6021.0: Thursday, October 25, 2001 - 8:45 AM

Abstract #20856

Learning to communicate effectively with clients

Sharon Rudy, PhD, PRIME Project / Population Leadership Program, 529 14th Street NW, Suite 1030, Washington, DC 20045, 202-661-8020, srudy@popldr.org

Research has found that effective client-provider interactions (CPI) are associated with reproductive health programmatic success and client satisfaction. For example, studies indicate that effective CPI positively influences the delay of subsequent births among young mothers, clients’ perception of the quality of care received, client comprehension of and adherence to treatment, clients’ continuing to seek care from a provider, as well as clients’ recommendation of services in their community through word-of-mouth networks. Case studies on the effectiveness of training and other performance improvement tools indicate that reproductive health providers can learn to improve the quality of their own interactions with clients and can help other colleagues become more effective communicators. This presentation describes the Performance Improvement Approach, a specific participatory process that works with providers, supervisors and program mangers to identify the components of sound CPI and acquire new skills to support desired interpersonal communication performance. A variety of strategies to improve communication skills will be investigated.

Learning Objectives: 1. To identify characteristics of sound client-provider interactions 2. To describe best practices in training, including the Performance Improvement Approach, to help service providers become skillful communicators

Keywords: Health Workers Training, International Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA