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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Breastfeeding promotion in family planning programs.

Family planning programs serve large numbers of women of childbearing, and thus breastfeeding, age. Although these programs appear to have a number of characteristics which would be useful for promoting and supporting breastfeeding, most family planning programs have done very little in this area. The Agency for International Development (A.I.D.) and the Institute for International Studies in Natural Family Planning are working to find ways to remove barriers to family planning breastfeeding promotion efforts. Such barriers include lack of or conflicting measures of program success and lack of information on the breastfeeding/fertility relationship. The Institute is developing guidelines to help family planning programs promote breastfeeding.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1989

Measuring components of family planning program effort.

The measures of family planning program effort developed by Lapham and Mauldin have played a key role in family planning program analysis, but surprisingly little is known about them. This article investigates the measurement of family planning program effort based on data reflecting conditions circa 1982 in 100 developing countries. Using confirmatory factor analytic techniques, it tests some hypotheses implicit in the work of Mauldin and Lapham. Since the data do not fully support these hypotheses, an alternative conceptualization is proposed that consists of eight rather than four components. The discussion focuses on the expanded set of components and includes an assessment of the empirical indicators associated with them.

Data Collection↗
PubMed1975

The measurement and utility of the opinion leadership concept for family planning programs.

The objectives of family planning educational programs often include information diffusion as well as attitude and behavior change within a target population. This paper suggests that working with opinion leaders might be one possible means of fulfilling these objectives. But in order to work with opinion leaders, it is necessary first to identify them. For family planning studies, the operational indicators used in past studies do not appear to be adequate. These indicators do not accurately identify persons who will take an opinion leadership behavior in the future, do not measure knowledge by the opinion leader, do not distinguish positive from negative opinion leaders, and do not take account of the bi-directional flow of information and advice both to and from the opinion leader. Drawing upon data from a family planning study in Baltimore, various examples for inadequate opinion leadership indicators are given. The paper suggests the need to revise these indicators and then outlines a simple and inexpensive program that might be used to channel the energies and activities of family planning opinion leaders towards the fulfillment of program objectives.

Attitude↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A decade of Nepal's family planning program: achievements and prospects.

Knowledge and practice of family planning in Nepal increased considerably from mid-1976 through mid-1986, with significant improvements in the availability of and accessibility to contraceptives. However, a proportionately larger share of the achievements were made during 1976-81 than in 1981-86. The impact on fertility of contraceptive use during the decade was minimal. Knowledge and use of reversible contraceptive methods remained very low, primarily because of the continued strong emphasis on sterilization in Nepal's family planning program. Consequently, the welfare of many couples who may be in need of contraception for spacing births, but not necessarily for terminating childbearing, does not appear to be adequately addressed by the program. A more balanced emphasis on reversible methods of contraception does not necessarily imply that a substantially higher level of contraceptive prevalence would be required to reach the fertility target. Several steps to improve program performance and contraceptive method mix are suggested.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

U.S. organized family planning programs in FY 1974.

Most organized family planning programs combine the delivery of contraceptive services with a wide range of preventive health services. An estimated 3.3 million women, 97 percent of all who received family planning services in organized programs in FY 1974, received one or more medical services. At least 2.7 mission women received each of the 'core' medical services recommended by DHEW -- pap smear, blood pressure and pelvic and breast examinations. About 2.4 million women were tested for VD; 2.1 million women received urinalyses and 1.9 million received blood tests. Other services provided included pregnancy testing, infertility workup, and rubella and sickle cell screening.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

A components method for measuring the impact of a family planning program on birth rates.

One of the major goals of family planning programs worldwide has been to reduce the level of fertility in hopes of slowing the rate of natural increase and promoting social and economic development. Such programs have now been in existence for sufficient lengths of time to have had an impact on fertility levels. In general countries with organized family planning programs, marked declines in fertility levels have been observed. The extent to which such declines may be credited to organized programs has not been rigorously measured because an appropriate research methodology has been lacking. This paper describes one method of directly linking declines in fertility levels to the contraceptive protection experienced by a population. The contribution of organized family planning programs is estimated by decomposing the amount of total contraceptive protection into within-program and outside-program sources.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1976

Colposcopy screening for cervical cancer in a family planning program.

