Community-based provision of family planning in the developing world

Abstract

Decades of previous research on community-based family planning has focused on the traditional community health worker. Yet, recent developments in this field have expanded many areas that have been studied previously. A major emphasis of recent research has dealt with broadening the community-based locations from which clients can obtain injectable contraception. Drug shops in developing countries are promising locations for family planning services. They are ubiquitous, frequently accessed, and generally sustainable businesses. Also, a new formulation of injectable contraception in an easy-to-use delivery device is garnering global attention for its potential benefits in community-level use. Additional research and programmatic interventions are needed to better understand the training, policy, regulatory, and logistical needs to ensure quality service delivery.

Integrating preexposure prophylaxis delivery in routine family planning clinics: A feasibility programmatic evaluation in Kenya

“…Such implementation strategies may include less frequent PrEP visits and expanding the pool of providers who might be able to screen and provide PrEP beyond the few clinicians and nurses (e.g., training and empowering HIV testing counselors and community health workers or peer educators). These approaches have already been successfully implemented to expand access to injectable and implants contraceptive methods in FP clinics in many African countries using community health workers [21–24]. Similar approaches, commonly described as differentiated care services, are currently being promoted for stable virally suppressed HIV-infected persons in many HIV treatment programs in Africa [25,26].…”

Overcoming Barriers to Family Planning in Pakistan: Lessons from stories of change and a literature review

“…In the case of lacking access to public health clinics or stock-outs of contraceptives, drug stores can form an important supplier of condoms and pills, thereby increasing the availability of family planning methods (Malkin & Stanback, 2015). Various studies have shown that drugs stores tend to be preferred over public health clinics because of more convenient locations and openings hours (see Malkin & Stanback, 2005 for an overview).…”

“…Various studies have shown that drugs stores tend to be preferred over public health clinics because of more convenient locations and openings hours (see Malkin & Stanback, 2005 for an overview). Yet, shop providers need to be well-informed and instructed about the contraceptive methods in order to guarantee the safety of the practise (Malkin & Stanback, 2015).…”