Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Providers' Attitudes And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In India: Key Findings, M.E. Khan, Isha Bhatnagar, Deepthi S. Varma, Anvita Dixit

Reproductive Health

This policy brief reports key findings of a study in India that explored providers’ knowledge of how emergency contraception (ECP) works and its safety and effectiveness, their perceptions of the frequency of repeat use, their provision of ECP, and their attitudes toward women who seek it. Many of the findings of this study are encouraging. Most providers believed that ECP is an effective and safe method to prevent pregnancy and that it cannot induce abortion, and half supported the over-the-counter provision of ECP. Nevertheless, the study revealed many biases and gaps in knowledge. Recommendations include a number of ways to …

Increasing Access To Family Planning And Reproductive Health Services Through Community Work: A Case Study Of A Dual Cadre Model In India, Jaleel Ahmad, Isha Bhatnagar, M.E. Khan

Reproductive Health

Before the introduction of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in India, mid-level auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) were responsible for community health education and services such as antenatal care, delivery, IUCD insertion, and sterilization referrals. The Population Council studied how community extension work and some primary care responsibilities have been shifted to ASHAs, who are tasked with identifying pregnant women; facilitating ANC check-ups; motivating women for institutional deliveries during ANC checkups; and organizing child immunization. Establishing dual worker cadres in India by shifting community extension tasks from ANMs to local ASHAs has been well conceived. Task shifting has allowed ANMs, as …

Situation Analysis Of Behavior Change Communication Activities In Bihar: A Step Towards Developing A Comprehensive Bcc Strategy, M.E. Khan, Isha Bhatnagar, Avishek Hazra, Mukesh Kumar

Reproductive Health

A situation analysis undertaken by the Population Council in Bihar, India assessed a number of contributing factors to a behavior change communication (BCC) strategy. Social norms and practices can be changed if appropriate messages are delivered through a combination of communication channels including mass, mid-, and other media, coupled with improved interactions between frontline healthcare workers and target populations at family and community levels. The analysis notes that effective BCC strategy should be measured in terms of actual behavior change. Impact of BCC activities can be measured by immediate outputs and intermediate and final outcomes depending on implementation duration. The …

Repositioning Community-Based Family Planning In Ghana: A Case Study Of Community-Based Health Planning And Services (Chps), Stephen Ntsua, Placide Tapsoba, Gloria Quansah Asare, Frank K. Nyonator

Reproductive Health

The Population Council conducted a diagnostic appraisal of delivering family planning services using the community-based health planning and services (CHPS model) in Ghana. This study’s results indicate that the CHPS program is well appreciated by rural communities where it is operational. However, the study identified several developments with implications for service delivery: increased community health officer (CHO) workloads and concomitant reductions in outreach services and home visits by community health visitors (CHVs) have weakened the CHO-CHV working relationship, leaving both cadres working in isolation. CHPS has significantly improved health indices but its contribution to increasing family planning is limited and …

Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In Senegal: Key Findings, Babacar Mane, Martha Brady, Saumya Ramarao, Fatou Bintou Mbow

Reproductive Health

This study examines providers’ and key opinion leaders’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) in Senegal, and synthesizes the findings to suggest program and policy recommendations. Analysis of providers’ opinions and beliefs reveals that although many providers believe ECP is a safe product, persistent negative views remain. KOLs and providers recognize the importance of ECP for preventing unintended pregnancy and are supportive of the integration of ECP into national guidelines. They note, however, the need to improve accessibility and quality of provision. Given the magnitude of sexual violence and abuse, considerable interest exists in devising strategies …

Attitudes, Croyances Et Pratiques Des Leaders D'Opinion Clés (Loc) Et Des Prestataires Sur La Contraception D'Urgence (Cu) Au Sénégal, Babacar Mane, Saumya Ramarao, Martha Brady, Fatou Bintou Mbow, Ababacar Thiam

Reproductive Health

In Senegal, initiatives for mainstreaming the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) in the family planning program are fairly recent. Service statistics indicate, however, that ECP distribution through the public sector is very low. While most users access ECPs through the private sector, the volume of sales is not clear, due to the absence of an operational information system of EC distribution through pharmacies. In an effort to strengthen EC provision in Senegal and reposition EC within the FP program, the Population Council conducted a study in collaboration with the Reproductive Health Division of the Ministry of Health, Senegal to document the …

Providers' And Key Opinion Leaders' Attitudes, Beliefs, And Practices Regarding Emergency Contraception In Nigeria: Key Findings, Babatunde A.O. Ahonsi, Salisu Mohammed Ishaku, Araoyinbo Idowu, Ayodeji Oginni