A brief history is presented of colposcopy in the United States and at Louisiana State University. Incorporation of colposcopy screening as a part of the cervical cancer screening program in the Louisiana Family Planning Program is discussed, and the reasons for the need of "in house" colposcopy service are outlined. Data of the Louisiana Family Planning Program Colposcopy Service for the three-year period 1972 through 1974 are presented. Analysis of these data reveals that cytology when used without colposcopy fails to reveal the presence of major cervical pathology in 30.2% of patients. It is concluded that colposcopic screening must be a part of all family planning and cervical cancer detection programs.

Colposcopy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cost-effectiveness analysis of family planning programs in rural Bangladesh: evidence from Matlab.

The Family Planning Health Services Project in Matlab is often seen as more expensive than similar activities carried out by the government of Bangladesh. At the same time, it as been observed that the project is much more effective. The alleged high cost of the project is said to make it difficult to replicate throughout the nation. Previously, the true costs of the project had not been documented. This study systemically examines the cost of the project and assesses its cost-effectiveness. An experimental design framework is used as a basis for understanding the cost-effectiveness of the project, although a sensitivity analysis lends further support to the relative efficiency of the approach undertaken in Matlab. Although in the aggregate, the Matlab Project is more expensive than the government's family planning program, it is also more effective, generating enough output to offset the extra costs of the intensified delivery system.

Bangladesh↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The demographic impact of family planning programs.

In response to concerns about the adverse consequences of rapid population growth, family planning programs have been implemented in many developing countries. The aim of the present study is to assess the impact of this programmatic approach on long-range population growth. The result of a new and hypothetical population projection indicates that in the absence of family planning programs the population of the developing world could be expected to reach 14.6 billion in the year 2100 instead of the 10 billion that is currently projected by the World Bank. Despite the apparent success of existing interventions, fertility control is far from complete, as many women continue to bear unwanted births. To assess the impact of this unintended childbearing a second hypothetical projection is made. With perfect implementation of reproductive preferences, the population size of the developing world in 2100 would be reduced by an estimated 2.2 billion below the current projection. Further strengthening of family planning programs and improvements in birth control technology are therefore likely to provide important demographic benefits.

Contraception Behavior↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Community participation in national family planning programs: some organizational issues.

Increasing the involvement of communities in implementing national family planning programs has been advocated as a means of increasing the acceptability, availability, and sustainability of services provided. This article reviews the nature and extent of community participation in the national programs of Bangladesh, China, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand by analyzing the structures and processes through which participation is organized. Across all five countries a similar pattern of participation has emerged in which a community-based delivery system is supported by the involvement of community leaders in activities that promote family planning. Active participation in planning and management functions is, however, virtually nonexistent. This limited form of participation is attributed to the bureaucratic organization of national family planning programs that seek to implement policies with explicit demographic goals. Given these goals and organizational structures, however, the pattern of organizing participation observed is probably the most appropriate. Consequently, policymakers should be wary of expecting greater involvement by community members in program implementation activities or in contributing resources unless consideration is given to reorienting the goals and organizing programs that meet needs that are directly relevant to families and communities.

Attitude↗
PubMed1978

The McCormick Family Planning Program in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The McCormick Family Planning Program is a private, single-purpose program that has been offering contraceptive services to women in largely rural Chiang Mai province in Northern Thailand since 1963. In addition to two clinics in Chiang Mai city, the program operates a mobile unit, which visits service points throughout the province. An injectable contraceptive, DMPA, has been selected by about two-thirds of program acceptors since 1965, despite its prevalent side effect of amenorrhea. The service generates sufficient revenues, from relatively low fees for sterilization and contraception, to cover most operating costs. The program is seen as successful in providing rural women with contraceptives services. Aspects of the program--particularly the use of DMPA and the mobile service unit--are considered replicable in other settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Assessment of national family planning programs in developing countries.

Today, 34 developing countries have policies and programs to lower fertility, and an additional 32 countries provide family planning services for health and humanitarian reasons. Specific causal relationships and linkages between social and economic development, family planning programs, and fertility levels and changes remain mostly unclear at this point. Based on percent acceptors, percent users, and changes in fertility rates (the most commonly used measures to evaluate family planning program accomplishments), however, the performance of programs on the whole has been moderately encouraging.

