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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Daren Trudeau, MA, OBGYN, Georgetown University, 4301 Connecticut Ave. Suite 310, Washington, DC 20008, 202-687-4375, dt75@georgetown.edu

Policy makers require sufficient evidence to make rational decisions about integrating new products and systems into national health care programs. Decision makers have increasingly moved away from ad hoc decision-making to an evidence-based approach to using the latest scientific evidence to inform decisions. The international development community assists governments to identify the latest evidence and/or conduct research to make informed evidence-based decisions about the best products and services to offer their citizens.

Following the pilot introduction of the Standard Days Method into family planning services in the DR Congo, Rwanda and Madagascar, project evaluations were conducted in each country and the results were presented to decision makers. These evaluations focused on the performance, experience and opinions of both service providers and clients after at least 8 months of service delivery. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups with 12 program managers, 60 service providers, 140 clients, and 50 health workers. Country specific results as well as evidence from studies in other countries were provided to decision makers to help them formulate informed policies on the suitability and cost effectiveness of scaling up a new method of family planning.

This paper will present the evolution of the projects, from the pilot introduction of the method though the assessment to the decision-making phase. Data from the pilot studies and assessments will be presented. Lessons learned regarding generation and utilization of data for decision-making will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• This presentation will inform participants of the development of the Standard Days Method introduction pilot project and evaluation in three countries. It will help participants identify the steps followed to inform decision-makers of the process and results of the assessments and it will discuss the choices made by governments to scale-up the method in their respective countries.

Keywords: Advocacy, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered