The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4291.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 4:30 PM

Abstract #50338

Success and failure of alternative strategies for community-based distribution of contraception in the Navrongo Project: Lessons learned about male involvement

Rofina Asuru, RN1, James Phillips, PhD2, Isaac Akumah, BA1, John E. Williams, MD3, and James Akazili, MA1. (1) Navrongo Health Research Centre, P.O. Box 114, Navrongo, UER, Ghana, 233-742-22310, rasuru@navrongo.mimcom.net, (2) Policy Research Division, Population Council, 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, New York, NY 10017, (3) Senior Medical Officer, Navrongo Health Research Centre, Box 114, Navrongo, Upper East Region, Ghana

It is widely assumed that making family planning services available in community locations will lead to increased use of contraception and reduced fertility. This paper presents findings from a four celled factorial trial of the Navrongo Health Research Centre in Kassena-Nankana District that challenges this generalization. A cell of the experiment where nurses have been deployed to community locations and equipped to provide doorstep services has had no impact on contraceptive use or fertility. Moreover, an operations experiment in which male village volunteers were equipped to distribute oral pills has had no impact on contraceptive use. However, where attention has been addressed to mobilizing community leaders and deploying men as volunteer social activists for family planning, small but significant fertility effects have been realized. Moreover, where nurse outreach is combined with male mobilization, the demographic impact of the Navrongo experiment has been pronounced. Findings suggest that resolving the social constraints to accessibility and perceived social costs of family planning are more important determinants of the adoption and use of contraception than improving geographic accessibility. Where demand for family planning is nascent and fragile, the importance of developing socially appropriate service strategies is particularly acute.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Family Planning, Community Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.

Men As Partners: International Perspectives

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA