Client-provider Interactions Research Articles

Community mobilisation to achieve HIV testing and care goals

Assessment of outcomes for HIV interventions in sub-Saharan Africa unearth obstacles that HIV service providers and clinics can only address with the communities served.1 For successful client–provider interactions, community engagement can advocate for and facilitate HIV testing, linkage to care, adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and retention in long-term care. Feedback could lead to clinic-based improvements,2 but the principal objective of community mobilisation is to address fundamental social obstacles to salutary outcomes.

Strengthening Interpersonal Relationships in Maternal and Child Health Care in Rural Tanzania: Protocol for a Human-Centered Design Intervention.

BackgroundEvidence indicates that clients’ dissatisfaction with providers’ competencies within maternal and child health (MCH) continues to impact trust in formal health care systems, service uptake, continuity with care, and MCH outcomes. A major problem with existing interventions is the failure to address all the complexities of provider-client relationships necessitating targeted, contextualized, innovative solutions that place providers and clients at the forefront as agents of change in optimizing intervention design and implementation. To improve the provider-client relationship, the Aga Khan University is piloting a human-centered design (HCD) intervention where MCH nurses and clients are invited to partner with researchers in the intervention design and evaluation process.ObjectiveThe objective of this research is to co-design an intervention package (prototype) for improving nurse-client relationships in the rural Shinyanga region of Tanzania using a series of iterative HCD steps, involving key stakeholders to tailor solutions for complex problems impacting provider-client interactions in MCH care.MethodsThe following 5-step HCD approach will be implemented: (1) community-driven discovery through qualitative descriptive research methods using focus group discussions and key informant interviews; (2) co-design of an intervention package through consultative ideation and cocreation meetings with nurses, clients, and other stakeholders; (3) prototype validation through qualitative insight gathering using focus group discussions; (4) refinement and adaptation meeting; and (5) documentation and sharing of lessons learned before the final prototype is tested and validated in a broader community.ResultsA prototype characterized by a package of interventions for improving nurse-client relationships in MCH care in rural contexts is expected to be developed from the co-design process.ConclusionsAn HCD approach provides a novel entry point for strengthening provider-client relationships, where clients are invited to partner with providers in the design of acceptable and feasible interventions.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/37947

Client Experiences in a Mobile-Phone Counseling Intervention for Enhancing Access to Prevention of Mother To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Services in Kenya.

BackgroundThe prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) is considered one of the most successful HIV prevention strategies in detecting and reducing HIV acquisition in utero or at birth. It is anticipated that with the increasing growth of digital technologies mobile phones can be utilized to enhance PMTCT services by improving provider-client interactions, expanding access to counseling services, and assisting in counteracting social and structural barriers to uptake of PMTCT services. Understanding the subjective experiences of women accessing PMTCT services in different settings has the potential to inform the development and promotion of such methods. This paper explores the perspectives of HIV-positive pregnant women attending maternal and neonatal clinic services in Kisumu, Kenya.MethodsData are reported from in-depth interviews with women, following a longitudinal study investigating the impact of a structured, counselor-delivered, mobile phone counseling intervention to promote retention in care and adherence to ARV prophylaxis/treatment, for HIV-positive pregnant women. Thematic content analysis was conducted.ResultsDiscussions indicated that mobile-phone counseling provided useful health-related information, enhanced agency, and assisted mothers access critical PMTCT services across the cascade of care. Similarly, mobile-phone counseling offered personalized one-to-one contact with trained health providers including facilitating discussion of personal issues that likely affect access to services. Findings also identified barriers to the uptake of services, including a lack of partner support, poor health, poverty, facility-related factors, and provider attitudes.DiscussionOverall, findings show that mobile-phone counseling is feasible, acceptable, and can enhance access to PMTCT services by overcoming some of the individual and facility-level barriers. Although mobile-phone counseling has not been routinized in most health facilities, future work is needed to assess whether mobile-phone counseling can be scaled-up to aid in the effective use of HIV and PMTCT services, as well as improving other related outcomes for mother and child dyad.

Experience in Growth Monitoring and Promotion Integrated With Immunization Services in a City Corporation of Bangladesh

ObjectivesWe aim to share the experience of the USAID's Strengthening Multi-sectoral Nutrition Programming through Implementation Science Activity (MSNP), which has been integrating Growth Monitoring (GMP) and Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) for children under two years in Khulna City Corporation (KCC), Ministry of Local Government Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD), Bangladesh.MethodsThe team analyzed the GMP and EPI service data, observed client-provider interactions (service delivery) (n = 3 nutrition counselors), conducted semi-structured interview with health assistants (n = 6) and informal discussion with mothers (n = 10) who visited the GMP/EPI service facilities from October 2021 to January 2022.ResultsBoth health assistants and nutrition counselors delivered GMP and EPI services, serving as key enablers of EPI-GMP integration. Reminder text messages were sent by MSNP project to mothers of children lost-for-follow-up to encourage their service return. From October 2021 to January 2022 GMP-EPI integrated services were provided to 1518 children (October: 32; November: 281; December: 583; January: 622).Major challenges included coordination gaps between service activities; space constraints to conduct GMP; overburdening of health assistants to fulfil EPI lost-to-follow-up targets during COVID-19 pandemic and priority for vaccination of COVID-19 to EPI; lack of awareness among caregivers of the importance of appropriate nutrition during the child's first 1000 days for healthy physical and mental development.ConclusionsAlthough this experience suggests integration of GMP into EPI can work, improvements are needed. The MSNP project will increase coordination among donors, Ministry of Health and LGRD, KCC and partner NGOs, service providers and mothers to ensure sustained and effective GMP-EPI integration; provide need-based infant and young child feeding counseling and train caregivers on community-based management of acute malnutrition, and strengthen service provision by providing supportive supervision to them.Funding SourcesUnited States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Quality of services offered to women with female genital mutilation across health facilities in a Kenyan County

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation (FGM) curtails women’s health, human rights and development. Health system as a critical pillar for social justice is key in addressing FGM while executing the core mandate of disease prevention and management. By leveraging opportune moments, events and experiences involving client-provider interactions, relevant FGM-related communications, behavior change and management interventions can be implemented through health facilities or in communities. It is unclear whether Kenyan health system has maximized this strategic advantage and positioning to address FGM.ObjectiveDetermine the quality of services offered to women with FGM across health facilities in West Pokot county, Kenya.MethodsA mixed quantitative data collection strategies were used. These included: client-provider interactions observations with (61) health care workers (HCWs) and women with FGM seeking services; client-exit interviews with (360) women with FGM seeking services. These approaches sought to determine the content and quality of FGM-related care services; and service data abstractions involving records on services sought/offered from (10) facilities in West Pokot.ResultsA large (76%) proportion of women had experienced FGM aged 11–15 years, were married between 15 and 19 years (39%), had primary (47.5%) or no education (33%) with income <30 USD/month (43%). Only 14.8% HCWs identified FGM and related complications (11.5%) during consultations. Few FGM-related prevention interventions were implemented with IEC materials (4.9%) for reinforcing preventive messages lacking. Infrastructure (88.5%) for reproductive health services existed albeit limited human resources (14.8%) and capacity (42.6%) for FGM prevention and management; few (16%) health facilities and workers explained the negative consequences of FGM and need for stopping it (15.3%); and while data on women who sought antenatal (ANC), postnatal (PNC) and family planning (FP) care services were available no information of those with FGM or related complications.ConclusionHealth systems in high prevalent settings actively interface with women with FGM, despite the primary reason for seeking services not being FGM. Despite high number of women having undergone the cut, diagnosis, prevention, care services, and documentation of FGM and related complications are suboptimal. This underscores the need for health system strengthening in response to the practice with consideration for training kits for HCWs, empowering HCWs, anchoring of FGM indicators in the HMIS, documentation and IEC material to support FGM prevention at service delivery points, and overall integration of FGM into health programs.

Utilisation of HIV services by female sex workers in Zimbabwe during the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive phenomenological study

This study focuses on female sex workers as a key population group that suffers a degree of vulnerability according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Key populations refer to people at heightened risk of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) due to specific behaviours and social and legal environments which increase their vulnerability to the virus. Key populations are disproportionately affected by HIV, yet they have less access to HIV services compared to the general population. The coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown and its restrictive measures have further widened the inequalities and gaps in accessing HIV services for this group. A descriptive phenomenological study was undertaken to explore female sex workers’ experiences of utilisation of HIV services during COVID-19. The study setting was the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews with 10 female sex workers. Purposive sampling coupled with snowballing was utilised for recruiting participants. Data were analysed guided by the seven-step Colaizzi technique. Rigour was ensured through adhering to Lincoln and Guba’s trustworthiness criteria. The study found that the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the livelihoods of sex workers and their utilisation of HIV services. There was limited access to HIV services due to an initial lack of travel authorisation letters and financial challenges experienced by study participants. In addition, the quality of care in health care facilities was further compromised by poor screening processes and reduced provider-client interactions. Maintaining access to HIV services for female sex workers during pandemics is critical for the country to attain HIV epidemic control.

Utilization of Maternal Care Services and Level of Satisfaction Among Clients in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana

The study investigates the extent to which mothers are satisfied with the maternity services they receive at Tamale Teaching Hospital. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Primary and secondary sources of data were used for the research. Likert scale questionnaires were used in the collection of the data. A quantitative approach was adopted to analyze the data. From the study, respondents agreed that they are provided with access to high-quality care throughout the phases of pregnancy, labour and delivery. They also averred that they receive screening at the maternal and child health to ensure safe delivery. Again, it emerged that respondents get education on proper diet during pregnancy and lactation and the benefits of physical exercises. Additionally, it came up that respondents do not receive considerate and respectful care at all times and under all circumstances, without recognition of their dignity, values and beliefs, respect the rights of the patient. Respondents do not know the name and professional status of those providing services to them. Respondents do know refusing treatment to the extent permitted by law and are informed of the medical consequences of that refusal in the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Thus, it is recommended that the management of Tamale Teaching Hospital should organize training for health providers to encourage them to communicate client information to them during the provider-client interaction. Management should work to improve on the waiting time and contact time for their clients to be satisfied with their service provision. Management of Tamale Teaching Hospital should carry out client satisfaction surveys routinely to improve the quality of Anti-Natal Care. The primary health care authorities should make adequate provision of maternal and child health services a priority given its importance in minimizing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

Respectful maternity care among laboring women in public hospitals of Benishangul Gumuz Region, Ethiopia: A mixed cross-sectional study with direct observations.

Objectives:Promoting respectful maternity care is a fundamental strategy for enhancing facility birth, which significantly reduces maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. Despite these effects, disrespect and abusive childbirth care remain a challenge in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of respectful maternity care and its associated factors among laboring women in public hospitals of Benishangul Gumuz region, Ethiopia.Methods:A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed, and trained external assessors observed the care provided to 404 laboring women in public hospitals using structured observation checklists. A focus group discussion and two key informant interviews were also conducted. A structured pre-tested questionnaire and a semi-structured guide were used to generate quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Seven verification criteria were employed, and the mean value and above for each criterion were used to measure respectful maternity care.Results:Of the 404 client–provider interaction observations during childbirth, only 12.6% (n = 51) participants received respectful maternity care. Being from an urban area (adjusted odds ratio = 3.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.39, 8.08), giving childbirth at daytime (adjusted odds ratio = 2.59, 95% confidence interval: 1.26, 5.33), receiving the service from compassionate and respectful care trained provider (adjusted odds ratio = 4.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.63, 12.66), giving childbirth at general hospital (adjusted odds ratio = 3.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.39, 6.65) were positively associated with respectful maternity care. Staff workload, shortage of supply and equipment, partiality in providing timely care, yelling and insulting at clients and birth companions were also barriers to respectful maternity care.Conclusion:The observed respectful maternity care practices were low in the study area. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that addressing respectful maternity care would require increased compassionate and respectful care trained providers, and sustained efforts to improve access to basic equipment and supply for maternity care with an emphasis on primary hospitals. Tailored interventions aimed at improving respectful maternity care should also target rural residents and nighttime parturients.

Factors Influencing the Satisfaction with the Family Planning Services among Women of Reproductive Age Seeking Services at Health Facilities in Siaya County, Kenya

Client satisfaction is considered as one of the desired outcomes of health care and it is directly related to the utilization of health services. It reflects the gap between the expected and the experience of the service from the client's point of view. Currently, one of the most significant challenges in healthcare institutions is client retention as this problem has been largely attributed to the inherent lack of enough and satisfactory service to clients. It is against this background that the purpose of this facility-based, cross-sectional study was to investigate the factors influencing the satisfaction with the family planning services among women of reproductive age seeking services at health facilities in Siaya County, Kenya. The study was conducted among women of reproductive age seeking FP services in 4 sub-county public hospitals: Bondo, Ukwala, Madiany, and Yala, in Siaya County, as well as healthcare providers serving the women during the period of study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the participants in quantitative findings while the purposive sampling technique was used for qualitative data. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires for women receiving service and a key informant interview guide for healthcare workers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics using STATA (v 15) while qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis. Most (60.06%) of the clients served were aged between 20-24 years and 194 (56.56%) were married. The majority (92.71%) of the clients had high satisfaction with the services they received at the health facilities, and women with high levels of interaction with the providers were about 68% more likely to be satisfied with the FP services as compared to females with low provider-client interactions (OR= 0.68, p=.021&lt;0.05). There was no statistically significant association between satisfaction and facility level, age category, marital status, who referred the females for FP services, the source of FP information, waiting time, cost of service, and level of education (α = 0.05). The Ministry of Health, through the individual health facilities and relevant stakeholders, should identify mechanisms of maintaining the satisfaction of women using family planning methods, while ensuring more information is provided by the mainstream healthcare workers.

Development and initial validation of the Animal Welfare Cultural Competence Inventory (AWCCI) to assess cultural competence in animal welfare

ABSTRACT Cultural competence is recognized as critical to reducing disparities within human healthcare settings, but it is rarely incorporated into evaluations of companion animal services. We developed and validated an animal welfare-focused cultural competence instrument with client and provider versions. We then used the instrument to assess the relationship between animal welfare providers’ cultural competence and services provided to clients in historically underserved communities. 24 providers across 17 sites participated in the provider survey. 422 clients across those sites also participated and had their service utilization data analyzed. We found a significant correlation between the number of client-provider interactions and their level of agreement within the instrument’s “competence/confidence” subscale. We also found that these interactions had a significant correlation with veterinarian care and spay/neuter services. This study provides initial evidence that increasing the use of culturally competent engagement strategies has the potential to increase service utilization for pets in historically underserved communities.

A one-stop shop model for improved efficiency of pre-exposure prophylaxis delivery in public clinics in western Kenya: a mixed methods implementation science study.

IntroductionIn public clinics in Kenya, separate, sequential delivery of the component services of pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) (e.g. HIV testing, counselling, and dispensing) creates long wait times that hinder clients’ ability and desire to access and continue PrEP. We conducted a mixed methods study in four public clinics in western Kenya to identify strategies for operationalizing a one‐stop shop (OSS) model and evaluate whether this model could improve client wait time and care acceptability among clients and providers without negatively impacting uptake or continuation.MethodsFrom January 2020 through November 2020, we collected and analysed 47 time‐and‐motion observations using Mann–Whitney U tests, 29 provider and client interviews, 68 technical assistance reports, and clinic flow maps from intervention clinics. We used controlled interrupted time series (cITS) to compare trends in PrEP initiation and on‐time returns from a 12‐month pre‐intervention period (January–December 2019) to an 8‐month post‐period (January–November 2020, excluding a 3‐month COVID‐19 wash‐out period) at intervention and control clinics.ResultsFrom the pre‐ to post‐period, median client wait time at intervention clinics dropped significantly from 31 to 6 minutes (p = 0.02), while median provider contact time remained around 23 minutes (p = 0.4). Intervention clinics achieved efficiency gains by moving PrEP delivery to lower volume departments, moving steps closer together (e.g. relocating supplies; cross‐training and task‐shifting), and differentiating clients based on the subset of services needed. Clients and providers found the OSS model highly acceptable and additionally identified increased privacy, reduced stigma, and higher quality client–provider interactions as benefits of the model. From the pre‐ to post‐period, average monthly initiations at intervention and control clinics increased by 6 and 2.3, respectively, and percent of expected follow‐up visits occurring on time decreased by 18% and 26%, respectively; cITS analysis of PrEP initiations (n = 1227) and follow‐up visits (n = 2696) revealed no significant difference between intervention and control clinics in terms of trends in PrEP initiation and on‐time returns (all p>0.05).ConclusionsAn OSS model significantly improved client wait time and care acceptability without negatively impacting initiations or continuations, thus highlighting opportunities to improve the efficiency of PrEP delivery efficiency and client‐centredness.

Leveraging the Client-Provider Interaction to Address Contraceptive Discontinuation: A Scoping Review of the Evidence That Links Them.

Despite considerable investment and effort, unmet need for contraception remains an obstacle to improved family planning outcomes. One influencing factor is the frequency of contraceptive discontinuation among users who desire to prevent pregnancy, often due to method-related concerns and side effects. Contraceptive users have the right to be supported during counseling to voluntarily choose methods that align with their individual needs and preferences. Contraceptive counseling, as a key component of quality of care, is particularly important for providers to reduce unmet need among their clients. This scoping review examined the state of the evidence on contraceptive counseling and its impact on discontinuation. The review first examines the association between quality of care and contraceptive discontinuation, then looks to what the current body of evidence suggests are women's contraceptive counseling priorities, and lastly, explores whether specific counseling tools and approaches have been evaluated with discontinuation as an outcome. The results identified general principles and priorities for good counseling including person-centeredness, client-tailored information exchange, clear and concise information on side effects and bleeding changes, reducing providers' implicit and explicit biases, and trust and respect between the client and provider. The review of the literature also found that evidence to support the use of specific counseling tools and approaches to reduce contraceptive discontinuation is insufficient; research should be designed to determine which specific elements of the client-provider interaction can be improved to significantly impact contraceptive discontinuation. This evidence could inform how the global community of practice might improve and leverage specific counseling approaches and tools to address the most common predictors of discontinuation.

Quality of adolescent and youth-friendly health services in Dehana district public health facilities, northeast Ethiopia: Using the Donabedian quality framework.

Adolescents and youths who need exceptional healthcare are the shapers and leaders of our global future. However, many of them are died prematurely, while others suffer from diseases partly because of the poor quality of health services. Thus, this study aimed to assess the quality of Adolescent and Youth-friendly Health Services (AYFHS) and associated factors in the public health facilities of Dehana district, Northeast Ethiopia. A facility-based quantitative cross-sectional study supported with a qualitative component was conducted from February 24 to March 30, 2020. The quality of AYFHS was measured using the Donbidean framework (structure, process and output component). Accordingly, a total of 431 adolescents and youths, five health facilities, twenty-five client-provider interaction observations, and nine key informant interviews were conducted. Binary logistic regression analysis was done, and variables with a p-value of < 0.05 and Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with its 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were used to measure the association. The qualitative data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Then, Open Code 4.03 software was used to manage and analyze the data. The quality of adolescent and youth-friendly health services was 58.8, 46.4, and 47.2% for structural, process, and output quality dimensions, respectively. The predictor variables for output quality were, being a student (AOR: 2.07, 95%CI: 1.07-3.40), farmers (AOR: 2.59, 95%CI: 1.25-5.39), own income sources (AOR: 1.99, 95%CI: 1.03-3.85), exempted services (AOR: 2.30, 95%CI: 1.43-3.71) and long waiting time (AOR: 3.8495%CI: 1.80-8.23). The overall quality of adolescent and youth-friendly health services was still lower than the WHO good quality standards. The structural quality dimension was affected by the unavailability of adequate and trained health service providers, poor engagement of adolescents and youths in the facility governance structure, unavailability of guidelines, protocols and procedures. In contrast, the process quality dimension was also compromised due to the provider's poor compliance with the national AYFHS guidelines. Therefore, health facilities need to engage adolescents and youths in the health facility governance structure, and providers should comply with the national guideline.

Quality of provider-client interaction in a reproductive health clinic in Isabela, Philippines

The quality of provider-interaction determines client satisfaction and decision to seek health care. This research aimed to determine the women clients’ perception of their quality of interaction with the health care providers in a government reproductive health clinic in one of the municipalities in northern Philippines. Respondents consisted of 30 pregnant women who had visited the clinic for prenatal health care check-up were interviewed. A structured questionnaire and a semi-structured guided for probing served as the study’s research instruments. Women perceived the health care providers to possess good communication skills, and had displayed behavior that showed a regard for them. However, the providerinteraction was considered to be unilinear, with the provider perceived to have dominated the interface, The women also perceived only a somewhat evident show of sympathy/empathy. Hostile words were heard frequently. Creation of a two-way interaction with respect for their clients must be considered by the health care providers. Policies must also be formulated to improve the quality of provider-client interaction inside reproductive health clinics.

Factors influencing client recall of contraceptive counseling at community-based distribution events in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

BackgroundClients must recall information from contraceptive counseling sessions to properly use their chosen method. Client recall in community-based settings is challenging given the public nature of these events and the presence of many potential distractions. Understanding the factors that influence client recall during community-based distribution events can guide future training of providers to improve proper use of contraceptive methods and client satisfaction.MethodsThis cross-sectional study employed a convenience sample of 957 women ages 15–49 old who sought contraceptive services from community-based contraceptive distribution events in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as Lelo PF. Recall scores were developed by matching direct observations with client exit interviews. The association between recall and client characteristics, provider characteristics and an index for the quality of the provider-client interaction were tested using multivariate linear regression.ResultsThe average recall score was 67.6%. Recall scores were higher among clients who accepted methods with simpler administration procedures, such as CycleBeads (81.3%), compared to methods requiring more medically advanced administration procedures, such as DMPA-SC (56.6%) and Implanon-NXT (62.1%). This relationship held even after controlling for amount of information each client received. Status as a first-time user was associated with a 5.8 percentage point decrease in recall score (p = 0.002). Time since the provider’s initial family planning training and clients’ perception of the provider-client interaction were associated with higher client recall scores.ConclusionResults of this study suggest that to improve client recall at Lelo PF events, future provider training should focus on how to deliver clear, specific information to clients, making sure clients feel at ease during the counseling session, and treating clients with respect. First-time family planning users and clients who select methods with more medically advanced administration procedures may require extra attention during the consultation to ensure they are able understand and remember the information. Results suggest that providers who have been offering services longer may be more effective in conveying information in a way that clients can remember. Program managers should consider requesting input from experienced providers to improve training sessions.

Understanding value co-creation in virtual communities: The key role of complementarities and trade-offs

Virtual communities form the principal environment favoring provider-client interaction. However, questions regarding the way to manage these communities so that they might generate value have yet to be resolved. Following an inductive approach, seven Lego virtual communities, classified following their governance form and objectives, were analyzed. It is found that different kinds of virtual communities appear as complementary tools to favor value co-creation and enhance members’ performance by constituting a system of value co-creation. Moreover, these community features can help firms achieve a better adjustment between their strategies and their decision-making process relative to the use of social networks.

Faith-based provision of sexual and reproductive healthcare in Malawi

Faith-based organisations constitute the second largest healthcare providers in Sub-Saharan Africa but their religious values might be in conflict with providing some sexual and reproductive health services. We undertake regression analysis on data detailing client-provider interactions from a facility census in Malawi and examine whether religious ownership of facilities is associated with the degree of adherence to family planning guidelines. We find that faith-based organisations offer fewer services related to the investigation and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the promotion of condom use. The estimates are robust to several sensitivity checks on the impact of client selection. Given the prevalence of faith-based facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa, our results suggest that populations across the region may be at risk from inadequate sexual and reproductive healthcare provision which could exacerbate the incidence of STIs, such as HIV/AIDS, and unplanned pregnancies.

Reducing unmet need for contraceptive services among youth in Homabay and Narok counties, Kenya: the role of community health volunteers \u2013 a qualitative study

BackgroundAccess to contraceptive services is a cornerstone of human well-being. While Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) promote family planning in Kenya, the unmet need for contraceptives among youth remains high. CHVs seem to pay little specific attention to the contraceptive needs of the youth.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study exploring the role of CHVs in increasing access and uptake of contraceptive services among youth aged 18–24 years in Narok and Homabay Counties, Kenya. We undertook 37 interviews and 15 focus group discussions involving CHVs, youth, community members, community leaders, youth leaders and health programme managers. Data were recorded, transcribed, translated, coded and thematically analysed, according to a framework that included community, CHV and health system-related factors.ResultsCHVs often operated in traditional contexts that challenge contraceptive use among unmarried female and male youth and young married couples. Yet many CHVs seemed to have overcome this potential ‘barrier’ as well as reigning misconceptions about contraceptives. While private and facility-based public contraceptive services were somehow available, CHVs were the preferred service provider for many youth due to ease of access and saving time and transport costs. This was influenced by varied perceptions among youth of CHVs’ knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding contraceptives and provider-client interaction, and specifically their commitment to maintain confidentiality.ConclusionsCHVs have the potential to increase access to contraceptives for young people, reducing unmet need for contraceptives. Their knowledge, skills and attitudes need strengthening through training and supervision, while incentives to motivate them and broadening the range of contraceptives they are allowed to offer should be considered.

