interest in supporting a collaborative movement toward national health objectives. With private sector’s …
Assessing The Feasibility Of Home Administration Of Misoprostol In The Prevention Of Postpartum Hemorrhage In Rural Pakistan, Ali M. Mir, Abdul Wajid, Sadaf Gull
Assessing The Feasibility Of Home Administration Of Misoprostol In The Prevention Of Postpartum Hemorrhage In Rural Pakistan, Ali M. Mir, Abdul Wajid, Sadaf Gull
Reproductive Health
This report details an operations research project carried out by the Population Council as part of the Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns. The overall goal of the project was to test the feasibility of administering misoprostol for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in a home setting through community‐based healthcare providers, including traditional birth attendants (TBAs), or family members, in two districts of Pakistan. Furthermore, it aimed to identify common side effects of misoprostol and determine the reduction in demand for referral due to PPH after oral ingestion of misoprostol. The results provide a useful addition to the literature …
Deaths Of Women Of Reproductive Age: In-Depth Analysis Of Data From The Pakistan Demographic And Health Survey 2006-07, Pakistan Initiative For Mothers And Newborns (Paiman)
Deaths Of Women Of Reproductive Age: In-Depth Analysis Of Data From The Pakistan Demographic And Health Survey 2006-07, Pakistan Initiative For Mothers And Newborns (Paiman)
Reproductive Health
The Population Council, a partner of the Pakistan Initiative for Mothers and Newborns project, was responsible for undertaking operations research and a program evaluation to revisit and conduct an in-depth analysis of 1,085 verbal autopsies. The analysis had the following objectives: to identify psycho-socio-cultural issues present in the lives of the women whose verbal autopsies were reviewed, to reassess category of maternal death, and to unpack the indirect maternal deaths. The review yielded important information as to the social determinants of women’s deaths in Pakistan. The major psychological and cultural factors identified with the deaths included poverty, neglect, ignorance, disenfranchisement, …
Mainstreaming Emergency Contraception Pills In Kenya, Jill Keesbury, Monica Wanjiru, Katherine Maina
Mainstreaming Emergency Contraception Pills In Kenya, Jill Keesbury, Monica Wanjiru, Katherine Maina
Reproductive Health
To improve access to emergency contraception (ECP) and ensure that adequate information is provided to all users, the Kenyan Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, the Population Council, and Population Services International-Kenya undertook a three-year effort to mainstream ECP in Kenya. This brief presents the results of this initiative and discusses strategies for further strengthening ECP provision. Kenya has emerged as a leader in ECP programming in the region and has demonstrated that it is possible to strengthen ECP services in both the public and private sectors while at the same time increasing public awareness, knowledge, and use of the …
Role Of Information And Communication Technologies (Icts) In Behavior Change Communication In Northern India, Population Council
Role Of Information And Communication Technologies (Icts) In Behavior Change Communication In Northern India, Population Council
Reproductive Health
This research brief examines the growth of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) and its uses in the health sector, as well as existing and emerging ICT applications that have the potential to rapidly accelerate the adoption of family health practices. It also looks at its use in behavior change communication strategies to deliver services for improving family health outcomes. The findings indicate that ICTs, particularly mobile phones are likely to have a wider reach among rural populations. It also recommends scaling up multiple interaction systems using ICTs.