Abortion, Legal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Short-term benefits and costs of U.S. family planning programs, 1970-1975.

Between 1969 and 1975, the U.S. family planning program helped its patients avert 1.1 million unwanted and mistimed births. These averted births resulted in short-term savings to the government for health and social welfare services of $1.1 billion, compared to a federal investment in family planning of $584 million--a benefit/cost ratio of $1.80 for every federal dollar invested.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Situation Analysis Study of the family planning program in Kenya.

A new, relatively "quick and clean" operations research approach called a "situation analysis" was developed for examining the strengths and weaknesses of the family planning program of Kenya. Field research teams visited a stratified random sample of 99 of the Ministry of Health's approximately 775 service delivery points. Observation techniques and interviewing were used to collect information on program components and on the quality of care provided to new family planning clients during the observation day. As late as 1986, the Kenya program was rated "weak" and "poor" in the international literature. The Kenya Situation Analysis Study found a functioning, integrated maternal and child health/family planning program serving large numbers of clients, with an emphasis on oral contraceptives and Depo-Provera (and an underemphasis on permanent methods). Although a number of program problems were revealed by the study, overall, in terms of performance, a rating of "moderate" is suggested as more appropriate for Kenya's national family planning program today. In terms of the quality of care, a "moderate to moderate-high" rating is suggested.

Family Planning Services↗
PubMed1992

West Indian gender relations, family planning programs and fertility decline.

Nearly all West Indian islands initiated marked fertility declines sometime between 1960 and 1970. Family planning programs have not played an important role in these declines. Neither have other variables that conventional social theory tells us should promote reduced family sizes, like education and rising standards of living. The historical experience of Barbados and Antigua, which reached replacement-level fertility in the 1980s, suggests that West Indian fertility declines reflect structural changes in national economies that created job opportunities for women. Family planning programs need to be evaluated with reference to the distinctive health and human rights goals other than fertility transition that they can effectively reach.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Family planning programs: efforts and results, 1982-89.

According to a set of 30 indices that assess the strength of large-scale family planning programs in developing countries, a strong upward shift in effort scores occurred between 1982 and 1989. During that period, many countries established or augmented their family planning programs, and effort scores improved in all developing regions and in all four dimensions of effort--policies and stage-setting activities, service and service-related activities, record keeping and evaluation, and availability of contraceptive methods. By region, the sharpest improvement was not in East Asia, where levels were already high, but in sub-Saharan Africa, where the movement was clearly upward, from a low base. Earlier associations between program effort and fertility declines are reaffirmed, additive to the contribution of socioeconomic improvements. In order to compute scores ranging from zero to 30 for each of the 30 indices, a detailed questionnaire was sent to 4-6 respondents in each of 103 developing countries having more than one million population. Respondents included program staff, donor agency personnel, local observers, and knowledgeable foreigners. The scores indicate that developing countries are continuing to move toward more favorable policy positions and stronger implementation of action programs, with consequent fertility effects. For the fertility decline to match the medium population projections of the United Nations, however, a substantial enlargement in the number of contraceptive users is necessary, not only to compensate for the enlarging base of couples, but also to increase the proportion who use contraceptives.

Developing Countries↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coitus and contraception: the utility of data on sexual intercourse for family planning programs.

The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program has included several questions on sexual intercourse in its model questionnaires that have been used in more than 25 surveys in Latin America, Africa, and Asia over the last five years. This article assesses the quality of the data on sexual intercourse for 12 DHS surveys and shows how these data may be useful for understanding contraceptive use dynamics and for organizing the management of family planning programs. The data show that there is considerable variation among countries in exposure to pregnancy prior to first marriage. Within marriage, the level of coital frequency varies with duration of marriage, fertility intentions, and type of contraceptive method used. Finally, in all countries there is some overlap between contraceptive use and sexual abstinence. This information can be useful in family planning programs for targeting particular populations, for assisting women to choose a method, and for assessing the effect of contraceptive use on fertility.

Adolescent↗