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Full-Text Articles in Women's Health
Using Evidence To Improve Quality Of Pharmacy-Delivered Medical Abortion, Katharine Footman, Nancy Termini Lachance
Using Evidence To Improve Quality Of Pharmacy-Delivered Medical Abortion, Katharine Footman, Nancy Termini Lachance
Reproductive Health
The goal of family planning and reproductive health operations research is to generate evidence that helps policies and programs maximize access to and quality of services for women and their families. Yet the crucial step of ensuring the utilization of that evidence often receives inconsistent or inadequate attention. The goal of this case study is to document an activity of Marie Stopes International (MSI) in Kenya, part of the STEP UP research program consortium, which resulted in successful evidence utilization. STEP UP research on quality of care for medical abortion, particularly on pharmacy provision of medical abortion, has provided the …
Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Herhealth Model For Improving Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights Knowledge And Access Of Female Garment Factory Workers In Bangladesh, Md. Irfan Hossain, Abdullah Al Mahmud Shohag, Ashish Bajracharya, Ubaidur Rob, Laura Reichenbach
Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Herhealth Model For Improving Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights Knowledge And Access Of Female Garment Factory Workers In Bangladesh, Md. Irfan Hossain, Abdullah Al Mahmud Shohag, Ashish Bajracharya, Ubaidur Rob, Laura Reichenbach
Reproductive Health
The Population Council, under its USAID-funded Evidence Project, partnered with Bangladesh’s Business for Social Responsibility program to conduct operational research to evaluate the effectiveness of the HERhealth model for improving female factory workers’ health, and to find ways to optimize program inputs and processes to support future scale-up of the intervention. This report presents findings from a pre- and post-intervention quantitative study of female factory workers from 10 factories; a qualitative study with factory managers, service providers, and implementing partners; and self-administered retention assessments of the Peer Health Educators from six factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, and Narayanganj districts. Findings from …
A Model For Providing 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services At Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Forhana Rahman Noor, Afsana Fatema Noor
A Model For Providing 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services At Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Forhana Rahman Noor, Afsana Fatema Noor
Reproductive Health
In rural areas of Bangladesh, emergency obstetric care services are available at the upazila level and above. At lower levels, Union Health and Family Welfare Centers (UHFWCs) located in the proximity of women’s homes provide normal delivery services. Recently, the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) undertook an initiative to provide 24-hour normal delivery services in newly upgraded UHFWCs. The Population Council, with financial support from UKaid is providing technical assistance to the DGFP to implement an operations research study to test the effectiveness of this model. This brief presents an overview of the project, describes the implementation of project …
Marie Stopes International's Sifpo Project—Strengthening International Family Planning Organizations, October 2010–September 2015, Population Council
Marie Stopes International's Sifpo Project—Strengthening International Family Planning Organizations, October 2010–September 2015, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council was a partner in the Strengthening International Family Planning Organizations (SIFPO) project implemented by Marie Stopes International. SIFPO’s mandate was to increase use of voluntary family planning (FP) services globally by strengthening selected international FP organizations with global reach and an extensive, multicountry network of FP clinics for achieving maximum program impact and synergies. This report outlines the Council’s role within the project: evaluate effectiveness of MSI’s FP programs to identify successful best practices and approaches; assist MSI to disseminate the findings of some or all evaluations; strengthen MSI’s internal research and metrics capacity with thematic workshops …
Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Chittagong And Munshiganj: Are They Ready To Provide 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services? (Brief), Population Council
Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Chittagong And Munshiganj: Are They Ready To Provide 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services? (Brief), Population Council
Reproductive Health
To date, the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has established approximately 3,900 Union Health and Family Welfare Centers (UHFWCs) in rural areas providing: family planning; menstrual regulation; vaccinations; and general, reproductive, and maternal health services six days a week. About 1,500 UHFWCs have been upgraded with the necessary staff and equipment to provide normal delivery services round-the-clock in rural areas. In rural areas, public-sector health facilities, including UHFWCs, contribute to only 12 percent of institutional deliveries. Until now, Family Welfare Visitors (FWVs) posted at UHFWCs performed only 0.3 percent of deliveries. …
Reaching The Unreached Through Community Mobilization In An Innovative And Sustainable Way, Arupendra Mozumdar, M.E. Khan, Subrato Mondal
Reaching The Unreached Through Community Mobilization In An Innovative And Sustainable Way, Arupendra Mozumdar, M.E. Khan, Subrato Mondal
Reproductive Health
