This presentation will share findings from several community-based participatory planning efforts to develop interventions to prevent unsafe abortion. Following pre-intervention research to understand the dynamics of unsafe abortion within these communities, participatory planning sessions were held with a range of community members to share findings and to plan for action. A drama was produced to portray the dilemmas of unsafe abortion, and twelve focus group discussions were held with distinct stakeholder groups following drama presentations. In addition, discussions were held with herbalists and community-based distributors of family planning to guide their involvement in the subsequent intervention phase. Participants indicated a strong commitment to contribute tointervention activities. Results from this participatory planning stage identified roles for community level informal health workers to better link to formal health service structures, as well as the importance of skilled private providers to increase access to and improve quality of life-saving clinical skills. Community members, women’s groups and youth- serving organizations saw a need for and indicated a desire to take part in sensitizing and mobilizing their communities to prevent unsafe abortions and to identify abortion complications. Participatory planning and research results informed the design and implementation of several community level interventions to address unsafe abortion and augment current post abortion care (PAC) efforts that will be evaluated over the coming four year period. See www.piwh.org
Learning Objectives: Participants in this session will be able to identify and discuss community level intervention components to prevent unwanted pregnancy and address unsafe abortion.
Keywords: Abortion, Community Participation
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.