Counseling at all contacts for postpartum contraceptive use: can paper-based tools help community health workers improve continuity of care? A qualitative study from Ethiopia.

Background: Globally, there has been a resurgence of interest in postpartum family planning (PPFP) to advance reproductive health outcomes. Few programs have systematically utilized all contacts a woman and her baby have with the health system, from pregnancy through the first year postpartum, to promote PPFP. Nested into a larger study covering two districts, this study assessed the use, acceptability, and feasibility of tools for tracking women's decision-making and use of PPFP in the community health system in Oromia region, Ethiopia. Community-level tracking tools included a modified Integrated Maternal and Child Health (IMCH) card with new PPFP content, and a newly developed tool for pregnant and postpartum women for use by Women Development Armies (WDAs). Proper completion of the tools was monitored during supervision visits. Methods: In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with health officials, health extension workers, and volunteers. A total of 34 audio-files were transcribed and translated into English, double-coded using MAXQDA, and analyzed using a thematic approach. Results: The results describe how HEWs used the modified IMCH card to track women's decision making through the continuum of care, to assess pregnancy risk and to strengthen client-provider interaction. Supervision data demonstrated how well HEWs completed the modified IMCH card. The WDA tool was intended to promote PPFP and encourage multiple contacts with facilities from pregnancy to extended postpartum period. HEWs have reservations about the engagement of WDAs and their use of the WDA tool. Conclusions: To conclude, the IMCH card improves counseling practices through the continuum of care and is acceptable and feasible to apply. Some elements have been incorporated into a revised national tool and can serve as example for other low-income countries with similar community health systems. Further study is warranted to determine how to engage WDAs in promoting PPFP.

Effects of combined decision-support and performance-based incentives on reported client satisfaction with maternal health services in primary facilities: A quasi-experimental study in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

BackgroundComputerized decision-support systems (CDSS) and performance-based incentives (PBIs) have potential to contribute to client satisfaction with health services. However, rigorous evidence is lacking on the effectiveness of these strategies in lower-income countries such as Ghana. This study aimed to determine the effect of a combined CDSS-PBI intervention on client satisfaction with maternal health services in primary facilities in the Upper East Region of Ghana.MethodsWe employed a quasi-experimental controlled baseline and endline design to assess the effect of the combined interventions on client satisfaction with maternal health services, measured by quantitative pre/post-test client satisfaction survey. Our analysis used difference-in-difference logistic regression, controlling for potential covariates, to compare variables across intervention and comparison facilities at baseline and endline.ResultsThe combined CDSS-PBI intervention was associated with increased or unchanged client satisfaction with all maternal health services compared at endline. Antenatal client difference-in-difference of mean satisfaction scores were significant at endline for intervention (n = 378) and comparison (n = 362) healthcare facilities for overall satisfaction (DiD 0.058, p = 0.014), perception of providers’ technical performance (DiD = 0.142; p = 0.006), client-provider interaction (DiD = 0.152; p = 0.001), and provider availability (DiD = 0.173; p = 0.001). Delivery client difference-in-difference of satisfaction scores were significant at endline for intervention (n = 318) and comparison (n = 240) healthcare facilities for overall satisfaction with delivery services (DiD = 0.072; p = 0.02) and client-provider interaction (DiD = 0.146; p = 0.02). However, mean overall satisfaction actually reduced slightly in intervention facilities, while DiD for technical performance and provider availability were not significant.ConclusionThis combined CDSS-PBI intervention was associated with greater antenatal and delivery client satisfaction with some aspects of maternity services within two years of implementation. It could be expanded elsewhere if funds allow, though further research is still required to assess cost-effectiveness and long-term effects on client satisfaction and maternal health outcomes.