This study shows the potential of Self Help Groups (SHGs) to deliver health messages that increase women’s knowledge. The intervention for this operations research (OR) study included a day-long training for Swasth Sakhis in the experimental area. A total of 11 trainings were organized, all conducted by Population Council staff. Before the intervention, at baseline, 803 women from eligible households were interviewed for the quantitative assessment. At endline, 470 women were followed up. Additionally, 16 in-depth interviews with women, Swasth Sakhis, and Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana staff were conducted in the experimental area to understand how the intervention was …
Introducing Medical Mr In Bangladesh: Mrm Final Report, Ismat Ara Hena, Ubaidur Rob, Nargis Sultana, Md. Irfan Hossain, Reena Yasmin, Tapash Ranjan Das, Farid Uddin Ahmed
Introducing Medical Mr In Bangladesh: Mrm Final Report, Ismat Ara Hena, Ubaidur Rob, Nargis Sultana, Md. Irfan Hossain, Reena Yasmin, Tapash Ranjan Das, Farid Uddin Ahmed
Reproductive Health
The Population Council Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Family Planning and Marie Stopes Bangladesh, with funding from the World Health Organization and the DFID-supported STEP UP project, conducted an 18-month operations research study from January 2012 to June 2013. This operations research tested the feasibility of introducing menstrual regulation with medication (MRM) in Bangladesh and assessed accessibility of the combination regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol in urban and rural health facilities. Based on this study’s results, the feasibility of introducing MRM services in Bangladesh is clear, and women receiving MRM were satisfied with their overall quality of …
Incentivizing Providers To Improve Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh: Pay-For-Performance Model Refinement And Advocacy (P4p Mra) Final Report, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Laila Rahman, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Riad Mahmud, Azizul Alim, Ismat Ara Hena, Farhana Akter, Anup Kumar Dey
Incentivizing Providers To Improve Maternal, Newborn And Child Health Services In Bangladesh: Pay-For-Performance Model Refinement And Advocacy (P4p Mra) Final Report, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Laila Rahman, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Riad Mahmud, Azizul Alim, Ismat Ara Hena, Farhana Akter, Anup Kumar Dey
Reproductive Health
An operations research project by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh tested the feasibility of a pay-for-performance (P4P) approach, which offered financial incentives to reward service providers for meeting and exceeding specified performance targets for maternal, newborn, and child health services. In response to the encouraging findings, the DGHS implemented a follow-up project, with technical assistance from Population Council and UNICEF, to utilize the experiences and findings of the P4P OR project. Despite it short duration, implementation of the revised P4P scheme induced improvements in service volume and …
Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Public Health Care Settings In Kenya: An Assessment Of Acceptability, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Harriet Birungi, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew
Routine Screening For Intimate Partner Violence In Public Health Care Settings In Kenya: An Assessment Of Acceptability, Chi-Chi Undie, Catherine Maternowska, Margaret Mak'anyengo, Harriet Birungi, Jill Keesbury, Ian Askew
Reproductive Health
Most research on intimate-partner violence (IPV) screening has been conducted in developed countries, so this study in Kenya serves as one of the first in a developing-country context to assess the acceptability of IPV screening from the perspective of providers and clients in public healthcare settings. The study conducted in Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi found that routine screening for IPV is acceptable to providers and clients at that location. However, to be effective as a routine service, the system needs to be reinforced in specific ways, including greater assurance of confidentiality, more positive provider attitudes, and higher respect for …
Community Health Workers Can Effectively Provide Information And Referrals To People Living With Hiv In Their Communities, Population Council
Community Health Workers Can Effectively Provide Information And Referrals To People Living With Hiv In Their Communities, Population Council
Reproductive Health
A number of studies reported high levels of sexually transmitted infections among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Unfortunately, prevention interventions targeting PLHIV in the community are not common in Kenya, and most PLHIV who are not on ART have limited access to prevention information and risk-reduction counseling. The Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project conducted a research project to address these gaps. This study was conducted in 2010 in collaboration with the International Center for Reproductive Health and the National AIDS and STI Control Programme. The findings show that the intervention had a number of positive outcomes and concludes …
Community Health Workers And The Media Can Be Effective In Providing Health Information To Married Adolescent Girls In The Community, Population Council
Community Health Workers And The Media Can Be Effective In Providing Health Information To Married Adolescent Girls In The Community, Population Council
Reproductive Health
Past research has found that married adolescent girls in Nyanza Province, Kenya, face higher risks of HIV infection than unmarried but sexually active girls their age in the province and other parts of the country. To address this challenge, the Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project, in collaboration with Well Told Story and the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, developed a study to assess the effectiveness of an intervention designed to increase married adolescent girls’ access to comprehensive reproductive health and HIV information and services in Homa Bay and Rachuonyo districts. The study found that using interactive communication …