Reproductive Health

This brief reports on a study in Nigeria to document provider attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding emergency contraception (ECP), and to identify key opinion leaders’ opinions and insights pertaining to policy and programmatic issues in that country. Findings reveal that ECP is well known in urban Nigeria. Its provision is controlled mainly by the largely unregulated and unmonitored private sector. Government plays a distant role, thereby leaving family planning and ECP supply almost entirely in the hands of donor agencies. For wider availability and affordability of ECP products in both the private and public sectors, official policy action is required, …

The Africa Regional Sexual And Gender-Based Violence Network Annual Partners Meeting: June 26-27 2012, Mombasa, Kenya—Meeting Report, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council convened an annual partners meeting of its Africa Regional Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Network. Over 30 participants attended the meeting whose objectives were: 1) to facilitate South-South technical exchange and information-sharing on the changing landscape of violence among partners, donors, and other experts; and 2) to reflect on the ways in which research is translating into policy and practice. This report highlights the myriad ways in which activities conducted under this Network have influenced policy, practice, and funding considerations in the region, while detailing the progress of Network partners on their projects, built around several key …

Community Midwifery Services In Kenya: Implementation Guidelines, Kenya Ministry Of Health

Reproductive Health

Community midwifery guidelines by the Kenya Minister for Health have been revised in order to standardize the implementation of community midwifery services as a strategy for improving skilled attendance in the provision of maternal and newborn health care at the community level. The revised guidelines address key policies that are outlined in the Kenya Health Policy regarding the provision of essential packages for health in line with the new constitution, Vision 2030, and the Community Health Strategy. The policy emphasizes a shift of focus to preventive and promotive health care; major strategies include improving access, realizing equity goals, and providing …

Critical Issues For Integrating Srh And Hiv/Aids Services To Provide Dual Protection Against Unintended Pregnancy And Hiv/Sti Acquisition, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This document reports on a one-day symposium that was held by the STEP UP (Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy) Research Program Consortium, coordinated by the Population Council. STEP UP generates policy-relevant research to promote an evidence-based approach for improving access to family planning and safe abortion in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Kenya, and Senegal. The symposium’s objectives were to review and discuss critical and emerging issues around integrating SRH and HIV and AIDS services to enable dual protection, including new directions in dual protection technology and behaviour change interventions. The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the programmatic …

Positive Action For Hiv In Schools In Kenya, Francis Obare, Harriet Birungi, Monica Wanjiru, Sheila Bayley, John Kiunjuri, Mary Omondi, Rob Burnet, Bridget Deacon

Reproductive Health

The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of using comic books, role models, and edutainment to communicate HIV and AIDS messages to in-school young people in Kenya, with a view to improving their knowledge about the epidemic, enhancing communication about it, and promoting positive attitudes and behavior among them. The study was implemented by the Population Council in eight secondary schools in Nairobi, as part of the APHIA II Operations Research Project in collaboration with the AIDS Control Unit in the Ministry of Education, Well Told Story, and the National AIDS/STI Control Programme. The study found that …

Population Level Impact Of Vouchers On Access In Uganda, Benjamin Bellows, Francis Obare, Reproductive Health Vouchers Evaluation Team

Reproductive Health

No abstract provided.

Swiss Foundation On Mine Action 2012 Annual Report, Fsd

Global CWD Repository

The adventure of the Swiss Foundation on Mine Action (FSD) started 16 years ago with demining activities and the destruction of antipersonnel mines. It is only natural that the FSD very quickly broadened the range of its activities to encompass all types of mines and unexploded ordnances of war.

Thanks to the know-how it acquired and to its experience in project management, FSD was able to successfully embark on new projects dealing with all types of explosives, be it in or on the ground like cluster munitions, battlefield clearance, ammunitions stockpile management and destruction of stocks.

Today our demining activities …

Danchurchaid 2012 Annual Report, Dca

Global CWD Repository

DanChurchAid’s purpose is to empower the world’s poorest in their struggle for a dignified life. The work is based on a Christian view of human nature as well as respect for the individual’s human rights and the equality of all human beings. DanChurchAid has its roots in the Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church, but works wherever the need is greatest irrespective of religion, gender, political conviction, race, nationality or ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation. DanChurchAid carries out humanitarian and development aid and mine clearance in close cooperation with churches and other cooperative partners. DanChurchAid is an independent organisation. The work is …

Evaluation Of United Nations Development Programme Support To The Tajikistan Mine Action Programme, Rebecca Roberts

Global CWD Repository

The evaluation of the Support to Tajikistan Mine Action Programme (STMAP) was commissioned by UNDP to:

• Develop a roadmap for the future of TMAC
• Review the progress of STMAP against the goals of CPAP, UNDAF 2010-2015 and the national mine action strategy 2010-2015

The evaluation was conducted over a month and involved document review and a two week field visit to Tajikistan to interview TMAC staff and partners, and observe mine action activities.

