Measuring quality of family planning counselling and its effects on uptake of contraceptives in public health facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India: A cross-sectional analysis

Do women with a previous unintended birth subsequently experience missed opportunities for postpartum family planning counseling? A multilevel mixed effects analysis

Client-provider communication about family planning (FP) remains an important strategy for preventing unintended pregnancy. Yet, the literature lacks empirical studies examining whether and how women's intendedness of a recent pregnancy may impact subsequent receipt of FP counseling. We investigated whether the intendedness of a recent pregnancy is associated with subsequent missed opportunities (MOs) for FP counseling, taking into account compositional and contextual factors. We performed a secondary analysis using pooled data from the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 cross-sectional surveys conducted in Nigeria, adjusting for complex design effects. Weighted multilevel logistic regression modeling was used to examine the relationships between pregnancy intention and MOs, overall and at the health facility, using two-level random intercept models. In the analytic sample of women within 24 months postpartum (N = 6479), nearly 60% experienced MOs for FP counseling overall and even 45% of those who visited a health facility visit in the past 12 months (N = 4194) experienced MOs. In the multivariable models adjusted for individual-/household- and community-level factors, women whose recent birth was either mistimed or unwanted were just as likely to have MOs for FP counseling as their counterparts whose pregnancy was intended (p > 0.05). Factors independently associated with a MOs include individual/household level factors such as level of education, exposure to FP media, household wealth index and contextual-level variables (geographic region). While evidence that pregnancy intendedness is associated with MOs for FP counseling remains inconclusive, efforts to mitigate these MOs requires prioritizing women's prior pregnancy intentions as well as equipping healthcare providers with the capacity need to provide high-quality client-centered FP counseling, particularly for women whose recent birth was unintended.

Access to quality contraceptive counselling among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND

Improving women's access to and use of modern contraceptives is a key global strategy for improving the sexual and reproductive health of women. However, the use of modern contraceptives among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains relatively low, despite the numerous interventions to increase patronage. This study examined adolescent girls and young women's receipt of quality contraceptive counselling and its associated factors in SSA.

METHODS

Data for the study were extracted from the recent Demographic and Health Surveys of 20 countries in SSA, spanning from 2015 to 2021. A sample of 19,398 adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 years was included in the study. We presented the proportion of adolescent girls and young women who received quality contraceptive counselling using a spatial map. Multilevel binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine the factors associated with the receipt of quality contraceptive counselling.

RESULTS

Overall, 33.2% of adolescent girls and young women had access to quality contraceptive counselling, ranging from 13.0% in Cameroon to 67.0% in Sierra Leone. The odds of receiving quality contraceptive counselling was higher among adolescent girls and young women aged 20-24 (AOR = 1.48, CI: 1.32-1.67), those with primary (AOR = 1.32, CI: 1.11-1.57) and secondary or higher education (AOR = 1.31, CI: 1.09-1.58), and those married (AOR = 1.32, CI: 1.15-1.52), cohabiting (AOR = 1.47, CI: 1.23-1.76), and previously married (AOR = 1.48, CI: 1.20-1.83) compared to their counterparts in the reference groups. Adolescent girls and young women who were currently working (AOR = 1.22, CI: 1.09-1.37), those who heard of family planning from radio in the last few months (AOR = 1.34, CI:1.21-1.50), those who visited the health facility in the last 12 months (AOR = 1.69, CI: 1.52-1.88), and those residing in the Southern (AOR = 5.01, CI: 3.86-6.51), Eastern (AOR = 2.54, CI: 1.96-3.30), and Western (AOR = 4.09, CI: 3.19-5.25) SSA were more likely to receive quality contraceptive counselling compared to their counterparts in the reference groups. Conversely, adolescent girls and young women who used the internet, those who had problem getting permission to seek medical help, those facing problem in seeking medical help for not wanting to go alone, those from the middle and richest wealth indices, and those from the rural areas were less likely to receive quality contraceptive counselling compared to their counterparts in the reference groups.

CONCLUSION

Receipt of quality contraceptive counselling among adolescent girls and young women was low. Considering the importance of quality contraceptive counselling on the uptake and continuation of contraception, policymakers need to institute measures that improve adolescent girls and young women's access to quality contraceptive counselling in SSA, especially in countries like Cameroon, Angola, Madagascar, Mauritania, and Guinea, taking into consideration the factors identified in the study. Increasing adolescent girls and young women's access to quality contraceptive counselling could greatly minimize the risk of unintended pregnancies and its associated maternal and child health burden in SSA and subsequently contribute to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal 3, target 3.7.

The impact of accredited social health activists in India on uptake of modern contraception: A nationally representative multilevel modelling study

The government of India introduced the Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) programme in 2006 to connect marginalised communities to the health system. ASHAs are mandated to increase the uptake of modern contraception through the doorstep provision of services. There is currently no evidence on the impact of ASHAs on the uptake of contraception at the national level. This paper examines the impact of ASHAs on the uptake of modern contraception using nationally representative National and Family Health Survey data collected in 2019-21 in India. A multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of contact with ASHAs on the uptake of modern contraception, controlling for regional variability and socio-demographic variables. The data provide strong evidence that ASHAs have succeeded in increasing modern contraceptive use. Women exposed to ASHAs had twice the odds of being current users of modern contraception compared to those with no contact, even after controlling for household and individual characteristics. However, only 28.1% of women nationally reported recent contact with ASHA workers. The ASHA programme should remain central to the strategy of the government of India and should be strengthened to achieve universal access to modern contraception and meet sustainable development goals by 2030.

The effect of integration of family planning education with infant vaccination visits on the uptake of postpartum family planning in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Integration of maternal and child health services can improve service utilisation. An operations research was conducted in a Nigerian tertiary hospital. A pilot study was conducted at three family planning (FP) and vaccination sites. A formative assessment was carried out using client records and key-informant interviews. Pre- and post-integration questionnaires were administered to 715 women attending the infant vaccination clinics. Themes were developed from the qualitative data and some verbatim quotes were reported. The quantitative data were analysed using Stata, version 17. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to compare associations between categorical independent and outcome variables where applicable, with level of significance set at <0.05 and 95% confidence interval.The health care workers were willing to integrate the two services but inadequate training and time constraint were key barriers. Significant increases in the knowledge of contraception (25.7% vs 34.7%, p = 0.001), intention to use contraception (31.2% vs 38.2%, p = 0.001), and number of new acceptors of FP (487 vs 664, p = 0.001), were recorded post-integration, even though it was difficult to determine whether the observed increase in new FP acceptors was due to increased patronage from the study participants and not from other clients who were not part of the study. Integration of FP education and infant vaccination services is a feasible and acceptable strategy for increasing contraceptive use among postpartum women, as vaccination clinic staff were willing to take on FP education along with their current duties.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Few studies have reported on the outcomes related to FP and vaccination integration.What the results of this study add? A simple model of FP education and infant vaccination services integration is a feasible and acceptable strategy for increasing contraceptive use among postpartum women. However, inadequate training and time constraint were major concerns for healthcare providers.Implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Targeted family planning education and referral should be encouraged during infant vaccination visits. There is a need for further research to determine the providers' skills necessary for integration and whether integration poses a risk to either service.

Determinants of quality contraceptive counselling information among young women in Sierra Leone: insights from the 2019 Sierra Leone demographic health survey

BACKGROUND

The quality of contraceptive counseling information received by prospective clients of family planning services can greatly influence both the uptake and continued use of contraceptives. Therefore, an understanding of the level and determinants of quality contraception information among young women in Sierra Leon could inform family programs, with the aim of reducing the high unmet need in the country.

METHODS

We analyzed secondary data from the 2019 Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey (SLDHS). Participants were young women aged 15-24 years, who were using a family planning method (n = 1,506). Good quality family planning counselling was defined a composite variable that included; a woman being told about side effects, how to deal with side effects, and the availability of other family planning methods/options. Logistic regression was performed using SPSS software version 25.

RESULTS

Out of 1,506 young women, 955 (63.4%, 95% CI: 60.5-65.3) received good quality family planning counselling services. Of the 36.6% that received inadequate counselling, 17.1% received no counselling at all. Good quality family planning counselling services was positively associated with receiving family planning services from government health facilities (aOR: 2.50, 95% CI: 1.83-3.41), having no major challenges with distance to access healthcare (aOR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10-1.90), having visited a health facility (AOR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.45-2.58), and having been visited by a health field worker within the last 12 months (aOR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.24-2.26) while residing in the southern region ( aOR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22-0.69) and belonging to the richest wealth quintile (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24-0.98) were associated with less odds of receiving good quality family planning counselling services.

CONCLUSION

About 37% of the young women in Sierra Leone do not receive good quality family planning counselling services of which 17.1% received none. Based on the study's findings, it is important to emphasize the need to ensure that all young women have access to proper counselling services especially for those receiving these services from private health units, from the southern region and richest wealth quintile. Ensuring easier access through increasing affordable and friendly access points and strengthening field health workers' capacity in providing family planning services could also help improve access to good quality family planning services.

Validation and Predictive Utility of a Person-Centered Quality of Contraceptive Counseling (QCC-10) Scale in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multicountry Study of Family Planning Clients and a New Indicator for Measuring High-Quality, Rights-Based Care

The lack of validated, cross-cultural measures for examining quality of contraceptive counseling compromises progress toward improved services. We tested the validity and reliability of the 10-item Quality of Contraceptive Counseling scale (QCC-10) and its association with continued protection from unintended pregnancy and person-centered outcomes using longitudinal data from women aged 15-49 in Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Nigeria. Psychometric analysis showed moderate-to-strong reliability (alphas: 0.73-0.91) and high convergent validity with greatest service satisfaction. At follow-up, QCC-10 scores were not associated with continued pregnancy protection but were linked to contraceptive informational needs being met among Burkinabe and Kenyan women; the reverse was true in Kano. Higher QCC-10 scores were also associated with care-seeking among Kenyan women experiencing side effects. The QCC-10 is a validated scale for assessing quality of contraceptive counseling across diverse contexts. Future work is needed to improve understanding of how the QCC-10 relates to person-centered measures of reproductive health.

Changes in clients' perceptions of family planning quality of care in Kaduna and Lagos States, Nigeria: A mixed methods study

Community Pharmacists (CPs) and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) are crucial to improving access to family planning (FP) services in Nigeria. Although the private sector is preferred for convenience, availability of commodity, privacy, and timeliness, less well known is the quality of care received by clients who obtain FP services from CPs and PPMVs. This paper seeks to explore the use of validated quality of care measures for programming in Kaduna and Lagos States and to assess how these measures worked in capturing changes in quality of care using client exit interviews implemented at two time points. Using validated measures of quality of care, 598 and 236 exit interviews in rounds 1 and 2 were conducted with FP clients aged 18–49 years old. The quality of care domains were assessed using 22 questions. A weighted additive quality score was created, and scores were grouped into three: low, medium, and high quality. Changes in quality of care received were examined using χ2 test. A subset of 53 clients were selected for in-depth interviews. Deductive and inductive approaches were used for coding, and data analysis was thematic. In Lagos, we observed increases in 16 out of 22 items while in Kaduna increases were only observed in 8 items. For instance, increases were observed in the proportion of women who experienced visual privacy between rounds 1 and 2 in Lagos (74%–89%) and Kaduna (66%–82%). The quality of care received by clients changed over time. Women who reported high quality care in Lagos increased from 42% to 63%, whereas women who reported high quality care in Kaduna decreased from 35% to 21%. In both states, in-depth interviews revealed that women felt they were treated respectfully, that their sessions with providers were visually private, that they could ask questions, and that they were asked about their preferred method. This study demonstrates that clients received high quality of care services from providers (CPs and PPMVs) especially in Lagos, and such services can be improved over time. Continuous support may be required to maintain and prevent reduction in quality of FP counseling and services, particularly in Kaduna.

Using machine learning to understand determinants of IUD use in India: Analyses of the National Family Health Surveys (NFHS-4)

Intra-uterine devices (IUDs) are a safe and effective method to delay or space pregnancies and are available for free or at low cost in the Indian public health system; yet, IUD uptake in India remains low. Limited quantitative research using national data has explored factors that may affect IUD use. Machine Learning (ML) techniques allow us to explore determinants of low prevalence behaviors in survey research, such as IUD use. We applied ML to explore the determinants of IUD use in India among married women in the 4th National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4; N = 499,627), which collects data on demographic and health indicators among women of childbearing age. We conducted ML logistic regression (lasso and ridge) and neural network approaches to assess significant determinants and used iterative thematic analysis (ITA) to offer insight into related variable constructs generated from a series of regularized models. We found that couples’ shared family planning (FP) goals were the strongest determinants of IUD use, followed by receipt of FP services and desire for no more children, higher wealth and education, and receipt of maternal and child health services. Findings highlight the importance of male engagement and family planning services for IUD uptake and the need for more targeted efforts to support awareness of IUD as an option for spacing, especially for those of lower SES and with lower access to care.

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Prevalence of IUD use has remained extremely low in India for the past two decade.

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This paper used machine learning models with iterative thematic analysis to explore potential predictors of IUD use among currently married women in India.

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The strongest predictor of IUD use was shared marital family planning goals between the male and female partners.

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Prior access to Family Planning services and couples' desire for no more children were also found to be predictive of IUD use in India.

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Findings also highlight the importance of male engagement and family planning services for IUD uptake.

Contraception for married adolescents (15-19 years) in India: insights from the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4)

PURPOSE

Despite the fact that marriage below the age of 18 years is illegal in India, a considerable number of females get married and start childbearing during their adolescent years. There is low prevalence of contraceptive methods and high unmet need for family planning (FP). Realizing this, new government programs have been launched to increase the uptake of sexual and reproductive health services among adolescents. However, evidence specific to this age group remains scarce.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The present study was conducted to assess the prevalence of modern contraceptives among married adolescents, and to determine its association with sociodemographic variables, health worker outreach, and media exposure to FP messages in India.

METHODS

Data for this analysis was drawn from the fourth round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) conducted in India during 2015-16. The sample size is restricted to 13,232 currently married adolescent girls aged 15-19 years, who were not pregnant at the time of the survey. Bivariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to assess the levels of contraceptive use and its predictors among married adolescents.

RESULTS

The use of modern contraceptives among married adolescents increased from 4 to 10% between 1992-93 and 2015-16. The uptake of modern contraceptives was found to be low among the uneducated, those residing in rural areas, among backward classes, those practising Hindu religion, women in the poorest wealth quintile, women without children, and those with no exposure to FP messages via media or health care workers. Among those who met health care workers and discussed FP issues with them, 34.11% were using modern contraceptives as compared to 11.53% of those who did not have discussions with health care workers.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence suggests that contact with health care workers significantly influences the use of modern contraceptives. Further focus on increasing contact between married adolescents' and health care workers, and improving the quality of counselling will protect adolescents from early marriage and pregnancy.