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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Margaret Hamilton¹, Carol Shepherd, ScD, MS², and Bill Winfrey, PhD². (1) The Futures Group, One Thomas Circle NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005, 202-775-9680, mhamilton@futuresgroup.com, (2) Futures Group International, Constella Group, 1 Thomas Circle, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005

Until recently international donors have been largely responsible for providing contraceptive supplies to developing countries, but increasingly developing countries are being “graduated” from donor support and must now prepare their own contraceptive security (CS) plans to ensure secure access to contraceptive supplies, services, and information for their citizens. Unfortunately, many of these emerging CS plans do not successfully accommodate the special needs of HIV-positive women. These women face increased barriers to accessing family planning as well as serious consequences when access is denied. Addressing the needs of this marginalized group will not only affect HIV-positive women directly but also their children, families, and communities. Providing for the family planning needs of HIV-positive women is a vital component in the fight against HIV/AIDS and the achievement of international development goals.

This paper examines interventions that overcome common barriers faced by HIV-positive women when accessing family planning information and services, including limited choice of accessible contraceptive methods, lack of informed counseling regarding appropriate contraceptive options, stigma and discrimination that hinder their ability to access information and healthcare services, and operational barriers that thwart providers' effective delivery of medical care.

Examples from the field of interventions that successfully address advocacy and stakeholder inclusion, healthcare provider training and regulation, and HIV/AIDS and FP program coordination are presented. The paper examines how the successful implementation of these interventions can combat challenges to reaching this marginalized group and ultimately help ensure CS for all citizens, including HIV-positive women.

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

• Articulate common barriers faced by HIV-positive women when accessing family planning information and services.
• Articulate the importance of ensuring contraceptive security for HIV-positive women in the achievement of international development goals and stemming the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
• Describe interventions that can help ensure contraceptive security for HIV-positive women and other vulnerable groups.

Keywords: International Family Planning, Access and Services

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered