Financing Maternal Health and Family Planning: Are We on the Right Track? Evidence from the Reproductive Health Subaccounts in Mexico, 2003-2012

OBJECTIVE

To analyze whether the changes observed in the level and distribution of resources for maternal health and family planning (MHFP) programs from 2003 to 2012 were consistent with the financial goals of the related policies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A longitudinal descriptive analysis of the Mexican Reproductive Health Subaccounts 2003-2012 was performed by financing scheme and health function. Financing schemes included social security, government schemes, household out-of-pocket (OOP) payments, and private insurance plans. Functions were preventive care, including family planning, antenatal and puerperium health services, normal and cesarean deliveries, and treatment of complications. Changes in the financial imbalance indicators covered by MHFP policy were tracked: (a) public and OOP expenditures as percentages of total MHFP spending; (b) public expenditure per woman of reproductive age (WoRA, 15-49 years) by financing scheme; (c) public expenditure on treating complications as a percentage of preventive care; and (d) public expenditure on WoRA at state level. Statistical analyses of trends and distributions were performed.

RESULTS

Public expenditure on government schemes grew by approximately 300%, and the financial imbalance between populations covered by social security and government schemes decreased. The financial burden on households declined, particularly among households without social security. Expenditure on preventive care grew by 16%, narrowing the financing gap between treatment of complications and preventive care. Finally, public expenditure per WoRA for government schemes nearly doubled at the state level, although considerable disparities persist.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in the level and distribution of MHFP funding from 2003 to 2012 were consistent with the relevant policy goals. However, improving efficiency requires further analysis to ascertain the impact of investments on health outcomes. This, in turn, will require better financial data systems as a precondition for improving the monitoring and accountability functions in Mexico.

Systematic Review Evidence Methodology: Providing Quality Family Planning Services

From 2010 to 2014, CDC and the Office of Population Affairs at the USDHHS collaborated on the development of clinical recommendations for providing quality family planning services. A high priority was placed on the use of existing scientific evidence in developing the recommendations, in accordance with IOM guidelines for how to develop "trustworthy" clinical practice guidelines. Consequently, a series of systematic reviews were developed using a transparent and reproducible methodology aimed at ensuring that the clinical practice guidelines would be based on evidence collected in the most unbiased manner possible. This article describes the methodology used in conducting these systematic reviews, which occurred from mid-2011 through 2012.

Programs to Strengthen Parent-Adolescent Communication About Reproductive Health: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT

When caring for an adolescent client, providers of contraceptive services must consider whether and how to encourage parent/guardian-child communication about the adolescent's reproductive health. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence on the effectiveness of programs designed to increase parent-child communication about reproductive health. The review was used to inform national recommendations on quality family planning services. Data analysis occurred from mid-2011 through 2012.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Several electronic bibliographic databases were used to identify relevant articles, including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Popline, published from January 1985 through February 2011.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Sixteen articles met the inclusion criteria: all studies examined the impact on at least one medium- or short-term outcome, and two studies assessed the impact on teen pregnancy. One study examined the impact of a program conducted in a clinic setting; the remainder examined the impact of programs in community settings. All studies showed a positive impact on at least one short-term outcome, and 12 of 16 studies showed an increase in parent-child communication about reproductive health. Four of seven studies found an impact on sexual risk behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Most programs increased parent-child communication, and several resulted in reduced sexual risk behavior of adolescents. This suggests that delivering a clinic-based program that effectively helps parents/guardians talk to their adolescent child(ren) about reproductive health, or referring parents/guardians to an evidence-based program in the community, may be beneficial. However, further rigorous research on delivery of these programs in clinical settings is needed.

Developing Federal Clinical Care Recommendations for Women

The provision of family planning services has important health benefits for the U.S.

POPULATION

Approximately 25 million women in the U.S. receive contraceptive services annually and 44 million make at least one family planning-related clinical visit each year. These services are provided by private clinicians, as well as publicly funded clinics, including specialty family planning clinics, health departments, Planned Parenthoods, community health centers, and primary care clinics. Recommendations for providing quality family planning services have been published by CDC and the Office of Population Affairs of the DHHS. This paper describes the process used to develop the women's clinical services portion of the new recommendations and the rationale underpinning them. The recommendations define family planning services as contraceptive care, pregnancy testing and counseling, achieving pregnancy, basic infertility care, sexually transmitted disease services, and preconception health. Because many women who seek family planning services have no other source of care, the recommendations also include additional screening services related to women's health, such as cervical cancer screening. These clinical guidelines are aimed at providing the highest-quality care and are designed to establish a national standard for family planning in the U.S.

Developing Federal Clinical Care Recommendations for Men

U.S. men experience substantial sexual and reproductive health needs across the life span. A significant barrier for providers in serving men in family planning, primary care, and sexually transmitted disease clinics has been the lack of standards for men's sexual and reproductive health care. The goal of this synthesis paper is to describe the development of clinical recommendations for the delivery of family planning services for men that were developed and published by CDC and the U.S. Office of Population Affairs. This paper is intended to describe the process used from 2011 to 2014 to develop the recommendations for the delivery of comprehensive reproductive healthcare services to men, and the rationale underpinning them.

Impact of Contraceptive Counseling in Clinical Settings: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT

This systematic review evaluated the evidence on the impact of contraceptive counseling provided in clinical settings on reproductive health outcomes to provide information to guide national recommendations on quality family planning services.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Multiple databases were searched during 2010-2011 for peer-reviewed articles published in English from January 1985 through February 2011 describing studies that evaluated contraceptive counseling interventions in clinical settings. Studies were excluded if they focused primarily on prevention of HIV or sexually transmitted infections, focused solely on men, or were conducted outside the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, or New Zealand.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

The initial search identified 12,327 articles, of which 22 studies (from 23 articles) met the inclusion criteria. Six studies examined the impact of contraceptive counseling among adolescents, with four finding a significant positive impact on at least one outcome of interest. Sixteen studies examined the impact of counseling among adults or mixed populations (adults and adolescents), with 11 finding a significant positive impact on at least one outcome of interest.

CONCLUSIONS

Promising components of contraceptive counseling were identified despite the diversity of interventions and inability to compare the relative effectiveness of one approach versus another. The evidence base would be strengthened by improved documentation of counseling procedures; assessment of intervention implementation and fidelity to put study findings into context; and development and inclusion of more RCTs, studies conducted among general samples of women, and studies with sample sizes sufficient to detect important behavioral outcomes at least 12 months post-intervention.

Client and Provider Perspectives on Quality of Care: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT

A central premise of the literature on healthcare quality is that improving the quality of care will lead to improvements in health outcomes. A systematic review was conducted to better inform quality improvement efforts in the area of family planning. The objective of this systematic review is to update a previous review focused on the quality of family planning services, namely, the impact of quality improvement efforts and client perspectives about what constitutes quality family planning services. In addition, this review includes new literature examining provider perspectives.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Multiple databases from January 1985 through January 2015 were searched within the peer-reviewed literature that described the quality of family planning services. The retrieval and inclusion criteria included full-length articles published in English, which described studies occurring in a clinic-based setting to include family planning services.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Search strategies identified 16,145 articles, 16 of which met the inclusion criteria. No new intervention studies addressing the impact of quality improvement efforts on family planning outcomes were identified. Sixteen articles provided information relevant to client or provider perspectives about what constitutes quality family planning services. Clients and providers mostly identified the need for services that were accessible, client-centered, and equitable. Themes related to effectiveness, efficiency, and safety were mentioned less frequently.

CONCLUSIONS

Family planning services that account for both patient and provider perspectives may be more effective. Further research is needed to examine the impact of improved quality on provider practices, client behavior, and health outcomes.

The experiences and adaptations of abortion providers practicing under a new TRAP law: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

Abortion laws are proliferating in the United States, but little is known about their impact on abortion providers. In 2011, North Carolina instituted the Woman's Right to Know (WRTK) Act, which mandates a 24-h waiting period and counseling with state-prescribed information prior to abortion. We performed a qualitative study to explore the experiences of abortion providers practicing under this law.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted semistructured interviews with 31 abortion providers (17 physicians, 9 nurses, 1 physician assistant, 1 counselor and 3 clinic administrators) in North Carolina. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. We identified emergent themes, coded all transcripts and developed a thematic framework.

RESULTS

Two major themes define provider experiences with the WRTK law: provider objections/challenges and provider adaptations. Most providers described the law in negative terms, though providers varied in the extent to which they were affected. Many providers described extensive alterations in clinic practices to balance compliance with minimization of burdens for patients. Providers indicated that biased language and inappropriate content in counseling can negatively impact the patient-physician relationship by interfering with trust and rapport. Most providers developed verbal strategies to mitigate the emotional impacts for patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Abortion providers in North Carolina perceive WRTK to have a negative impact on their clinical practice. Compliance is burdensome, and providers perceive potential harm to patients. The overall impact of WRTK is shaped by interaction between the requirements of the law and the adaptations providers make in order to comply with the law while continuing to provide comprehensive abortion care.

IMPLICATIONS

Laws like WRTK are burdensome for providers. Providers adapt their clinical practices not only to comply with laws but also to minimize the emotional and practical impacts on patients. The effects on providers, frequently not a central consideration, should be considered in ongoing debates regarding abortion regulation.

Defining motivational intensity of need for family planning in Africa

Non-users of contraception differ greatly in their likely motivation to adopt a method or resume use. This study presents a new approach to defining high and low motivation groups by stated intention to use, past use, and unmet need, to determine how these groups differ in characteristics and in region of residence. Data come from 23 DHS surveys in sub-Saharan countries, with representation from the eastern/southern region and western/central region. The low motivation non-users, with less past use and less intention to use in the future, are more rural, less educated, and closer to poverty. Motivational intensity is lower in the western/central region, which contains far fewer intenders than the eastern/southern region and where many more report no past use and no unmet need. When used to guide planning, unmet need should be augmented with motivation, since the two classifications do not entirely overlap. Between 10 and 17% of current non-users of family planning are likely highly motivated to use, but are not captured in the unmet need classification. Program implications for these non-using groups are discussed.

Improving the quality of family planning services: the role of new federal recommendations

This article provides a brief overview of Federal guidelines developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Office of Population Affairs on how to deliver quality family planning services. This article describes how the recommendations were developed, summarizes key points, and outlines steps that will be taken to disseminate and increase the use of the recommendations by primary care providers.

Providing quality family planning services: Recommendations of CDC and the U.S. Office of Population Affairs

This report provides recommendations developed collaboratively by CDC and the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The recommendations outline how to provide quality family planning services, which include contraceptive services, pregnancy testing and counseling, helping clients achieve pregnancy, basic infertility services, preconception health services, and sexually transmitted disease services. The primary audience for this report is all current or potential providers of family planning services, including those working in service sites that are dedicated to family planning service delivery as well as private and public providers of more comprehensive primary care. The United States continues to face substantial challenges to improving the reproductive health of the U.S. population. Nearly one half of all pregnancies are unintended, with more than 700,000 adolescents aged 15-19 years becoming pregnant each year and more than 300,000 giving birth. One of eight pregnancies in the United States results in preterm birth, and infant mortality rates remain high compared with those of other developed countries. This report can assist primary care providers in offering family planning services that will help women, men, and couples achieve their desired number and spacing of children and increase the likelihood that those children are born healthy. The report provides recommendations for how to help prevent and achieve pregnancy, emphasizes offering a full range of contraceptive methods for persons seeking to prevent pregnancy, highlights the special needs of adolescent clients, and encourages the use of the family planning visit to provide selected preventive health services for women, in accordance with the recommendations for women issued by the Institute of Medicine and adopted by HHS.

Quality of family planning services in primary health centers of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Good quality of care in family planning (FP) services help individuals and couples to meet their reproductive health needs safely and effectively. Therefore, assessment and improvement of the quality of family planning services could enhance family planning services utilization. This study was thus conducted to assess the quality of family planning services in primary health centers of Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional facility based study was conducted from March 1(st)-25(th), 2011 among family planning clients of government primary health care centers in southwest Ethiopia. Exit interview of 301 family planning clients identified through systematic random sampling technique was carried out using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Availability of resources was checked using provider interview and inventory checklist. Moreover, a total of 150 consultation sessions were observed using checklist. Descriptive statistics and linear regression coefficients were generated to meet the objective of the study.

RESULTS

There was a shortage of some medical equipment, trained staffs, and information education and communication materials (IEC) in all of the family planning clinics. The mean waiting time at the service delivery points and consultation duration were 16.4 and 10.5 minutes, respectively. The providers used at least one information education and communication material in 33.3% of the consultation sessions. The overall satisfaction score was 8.64. Clients' perception on adequacy of information during consultation (β=0.24; ( 95%CI=0.02-0.16) ease of getting the clinic site, short waiting time (β=0.17; 95%CI=0.15-029) and educational level (β=0.09; 95%CI =0.09-0.29) were significantly associated with overall satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study showed that there was lack of critical resources for the provision of quality family planning services in all of the primary health care centers included in the study. This has affected important aspects of service provision including the use of IEC materials during consultations. Hence, it is advisable that health managers of the health facilities and the district health office ensure improved availability of trained personnel, IEC materials and other supplies at the clinics.

Clients' perceptions of service quality and satisfaction at their initial Title X family planning visit

Family planning service quality and clients' satisfaction with services are important determinants of clients' contraceptive use and continuation. We examine women's experiences at family planning clinics on a range of dimensions, including patient-centered communication (PCC), and identify experiences associated with higher ratings of service quality and satisfaction. New female clients (n = 748), ages 18-35 years, from clinics in three major metropolitan areas completed computer-administered interviews between 2008 and 2009. Factors associated with primary outcomes of service quality and satisfaction were assessed using multinomial and ordinary logistic regression, respectively. Higher scores on a Clinician-Client Centeredness Scale, measuring whether clinicians were respectful, listened, and provided thoughtful explanations, were associated with perceptions of good quality care and being very satisfied. Higher scores on a Clinic Discomfort Scale, measuring staff and waiting-room experiences, were associated with reduced satisfaction. Clients' interactions with clinicians, especially PCC, influence their perceptions of service quality, whereas their satisfaction with services is also influenced by the facility environment. These measures are adaptable for agencies to identify the factors contributing to their own clients' satisfaction-dissatisfaction with care and perceptions of service quality.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacists and health-care workers regarding oral contraceptives correct usage, side-effects and contraindications

Despite the success of the Iranian family planning programme, the number of unwanted pregnancies remains high. To investigate whether health workers in Tabriz are providing correct information and counselling about OCP use, the current study was planned to examine the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of OCP providers. A sample of 150 health-care workers in health houses and 150 community/hospital pharmacists answered a questionnaire about knowledge of correct use of OCP, side-effects, contraindications, danger signs/symptoms and non-contraceptive benefits, and whether they counselled patients about these subjects. Knowledge of pharmacists and health workers was not as high as expected and in many topics they were counselling patients even when they had incorrect knowledge and in other areas they were not providing information to patients despite having the correct knowledge. Better continuing education for OCP providers and especially for pharmacists seems necessary.

Performance and measurement of a community-based distribution model of family planning services in Pakistan

INTRODUCTION

Community-based distribution (CBD) has been successfully applied to family planning (FP) services worldwide. It forms the basis for the large lady health worker (LHW) programme in Pakistan which serves a limited number of women with contraception services. Thus, the concept has seen limited application in Pakistan. We present the outcomes of a CBD model that was implemented in 49 districts across Pakistan by a non-government organization (NGO).

METHODS

The Marie Stopes Society (MSS) developed a CBD model around its fixed centres and reached around half a million married women of reproductive age (MWRA) with services. The services provided included outreach, counselling, condoms, pills, injections, and referrals for intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCDs) and other reproductive health services. Services were provided in peri-urban locations for a subsidized fee using a businesslike target setting approach. The results of the programme were assessed by triangulating inception records against a cross-sectional end-of-project survey and service delivery records.

RESULTS

The contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) had increased from 38% to 51% by project-end with modern method use increasing by 50-200% and traditional method use remaining unchanged. Unmet need and self-reported pregnancy rates fell correspondingly. Approximately 73,500 new users were added to the initial user registered numbers to a total of 132,300; MSS accounted for 53,000 per year at the end of the project, which matched the commodities supplied by the NGO.

CONCLUSIONS

The MSS CBD model presents a viable option for scaling effective FP services that may be replicated and scaled up with either donor support or by contracting out by the government. Triangulation of multiple data sources can provide more in-depth assessment of service delivery programmes and provide inferences that can inform service delivery.

Provision of family planning services in Tanzania: a comparative analysis of public and private facilities

Adherence to the policy guidelines and standards is necessary for family planning services. We compared public and private facilities in terms of provision of family planning services. We analyzed data from health facility questionnaire of the 2006 Tanzania Service Provision Assessment survey, based on 529 health facilities. Majority of public facilities (95.4%) offered family planning services, whereas more than half of private facilities (52.1%) did not offer those. Public facilities were more likely to offer modern contraceptives as compared to private facilities. However, private facilities were more likely to offer counseling on natural methods of family planning [AOR = 2.12 (1.15-3.92), P < or = 0.001]. Public facilities were more likely to report having guidelines or protocols for family planning services and various kinds of visual aids for family planning and STIs when compared to private facilities. This comparative analysis entails the need to enforce the standards of family planning services in Tanzania.

An evidence-based guideline for unintended pregnancy prevention

Despite the frequency of and significant costs related to unintended pregnancy, it has received less attention in research and prevention guidelines development than other important health threats. This lack of attention has resulted in a system-wide failure to provide care to reproductive aged women who are at risk of unintended pregnancy. An evidence-based blueprint for a coordinated system of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention is proposed for health professionals who provide care for patients at risk for unintended pregnancy.