The Role Of Traditional Leaders In Preventing And Addressing Sexual And Gender-Based Violence: Findings From Kwazulu-Natal, Northwest And Limpopo Provinces In South Africa, Mantshi Teffo-Menziwa, Saiqa Mullick, Prince Cedza Dlamini
The Role Of Traditional Leaders In Preventing And Addressing Sexual And Gender-Based Violence: Findings From Kwazulu-Natal, Northwest And Limpopo Provinces In South Africa, Mantshi Teffo-Menziwa, Saiqa Mullick, Prince Cedza Dlamini
Reproductive Health
The Population Council, in partnership with the Ubuntu Institute, embarked on a program to engage traditional Leaders in three South African provinces (North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo) to address sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in rural communities. The overarching goals of the program were to strengthen linkages between the Population Council and traditional communities, generate and share strategic information on SGBV, strengthen prevention and response to child sexual assault, engage new partners to address prevention of and access to SGBV services, and expand access to comprehensive post-rape services by working with traditional leadership structures. Some of the key findings reflect …
Emergency Contraception: Idea To Program, Saumya Ramarao, John Townsend, Sarah Raifman
Emergency Contraception: Idea To Program, Saumya Ramarao, John Townsend, Sarah Raifman
Reproductive Health
This report summarizes the role of the Population Council in generating evidence, providing technical leadership, and demonstrating at scale that emergency contraception (EC) can be easily integrated into national family planning programs and other reproductive health services. Since the 1990s, the Population Council, along with other partners, has contributed to the changes seen in the provision and availability of EC, now available in over 140 countries around the world. While much progress has been made in the campaign for access to EC, the Council is committed to improving existing methods of service delivery and to leading advocacy efforts and research …
Increasing Appropriate Complementary Feeding In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Increasing Appropriate Complementary Feeding In Rural Uttar Pradesh: Implications For Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council conducted a formative study in rural Uttar Pradesh, India to determine current complementary feeding practices among children aged 6–23 months; understand the facilitating factors and barriers in adopting appropriate complementary feeding practices; and identify programmatic and behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives that could promote the adoption of appropriate complementary feeding practices. The qualitative study shows that women and family members did not feed a measured quantity of food to their children. A lack of knowledge and lack of communication created barriers to initiating complementary feeding. The policy brief recognized education and antenatal care as facilitating factors and …
Increasing The Practice Of Thermal Care To Prevent Newborn Hypothermia: Implications For Behavior Change Communication In Rural Uttar Pradesh, Population Council
Increasing The Practice Of Thermal Care To Prevent Newborn Hypothermia: Implications For Behavior Change Communication In Rural Uttar Pradesh, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council conducted a formative study in rural Uttar Pradesh, India to assess current newborn bathing practices and the methods adopted to keep the baby warm immediately after birth; explore the beliefs that guide these customs and practices; identify the barriers and facilitating factors in adopting healthy newborn care practices, such as skin-to-skin contact (STSC); and identify programmatic and behavior change communication (BCC) initiatives that could accelerate the adoption of newborn care practices. Barriers included misconceptions about the consequences of bathing a newborn and a lack of awareness among mothers and health workers about STSC. Facilitating factors included contact …
Role Of Advertising Agencies In Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Role Of Advertising Agencies In Behavior Change Communication, Population Council
Reproductive Health
A partner in the Population Council–led Consortium, RK Swamy BBDO, conducted a qualitative study of advertising agencies to document their experiences with regard to planning and implementing behavior change communication (BCC) campaigns on social and health issues for rural populations; explore media planners' perspectives regarding the challenges faced in implementing these campaigns and possible strategies to make them more effective; and understand the role of the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, the nodal multi-media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India in reaching rural populations with information on government policies and programs. The findings outlined …
Community Mobilization For Postabortion Care In Kenya: Baseline Evaluation Report, Chi-Chi Undie, Saumya Ramarao
Community Mobilization For Postabortion Care In Kenya: Baseline Evaluation Report, Chi-Chi Undie, Saumya Ramarao
Reproductive Health
Maternal health complications, including those arising from unsafe abortion and miscarriage, are a leading cause of morbidity among women in Kenya. These realities necessitate interventions to prevent unintended or unwanted pregnancies and to ensure access to quality care for women with postabortion complications. In response to this need, the RESPOND Project designed an intervention package aimed at increasing awareness and use of postabortion care (PAC) services and improving family planning, reproductive health, and maternal health outcomes. As part of the intervention, RESPOND works with districts and communities to: strengthen service delivery points to provide PAC services; conduct community mobilization to …
Encouraging Abandonment Of Fgm/C Among The Somali Community In Wajir, Kenya, Population Council
Encouraging Abandonment Of Fgm/C Among The Somali Community In Wajir, Kenya, Population Council
Reproductive Health
This report summarizes key achievements of a two-year project to foster community‐wide abandonment of FGM/C by developing and testing the feasibility of working closely with communities highly resistant to external influences. The diagnostic study aimed to identify culturally appropriate empowerment strategies for women and youth in the Somali community.
