141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

292601
Refocusing family planning in refugee settings: Findings and recommendations from a multi-country baseline study with a brief film

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 12:30 PM - 12:45 PM

Sandra Krause, RN, MPH , Reproductive Health Program, Women's Refugee Commission, New York, NY
Mihoko Tanabe, MPH, MIA , Reproductive Health Program, Women's Refugee Commission, New York, NY
From May to August 2011, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Women's Refugee Commission, with technical assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), undertook a multi‐country baseline study to document knowledge of family planning, beliefs and practices of refugees, as well as the state of service provision in select refugee settings in Djibouti, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia and Uganda. The goal of the baseline study was to support program planning and service delivery, and subsequently increase family planning uptake among women, men and adolescents. The studies employed a multi-method approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative methods: in-depth interviews with community leaders; a household survey among women of reproductive age using the adapted CDC Reproductive Health Assessment Toolkit for Conflict‐Affected Women; focus group discussions with women, men, adolescent girls and adolescent boys; and facility assessments to examine service quality. Findings showed that the contraceptive prevalence rates for modern methods in Ali Addeh, Eastleigh, Nakivale, Amman and Kuala Lumpur were found to be 5.1%, 6.8%, 14.6%, 21.4%, 34.2%, respectively. Contraceptive use was generally lower in refugee camps than in surrounding settlements. Further, access to information and services was particularly difficult for adolescents, and the limited availability of long-term and permanent methods was compounded by the general weakness of referral systems. Similar to many less developed countries, findings highlight the need for improved quality and availability of method mix at service delivery points; community sensitization and demand creation strategies; and adolescent-friendly services.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Assess knowledge of family planning, beliefs and practices of refugees, as well as the state of service provision in select refugee settings in Djibouti, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia and Uganda. This abstract is submitted as part of a pre-arranged panel entitled, "Reproductive Health & Family Planning in Crisis Settings”.

Keywords: Family Planning, Disasters

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Women's Refugee Commission
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.