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

Abstract #113545

Caroline Tran, MA¹, Graciela Salvador-Davila, MD, MPH, MS¹, Kamlesh Giri, MD, MPH², Diane R. Bushley, MA³, and Taroub Harb-Faramand, MD, MPH². (1) CATALYST Consortium, 1201 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036, (2) ESD Project/(CATALYST Consortium)/Pathfinder International, Inc., 1201 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 501, Washington, DC 20036, 2027751977, kgiri@rhcatalyst.org, (3) Programmatic Consultant, CATALYST Consortium, 611 Summit Drive, Greenville, SC 29609

In 2003 – 2004, the CATALYST Consortium initiated a postabortion care (PAC) small grants program with the goal of supporting local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in designing their own solutions to specific, PAC-related needs in Asia and Eastern Europe.

CATALYST awarded three grants in 2004 to local NGOs in Romania, Cambodia, and Nepal. The grant interventions worked in strengthening quality of care and improving the referral systems between community health providers (traditional birth attendants, midwives, community nurses, etc.) and PAC facilities.

Within the design of the grants program, each NGO conducted baseline surveys to assess knowledge of contraceptives and danger signs of miscarriage. In Cambodia, the baseline survey findings clearly indicated that knowledge of family planning methods was high, however, the use of contraceptives remained low due to perceived unavailability and accessibility. In Romania, the qualitative baseline study found that the community members or Orastie lacked information on the benefits of family planning methods and ways to obtain them. Much of the community also had fears of using modern contraceptives due to perceived side effects.

The project interventions supported community providers through trainings to strengthen knowledge of contraceptives and danger signs. To increase quality of care, providers at PAC facilities were also trained on infection prevention measures and PAC counseling.

The authors will present endline results from each of the interventions and lessons learned from the small grants program. The innovative approach to engaging NGOs in new countries that CATALYST did not previously have a presence will also be described in detail.

Learning Objectives:

• - Identify means to address postabortion care in different cultural, social and political settings.
• - Assess potential NGO grantees to work with on postabortion care activities.
• - Develop realistic timelines for grants programs and needed technical assistance.

Keywords: Post-Abortion Care, Reproductive Health

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.

Recorded presentation