"To Lead Is To Serve", Karin Baird

Bernard C. Hollister Memorial Lectures

Dr. Karin Baird is a lifelong contributor to the nonprofit sector. She began her career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University as the Director of Public Relations for the Dane County Chapter of the American Red Cross in Madison, Wisconsin. From there she moved to Washington, DC where she worked in the public relations department of the American National Red Cross. After starting a family, she was an active volunteer in her community in the local parent-teacher organization and the League of Women Voters. As a member, and later president, of the Glencoe Friends of the Parks she helped …

The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act Of 2009: An Investigation Into The Determinants Of Funds Awarded To The States, Kaitlin Bromann

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is one of the largest government responses to an economic crisis in the history of the United States. The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of the total funds awarded to states by federal agencies in the Recovery Act. A review of budgetary theory, distributive politics, and electoral vote maximization theory provides context of historical determinants of resource allocation by the federal government.

Then from this literature I develop a model including economic and political variables. The dependent variable in my model is the total funds awarded to the …

An Analysis Of Regularizations Of Undocumented Residents In Spain And The Underground Economy: Insight For United States Policy Makers, Jon R. Davis

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

There were an estimated 11 million undocumented residents in the United States in 2010. The issue of undocumented migration and how it should be addressed is a contentious topic in the United States. However, the discussions about how to address illegal migration into the United States rarely include any comparisons to other measures that have been taken in other countries. There are many countries, such as Spain, that have large undocumented resident populations.

This analysis looks at policies that have been enacted in Spain since 1985 to enable undocumented residents to receive legal resident status, referred to as regularizations and …

Fuel Price, State Taxation, And Fleet Mileage Reduction, Kris Harmon

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This paper utilizes several models to gauge the annual impact of state gasoline taxes and pump prices on the vehicle miles traveled in the United States. Regression models in first differences were used to analyze annual changes in the variables. The models indicate that annual increases in pump prices correspond to significant decreases in mileage, while state fuel taxes do not significantly impact mileage. With local, state, and federal taxation only composing 12 percent of the pump price of fuel, the impact of changes to these taxes are diminished. This suggests that if policymakers choose to adopt a policy of …

An Exploratory Study Of Parking In A Lexington Neighborhood, Ed Mccarthy

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This study looked to test parking utilization rates in the Linden Walk, Aylesford Place and Transylvania Park (300 Block) neighborhood, while also studying resident perceptions of parking. It was concluded that Transylvania Park’s Residential Permit Parking resulted in underutilization of parking, while Linden Walk and Aylesford Place’s free on-street parking resulted in overutilization of parking due to spillover from the University of Kentucky. The purpose of the study was to determine if Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government should invest the resources to conduct an official parking study of the aforementioned Lexington neighborhood.

A comparison of research findings from this neighborhood against …

Policy Outcomes In Indonesia Before And After Democratization, Aung Kyaw Phyo

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Different types of regimes face different political situations and have different incentives to pursue different policies. In this paper, I am examining whether there are any differences in economic and social policy outcomes under democracy and dictatorship in Indonesia. The study is divided into two periods. The first period covers the authoritarian rule of President Suharto(1966 to 1998) and the second period covers the new democratic government(1999 to 2010). I set out by analyzing the rules used in distinguishing democracy from dictatorship and discussing the process by which Suharto's regime was categorized as a dictatorship and the Indonesian government after …

Educational Migration: Brain Drain In Kentucky, Dustin Pugel

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Kentucky has been steadily growing in its bachelor degree holder production over the past ten years, with almost 4500 more college degree holders produced per year in 2010 than in 2000. The literature has shown that this is good news for the economic growth prospects of the state, because a more highly skilled work force means a higher potential for production. This newly educated workforce, however, will not help Kentucky to grow if they take those skills elsewhere.

Using five-year American Community Survey data for Kentuckians over the age of 17, I was able to determine that Kentucky is not …

Adequate Yearly Progress And Dropouts: An Analysis Of Kentucky High Schools & Districts, Michelle Schardein

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Education accountability measures, especially since the passage of No Child Left Behind, have been assessed for a variety of factors in empirical research. A large portion of this literature finds that overall, accountability measures increase performance, but also increase the achievement gap. These findings have inspired this research to examine what other marginal groups of students have been affected by the unintended reaction to the consequence-based incentives found in minimum competency accountability programs, such as No Child Left Behind.