Health Research For Development Initiative In Vietnam (Hrdi): Impact Evaluation Results, Katherine Williams, Meiwita P. Budiharsana, Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan
Health Research For Development Initiative In Vietnam (Hrdi): Impact Evaluation Results, Katherine Williams, Meiwita P. Budiharsana, Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan
Reproductive Health
The Population Council Viet Nam joined the Hanoi School of Public Health and Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy – Faculty of Public Health to create fellowships to increase research skills, provide competitive awards, and develop a network to link fellows to various national and international institutes and conferences. The core target population of the project is Vietnamese health professionals who have studied overseas and have obtained recent master’s degrees in public health or health social sciences under three programs managed by the Population Council. This evaluation report provides information from baseline and endline surveys of returned …
Integration Of Services In Senegal, Population Council
Integration Of Services In Senegal, Population Council
Reproductive Health
With financial support from USAID and technical support from IntraHealth, The Population Council, Siggil Jigeen Network, and Helen Keller International, Senegal’s Ministry of Health and Prevention has built a package of integrated services called SMNI/PF/PALU. Integrating services allow women to access a wider range of information and care during the same visit and thus increases the utilization of services while also improving their quality and efficiency. Findings in this report indicate that integration of services is a central feature of SMNI/PF/PALU’s success. In conjunction with integrated service delivery models, program activities which strengthen systems and support efficient implementation of services …
Brief Report: Activities And Achievements Of The P4p Project—Introducing Pay-For-Performance (P4p) Approach To Increase Utilization Of Maternal, Newborn, And Child Health Services In Bangladesh, Population Council
Reproductive Health
A pilot study was initiated in Bangladesh for testing Pay-for-Performance for providers and clients in improving maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services by addressing supply and demand-side barriers. With funding from UNICEF, the Population Council provided technical assistance for the operations research study implemented by the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of Bangladesh. Necessary and key human resource placement and training on integrated management of childhood illness, emergency operations centers, newborn care, infection prevention, and waste management are important for better performance in all facilities. In spite of existing barriers, …
Guidelines For Pilot Study On Introducing Pay-For-Performance (P4p) Approach To Increase Utilization Of Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh, Directorate General Of Health Services (Dghs), Population Council, Unicef
Guidelines For Pilot Study On Introducing Pay-For-Performance (P4p) Approach To Increase Utilization Of Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh, Directorate General Of Health Services (Dghs), Population Council, Unicef
Reproductive Health
The Population Council launched a pilot study to test two Pay-for-Performance (P4P) strategies to improve MNCH services in Bangladesh. This document presents guidelines for offering incentives to providers, distributing coupons, and forming P4P and/or Coupon Committees and Quality Assurance Groups. The guidelines were developed over the course of five policy-level and consensus-building workshops with national and local-level program managers and service providers, organized under the leadership of the DGHS, in consideration of the local context and sustainability in case of nationwide replication in the country. These guidelines will come into effect upon receiving approval from the DGHS, Ministry of Health …
Future Demands For Services From Public Health Facilities In Uttar Pradesh, Population Council
Future Demands For Services From Public Health Facilities In Uttar Pradesh, Population Council
Reproductive Health
A Population Council-led consortium in India conducted a study to assess (a) the expected workload of public health facilities, and (b) the extent to which the demand for contraception could be met by the existing health facilities in Uttar Pradesh, following the implementation of behavior change communication (BCC) activities. This policy brief recommends that BCC efforts create demand for services and address perceptions that it is “not necessary” to access health care services. BCC must play a greater role in motivating women to move to facilities not just for institutional delivery but for other services as well. BCC can also …