Women's Health Commons^™

Hiv And Partner Violence: Implications For Hiv Voluntary Counseling And Testing Programs In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Suzanne Maman, Jessie K. Mbwambo, Margaret Hogan, Gad P. Kilonzo, Michael D. Sweat, Ellen Weiss

HIV and AIDS

This study explored the links between HIV infection, serostatus disclosure, and partner violence among women attending a VCT clinic in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Men and women both perceive HIV testing as a way to plan for the future but are motivated to undergo testing by a number of different individual, relationship, and environmental factors. The women in our study described more barriers to HIV testing than did men, and women who have communicated with their partners about VCT before seeking services are significantly more likely to share their HIV test results than those who have not talked with their …

Increasing Coverage Of Reproductive Health Issues In The Indonesian Print Media, Wanda Firmansyah, Sahar Hegazi, Siti Rokhmawati Darwisyah, Lila Amaliah

Reproductive Health

With the reform movement in Indonesia, the FRONTIERS project recognized the new opportunities for influencing public debate and informing public opinion on reproductive health issues and undertook a project for disseminating the results of contemporary research on reproductive health. The project had three main objectives: 1) to increase print media coverage of critical reproductive health issues by enhancing journalists’ role as responsible communication agents; 2) to contribute to public debate on emerging reproductive health issues in order to influence policy development and guide program management; and 3) to increase public awareness of key health issues, with a particular focus on …

From Patna To Paris: Providing Safe And Humane Abortion, Carmen Barroso, Martha Brady, Batya Elul, Shelley Clark, Sneh Vishwanath, Sunanda Rabindranathan

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

With access to safe, legal abortion under severe constraint or debate in many parts of the world, less attention has been paid to the issue of quality of abortion care. This issue of Quality/Calidad/Qualité explores two programs that operate in very different settings but with a shared commitment to providing high-quality abortion care in a context of broader reproductive health services: the Clinique d’Orthogénie of Broussais Hospital in France and Parivar Seva Sanstha in India. In both programs, each woman or girl who arrives for abortion receives crucial basic care, including: appropriate medical treatment to ensure complete abortion and safe …

Burkina Faso: Mejorar La Atención Postaborto Beneficia A Pacientes Y Proveedores, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Egypte: Les Ong Doivent Unir Leurs Forces Pour Éradiquer L'Excision, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Critical Analysis Of Interventions Against Fgc In Egypt, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Sahar Hegazi

Reproductive Health

Community-based programs designed to discourage the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) in Egypt started as early as the 1920s, however, NGOs seldom document the implementation, strengths, and weaknesses of each approach; or difficulties faced in implementation or ways of overcoming those difficulties. The present meta-assessment was designed by the Population Council to address these issues. Recommendations proposed to increase the effectiveness of anti-FGC interventions in Egypt include: conducting formative research to assess the needs of individuals/communities; using more participatory learning techniques in awareness-raising seminars and training workshops; focusing messages not only on the health hazards of FGC, but also …

Burkina Faso: Upgrading Postabortion Care Benefits Patients And Providers, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

At the request of the Family Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso, the Reproductive Health Research Network (CRESAR) conducted a study during 1996–98 to introduce emergency care for women with complications from miscarriage or unsafe abortion. With technical assistance from the Population Council and JHPIEGO, CRESAR trained staff at two large hospitals in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso to provide postabortion care (PAC). Training for physicians, nurses, and midwives covered manual vacuum aspiration, family planning methods, infection prevention, and communication with patients. Staff also participated in the development of policies and standards for PAC services. To measure changes …

Senegal: Train More Providers In Postabortion Care, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Recognizing unsafe abortion as a serious health problem, the government of Senegal adopted a national health strategy in 1997 that aims to halve the number of unsafe abortions by 2001. In 1997, the Center for Training and Research in Reproductive Health (CEFOREP) and the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic (CGO) at Le Dantec University Teaching Hospital in Dakar introduced new clinical techniques to improve emergency treatment for women with complications from miscarriage or abortion. CGO and two other teaching hospitals served as pilot sites. Physicians, nurses, and midwives at the three sites received training in manual vacuum aspiration, family planning, and …

Senegal: Capacite A Más Proveedores En Atención Postaborto, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Kenya: Identifying Rtis Remain Problematic: Prevention Is Essential, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Since 1990, the Nakuru Municipal Council (Kenya) has implemented a multifaceted program to reduce the incidence of reproductive tract infections (RTIs), especially those that are sexually transmitted, including HIV/AIDS. Staff in the Council’s five health clinics use syndromic management guidelines, based on clients’ reported symptoms and clinical signs, to identify clients with RTIs. In 1998, the Population Council conducted a study to assess the accuracy of syndromic management and determine the best ways to integrate RTI management into existing antenatal (ANC) and family planning (FP) services. After an assessment of existing RTI services, 18 nurses from the five municipal clinics …

Kenia: La Identificación De Las Itr Sigue Siendo Un Problema: La Prevención Es Esencial, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Kenya: L'Identification Des Iar Demeure Hasardeuse: La Prévention Est Primordiale, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Egypt: Expand Access To Postabortion Care, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

The Population Council has supported a series of studies to improve the quality of postabortion care (PAC) in Egypt. A 1994 pilot study in two Egyptian hospitals showed that upgrading PAC and training physicians in manual vacuum aspiration (MVA), infection control, and counseling led to significant improvements in the care of postabortion patients. The 1997 study, conducted by the Egyptian Fertility Care Society with support from the Population Council, sought to institutionalize improved postabortion medical care and counseling procedures in ten hospitals. Five senior physicians from each hospital attended a five-day training course in MVA, infection control, and family planning …

Egypte: Développer L'Accès Aux Soins Après Avortement, 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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

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) …

Informing Research On Hiv Prevention: A Consultation, Sharon Fonn, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

HIV and AIDS

According to a 1998 UNAIDS/WHO report, HIV infection among women is the fastest-growing segment of the AIDS pandemic, especially in developing countries. Unfortunately, the HIV-prevention strategies put forward by the public health community—monogamy, condom use, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections—are not feasible for many women. Women urgently need a means within their personal control to protect themselves against HIV. Recognizing this need, a number of international and nongovernmental organizations and government agencies have called for the development of microbicides, products that women could use vaginally to prevent infection with sexually transmitted infections, particularly HIV. The Population Council is one …

Reproductive Tract Infections: A Set Of Factsheets, Population Council

Reproductive Health

Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are being increasingly recognized as a serious global health problem with impact on individual women and men, and their families and communities. RTIs can have severe consequences, including infertility, ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain, miscarriage, and increased risk of HIV transmission. For effective prevention and management of RTIs, accurate information is necessary and should be widely available. In addition to a brief introduction to RTIs, this document contains 13 factsheets addressing medical and social issues on a variety of topics related to RTIs. The document, produced by the Population Council with support from the Ford Foundation, …

The Tostan Story: Breakthrough In Senegal Ending Female Genital Cutting, Population Council

Reproductive Health

In Senegal, elements of the Tostan education program were fundamental to the ending of the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) which has persisted for centuries, despite outside efforts to abolish such a dangerous and harmful operation. This paper is an attempt by those who lived through these events to share the experience with others. At a time when there has been little reduction in the numbers of women ending FGC in 28 African countries, when different programs and strategies have rarely succeeded in making an impact on the number of women still practicing FGC despite laws abolishing the tradition, …

Indonesia: Analysis Of Conflicting Crisis-Related Research Results, Michelle Gardner, Lila Amaliah

Reproductive Health

This report aims to explain the discrepancies in crisis-related research results in Indonesia, and to recommend methodologies to enhance future crisis-related monitoring and surveillance. The discussion aims to identify where the discrepancies are in the readily available data, and how these discrepancies can be explained. The report does not attempt to clarify the impact that the economic crisis is having on the health status of women and children in Indonesia. Recommendations are made to deal with the following findings: Aggregation of data may hide important crisis impacts; attribution of identified changes to the economic crisis may be misleading; differences in …

Mexico: Informing Service Providers And Factory Workers About Emergency Contraception, Ricardo Vernon

Reproductive Health

The goal of this project was to inform physicians, pharmacists, and female factory workers about emergency contraception (EC) through mailings of booklets and posters. These materials were developed in a previous operations research project conducted by the Instituto Mexicano de Investigación de Familia y Población and supported by the Population Council INOPAL III project with funding from USAID. The study found that recipients generally liked the print materials and welcomed information about EC. Within three weeks of receiving the materials, many reported that they had taken immediate action to make EC available and/or to educate others about EC. This project …

The Tostan Story: Breakthrough In Senegal Ending Female Genital Cutting [Arabic], Population Council

Reproductive Health

In Senegal, elements of the Tostan education program were fundamental to the ending of the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) which has persisted for centuries, despite outside efforts to abolish such a dangerous and harmful operation. This paper is an attempt by those who lived through these events to share the experience with others. At a time when there has been little reduction in the numbers of women ending FGC in 28 African countries, when different programs and strategies have rarely succeeded in making an impact on the number of women still practicing FGC despite laws abolishing the tradition, …

El Método Cope Para Mejorar El Cuidado De La Atención: La Experiencia De La Asociación Para La Planificación Familiar De Kenia, Janet Bradley, Judith Bruce, Soledad Diaz, Carlos Huezo, Kalimi Mworia

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Esta es la primera de varias ediciones de Quality/Calidad/Qualité que describen métodos concebidos para ayudar tanto a los directores como al personal de los programas de planificación familiar a efectuar una evaluación propia de la calidad de los servicios que prestan. Estas herramientas dan a los patrocinadores de los programas la oportunidad de identificar las deficiencias en su entorno de servicio y proponer soluciones. El informe examina la experiencia de la Asociación Nacional de Planificación Familiar de Kenia, proporciona algunas lecciones aprendidas y demuestra que estos ejercicios de autoevaluación están, de hecho, dando como resultado una mejora de la calidad …

Using Cope To Improve Quality Of Care: The Experience Of The Family Planning Association Of Kenya, Janet Bradley, Judith Bruce, Soledad Diaz, Carlos Huezo, Kalimi Mworia

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This is the first of several editions of Quality/Calidad/Qualité that describe methodologies designed to assist family planning program managers and staff to self-assess the quality of services they are providing. These tools give program sponsors an opportunity to identify shortfalls in their service environment and propose solutions. This issue focuses on AVSC International's COPE (client-oriented, provider-efficient) methodology, a self-assessment tool that has now been used in 35 countries around the world. The report examines the experience of the National Family Planning Association of Kenya, provides some lessons learned, and demonstrates that these self-assessment exercises are, in fact, resulting in system-wide …

Evaluation De La Stratégie De Reconversion Des Exciseuses Pour L'Eradication Des Mutilations Génitales Féminines Au Mali, Population Council

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Etude De L'Efficacité De La Formation Du Personnel Socio-Sanitaire Dans L'Education Des Client(E)S Sur L'Excision Au Mali, Nafissatou J. Diop, Fatoumata Traore, Habibatou Diallo, Ousmane Traore, Aissa Haidara Toure, Youssouf Diallo, Madina Sangare, Fatoumata Tandia Keita, Attaher Toure

Reproductive Health

Cette etude a permis de mettre en avant le profil de l’excision au Mali et de documenter les consequences de sa pratique. L’importance de la prevalence de I’excision chez les ethnies du Mali et la tendance remarquée de son accroissement chez les ethnies qui ne la pratiquait pas sont des importantes raisons pour justifier I’intensification de la lutte. Le terrain est propice aux changements car la grande majorité des femmes qui excisent leurs filles le font par pur conformisme parce que la tradition le veut ou parce que tout le monde le pratique. Des pistes de recherche, tels le sujet …