In particular, this research looks at how the changes in a high school or school district’s Adequate Yearly Progress marks affect …

Nutrition Policy, Nonmarket Failure, And The Obesity Epidemic, James Woodward

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are based on the Dietary Goals for the United States, represent the federal government’s first attempt to improve the nation’s health by recommending that Americans avoid certain foods. The Guidelines were based on what was perceived, by the government and nutritionists alike, to be solid scientific evidence that consumption of fat and saturated fat in particular, increase the risk of developing heart disease. They also emphasized, and continue to emphasize, the importance of exercise and calorie restriction as the primary means of maintaining a healthy weight. In short, the Guidelines sought to …

The Effects Of Elasticity On Government Revenue Of China, Maiduo Li

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This Capstone evaluates the elasticity of the revenue system in China, by classifying the revenue sources into three categories: the income tax, turnover tax, and charges and fees. By comparing the annual data and specific elasticity of each category between China and the United States, it is found that the revenue system in China, from 2007 to 2010, was relatively inelastic while the major component of the total revenue keeps pace with the steady growth of the economy. Such a revenue system, though it cannot have an explosive growth when the economy is turning better, can provide sustainable, stable revenue …

Toward An Age-Friendly Portland, Dawn Hanson, Mark Person, Garrett Phillips, Colin Rowan, Collin Roughton, Alison Wicks

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Workshop Projects

Toward an Age-Friendly Portland connects the people-friendly efforts of the Portland Plan with input and specific needs expressed by older Portlanders to create a vision for what people want their neighborhoods to be like as they grow older. This vision informs recommendations that may be integrated into Portland’s planning efforts. Orca Planning found that the needs of older adults now and in the future are not adequately met by the transportation, housing and greenspace options available in today’s Portland. This project was conducted under the supervision of Ethan Seltzer and Gil Kelley.

Report Of The Voucher And Accreditation Evaluation Project Meeting, Reproductive Health Vouchers Evaluation Team, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This is a report on a technical advisory meeting that brought together 45 participants from the five country programs being evaluated through the Reproductive Health Voucher and Accreditation (V&A) project, which is implemented by the Population Council with financial support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This group met for the first time as a newly emerging “voucher community” to learn from the successes and challenges faced in this early growth phase of emerging V&A programs that deliver maternal and reproductive health services. In addition to standardizing the collection of performance and financing metrics, who would use such data …

Tls Newsletter, Volume 6, Edition 4. January 2012, Unf Transportation And Logistics Society

Transportation & Logistics Society Newsletter

Inside the Newsletter: TLS General Meeting Spring 2012 on January 18th. Upcoming Events. TLS on Tour--UPS Distribution Center Jax. TLS President's Corner. In the Know--Scholarship Season. Get to Know Editor David Sherman. FYI--Spring 2012 Career Day. Professional Spotlight on Propeller Club Networking Social

Case Studies In Community Vitality And Downtown Revitalization Phase Two: Refining Measurementt Approaches And Considerations, Krissy Mailman, Kim Monaghan - Derrig, Kyra Walker

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

This team reviewed the literature on community indicators, worked with the Portland team to determine qualities of good indicator systems, and then developed an extensive field interview and observation instrument. This instrument was then used to assess a variety of community attributes in case study sites. Our research expanded on the work of the case studies in community revitalization work. They considered the fiscal issues facing local governments and discuss how that may impact their current and future efforts to revitalize their community. Another element will measure the community’s level of public participation and communication. This will include ranking the …

Personal Experiences With Mainecare Services From People Who Use Elder And Adults With Disabilities Waiver And Private Duty Nursing/Personal Care Services., Julie T. Fralich Mba, Katherine Rosingana, Mark Richards Bs, Louise Olsen, Vanessa Bell, Jennifer Pratt

Disability & Aging

This report provides the results from a survey and personal interviews that were conducted with MaineCare members who use long term services and supports -- specifically those who are on the Elder and Adults with Disabilities Waiver and those using Private Duty Nursing (PDN) Services. People who are eligible for these services generally need nursing care and assistance with a combination of activities of daily living (e.g. eating, toileting, mobility, transfer) and instrumental activities of daily living (e.g. meal preparation, grocery shopping, housework). People on the Waiver are medically eligible to be in a nursing home. The purpose of the …