Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #108764

Janet M. Turan, PhD, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, UCSF, 103 Hoskins Court, Apt. 102, Stanford, CA 94305, (650) 497-9229, jmturan@gmail.com, Khalia Johnson, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, Mary Lake Polan, MD, PhD, MPH, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305, Azenegash Ghebreselasie, Health Promotion Unit, Eritrean Ministry of Health, P.O. Box 212, Asmara, Eritrea, Elisabeth Mengsteab, Eritrea Office, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Warsai Avenue, P. O. Box 5366, Asmara, Eritrea, and Selome Tewoderos, Stanford University, Building 1 - Main Quad, Stanford, CA 94305.

Obstetric fistula is a serious childbirth injury that affects millions of women in developing countries. Although it is essential to upgrade emergency obstetric facilities and train skilled birth attendants, these are not enough to prevent this problem. Communities need information about safe motherhood so that they can work together to overcome barriers to accessing obstetric care. Communities also have a role to play in assuring that women who do develop fistulas receive appropriate treatment and are reintegrated into the community after surgery. This study was designed to test a community mobilization strategy for prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula in Eritrea. A quasi-experimental design is being used to evaluate the impact of an intervention, in which trained community volunteers organize participatory meetings on safe motherhood. Study outcomes will be measured in intervention and control communities at baseline and one year later. As a first step, interviews were conducted with fistula repair clients and family members at Massawa Hospital. Information was collected about the pregnancy and birth, effects of the fistula on women's lives, and seeking medical help for fistula repair. The interviews revealed that family members are key actors in decision-making around a birth and that communities are motivated to work together to ensure safe motherhood. There is need to improve information, counseling, and follow-up services for women who undergo fistula repair. This presentation will include results of these formative interviews, a description of how the findings were used to develop the intervention, and results from the baseline data collection.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Identify the linkages between safe motherhood and obstetric fistula prevention.
• Discuss the potential role of community mobilization in prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula in developing countries.
• Describe the use of a formative interviews and a quasi-experimental intervention design to develop and evaluate a community mobilization strategy for prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula in Eritrea.

Keywords: Maternal Morbidity, Community Participation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.