Integrating Tuberculosis Case Finding And Treatment Into Postnatal Care, Charity Ndwiga, Harriet Birungi, Chi-Chi Undie, Shiphrah Kuria, Joseph Sitienei, Sam Ochola
Integrating Tuberculosis Case Finding And Treatment Into Postnatal Care, Charity Ndwiga, Harriet Birungi, Chi-Chi Undie, Shiphrah Kuria, Joseph Sitienei, Sam Ochola
Reproductive Health
Under the USAID funded FRONTIERS program, the Population Council conducted a study in six health facilities in Western Kenya that demonstrated that screening for TB within an antenatal care (ANC) setting is feasible and acceptable among the service providers. However, a major challenge remains: although TB detection is encouraged among ANC clients within the maternal and child health clinics in the country, providers in these settings fail to appreciate the need for a continuum of care from pregnancy through to the postnatal period. In order to address this gap, the APHIA II Operations Research Project developed and tested an intervention …
Making Hiv Services More Responsive To Young Children And Infants In Nyanza, Monica Wanjiru
Making Hiv Services More Responsive To Young Children And Infants In Nyanza, Monica Wanjiru
Reproductive Health
Health workers in Kenya often miss opportunities to discuss pediatric HIV with clients and to track exposed children in order to initiate treatment. To address this problem, the Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project collaborated with the Christian Health Association of Kenya, Catholic Relief Services, and the Kendu Adventist Hospital to improve HIV testing and treatment services for children at the hospital. The project recommended that pediatric HIV services be strengthened and included as an essential service at all levels of healthcare facilities in order to reach more children, including as one of the roles of the community health …
Service Improvements And Community Education Lead To Increase In Uptake Of Hiv Services For Infants And Young Children, Population Council
Service Improvements And Community Education Lead To Increase In Uptake Of Hiv Services For Infants And Young Children, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The Population Council’s APHIA II Operations Research Project in Kenya collaborated with Kendu Adventist Hospital and the Christian Health Association to launch a study to examine the effect of improved services and awareness-creation on the uptake of HIV testing and treatment services for children and infants exposed to HIV. The study showed that community education and improvements in individual case tracking can increase the proportion of infants exposed to HIV who are tested for HIV and put on appropriate treatment. The policy brief recommends that health facilities streamline services to ensure that as many exposed infants as possible are identified …
Assessing The Potential Acceptability Of A New Cadre Of Community Midwives For Pregnancy And Delivery Related Care In Rural Pakistan: Findings From A Qualitative Study, Abdul Wajid, Ali M. Mir, Zubaida Rashid, Abida Aziz
Assessing The Potential Acceptability Of A New Cadre Of Community Midwives For Pregnancy And Delivery Related Care In Rural Pakistan: Findings From A Qualitative Study, Abdul Wajid, Ali M. Mir, Zubaida Rashid, Abida Aziz
Reproductive Health
The Population Council designed an operations research study to assess the potential acceptability of a new cadre of community midwives (CMWs) for pregnancy and delivery-related care in rural Pakistan. Specific objectives of the study were to determine the need for skilled birth attendants, identify any misconceptions in the community about CMWs, determine levels of acceptance in the community, and explore barriers to the placement of CMWs in the community. The report recommends sensitizing family members so they are more willing to grant permission for pregnant women to consult CMWs, developing flexible fee structures, giving clients greater accessibility, building a network …
Operational Research For The Introduction Of An Adolescent Health Package In The Context Of Cervical Cancer Prevention, Marieke G. Van Dijk, Katherine Wilson, Claudia Diaz, Sandra G. Garcia
Operational Research For The Introduction Of An Adolescent Health Package In The Context Of Cervical Cancer Prevention, Marieke G. Van Dijk, Katherine Wilson, Claudia Diaz, Sandra G. Garcia
Reproductive Health
This report provides findings from a WHO/PAHO/UNFPA meeting that took place in Mexico City in 2009. Participants discussed a proposed operational research study on adolescent health and cervical cancer prevention that would help support countries that have already made or will soon make a policy decision to introduce the HPV vaccine. Adolescents typically have little contact with health services, particularly for immunization programs. Since new HPV vaccines target adolescent girls, the introduction of HPV vaccines may provide an opportunity for adolescents to engage more with health services and this may create openings to offer packages of adolescent health services that …
Special Needs Of In-School Hiv Positive Young People In Uganda, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Anne Katahoire, Hannington Nkayivu, Aggrey David Kibenge
Special Needs Of In-School Hiv Positive Young People In Uganda, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Anne Katahoire, Hannington Nkayivu, Aggrey David Kibenge
Reproductive Health
Since 2006, the Population Council has pioneered operations research in collaboration with local partners in Uganda to promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people aged 10–19 years infected with HIV. Key findings show that many young people perinatally infected with HIV want to be in school to avoid social isolation, and about 70 percent of them attend school. However, there has been limited understanding of how the education sector should support this vulnerable group of learners. The objective of this study was to explore the special needs of HIV-positive young people in primary and secondary schools …
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 …
Using Operations Research To Strengthen Programmes For Encouraging Abandonment Of Female Genital Cutting. Report Of A Consultative Meeting On Methodological Issues For Fgc Research, Frontiers In Reproductive Health
Using Operations Research To Strengthen Programmes For Encouraging Abandonment Of Female Genital Cutting. Report Of A Consultative Meeting On Methodological Issues For Fgc Research, Frontiers In Reproductive Health
Reproductive Health
The Population Council’s Frontiers in Reproductive Health program, with funding from USAID, organized a consultative meeting on the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2002. The meeting brought together a small group of researchers and program managers who are actively undertaking operations research and systematic program evaluations to review the state of the art concerning intervention research design and measurement issues. The deliberations at this workshop should stimulate interest both in undertaking operations research more routinely when programming anti-FGC activities and in furthering the development and application of research methods appropriate for this subject. Several …
Frontiers Capacity Building: An Overview, James R. Foreit
Frontiers Capacity Building: An Overview, James R. Foreit
Reproductive Health
The Population Council’s Frontiers in Reproductive Health Program is a cooperative agreement with USAID to improve family planning and reproductive health service delivery through operations research (OR). Frontiers builds on more than 20 years of research to improve family planning service delivery programs. A major goal of Frontiers is to transfer skills in OR so that public and private agencies in developing countries can conduct OR and apply research findings to reproductive health programs and policies. OR addresses problems in operational effectiveness, access, quality, and efficiency by investigating facets of programs that managers can control and change. As concluded in …
Investigación Operativa En Planificación Familiar: Lecturas Selectas, James R. Foreit, Tomas Frejka
Investigación Operativa En Planificación Familiar: Lecturas Selectas, James R. Foreit, Tomas Frejka
Reproductive Health
Desde que existen los programas de planificación familiar existe la investigación sobre este tema. En el nivel teórico, los investigadores examinan el efecto de la fertilidad sobre la salud y el desarrollo socioeconómico y estudian los determinantes de la fecundidad para los individuos y la poblaciones. En el nivel de las políticas, los estudios exploran el papel que juegan los programas de planificación familiar en la modificación de la fecundidad y la salud. El desarrollo de nuevos anticonceptivos se acompaña de pruebas clínicas y pre-introductorias en el contexto de los programas. Se llevan a cabo encuestas para medir los cambios …
Integrating Rti Service With Primary Health Care, Population Council
Integrating Rti Service With Primary Health Care, Population Council
Reproductive Health
The reproductive health (RH) movement worldwide has brought reproductive tract infections (RTIs) under sharp focus as an urgent health need of women. While RTIs are preventable or treatable, they are often the cause of infertility, ectopic pregnancy, cervical cancer, fetal loss, low birth-weight infants, infant blindness, and neonatal pneumonia. The adverse health effects of RTIs, particularly STIs, is much higher for women than men. Recent research has demonstrated that RTIs are closely linked to other areas of health care like family planning (FP), safe motherhood, child survival, and HIV prevention. Hence, each could significantly contribute to the reduction and control …
Postabortion Care Services In Kenya: Baseline Findings Of An Operations Research Study, Julie Solo, Deborah L. Billings
Postabortion Care Services In Kenya: Baseline Findings Of An Operations Research Study, Julie Solo, Deborah L. Billings
Reproductive Health
In Kenya, as throughout the world, the health consequences of unsafe abortion for women of reproductive age are significant. Hospital-based studies in Nairobi have shown that unsafely induced abortion accounts for as much as 35 percent of pregnancy-related mortality and at least 50 percent of hospitals’ gynecological admissions. The concept of postabortion care (emergency treatment, postabortion family planning counseling and services, links between emergency abortion treatment services and comprehensive reproductive health care) has gained wide acceptance as one model of providing comprehensive care to women suffering from abortion complications. Integration of these three components is rarely found in public health …
Clinic-Based Investigation Of The Typology And Self-Reporting Of Fgm In Egypt, Population Council
Clinic-Based Investigation Of The Typology And Self-Reporting Of Fgm In Egypt, Population Council
Reproductive Health
This clinic-based study of female genital mutilation (FGM) was designed and carried out by the Egypt Fertility Care Society to gather detailed information on the types of FGM practiced in Egypt. The study involved interviews with clinic clients to elicit information about their experience and attitudes concerning FGM, and gynecological examinations by specially trained OB/GYN physicians. In all, 93% of the women in this study were found to have some type of FGM. The study's findings were incorporated in the final report of the 1995 Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey, with the aim of contributing to the scientific understanding of …