Recorded presentation

Rebecca Koladycz, MA and Amanda Claremon, MPH. International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region, 120 Wall Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10005-3902, 212-214-0219, aclaremon@ippfwhr.org

Youth-friendly services are a key component of promoting adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH). International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR) associations in Brazil, Ecuador and Peru sought to expand young people’s access to their services using the following strategies: opening new youth centers; increasing promotion of services by involving youth in marketing; improving quality of care through training; and assessing young people’s perceptions of services using a “youth-friendly” client exit survey. Each strategy will be discussed in depth in the presentation.

The strategies proved successful as evidenced by the increase in the average number of services provided per month at each project site. In Brazil, a total of 12,455 services were provided to young people, with the average number provided per month increasing from 72 at baseline to 426 at the end of the project (an increase of 492%). In Peru, 41,401 services were provided to youth, with an increase in the average number of services from 895 per month at baseline to 1,353 at project end (an increase of 51%). Ecuador provided 1,466 services to youth in their new youth center. Although the number of youth clients is low compared to Peru and Brazil, offering services specifically for youth was new and the youth center experienced a sustained increase in the number of services provided to youth, from an average of 35 services per month during the first year to 87 per month at the end of the project (an increase of 149%).

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to identify successful strategies for increasing young people’s access to sexual and reproductive health clinical services.

Keywords: Adolescents, International, Access to Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: BEMFAM/Brazil APROFE/Ecuador INPPARES/Peru
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.

Recorded presentation