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

Abstract #116684

Betty Farrell, CNM, MPH¹, Wanda Jaskiewicz, MPH¹, Paul Isiko, Dr², and Maria Najjemba³. (1) The ACQUIRE Project, EngenderHealth, 440 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10022, 212 561 8035, bfarrell@engenderhealth.org, (2) DHSS, Mayuge, Ministry of Health, c/o EngenderHealth, 440 Ninth Avenue, NY 10022, (3) District Nursing Officer, Mayuge District, Ministry of Health, c/o EngenderHealth, 440 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10022

Contraceptive use in Uganda has increased nearly four-fold in the past decade, rising from 4.9% in 1988 to 22.8% in 2001, yet unmet need for family planning remains high. One in three women (34.6%) currently married women has an unmet need for family planning. More married women have an unmet need for contraception (1.1 million) than are currently using a modern contraceptive method (740,000). More than 450,000 married woman have an unmet need to limit their families, yet long-term and permanent methods of contraception such as the IUD, implant and sterilization (male and female) account for only 14% of the modern method mix.

The authors will present information on a project designed to strengthen both the supply of, and demand for, family planning in four districts in Uganda. The project will increase the number of sites providing a range of long-term and permanent method services, including the IUD, and implement strategies to increase use of facilities-based family planning services. Data will be provided on a performance needs assessment and communications assessment conducted in Mayuge District and interventions undertaken to address performance gaps identified and communications needs.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, participants will be able to

• describe the process for conducting a participatory performance needs assessment for family planning at the district level;
• prioritize interventions based on data gathered during a performance needs assessment.

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.