AFRO-NETS> Improving RH and FP Service Quality

[David Hock <DHock@rtp-exchange.fhi.org>]

Improving RH and FP Service Quality
-----------------------------------

Improving the Quality of Reproductive Health and Family Planning
Services 
Network: Vol. 19, No. 1, Fall 1998

Ways to improve the quality of family planning services include better 
staff training and client counselling, as well as offering clients a 
range of methods from which to choose. Also in this issue of Network, a 
contraceptive update reviews how different methods affect menstrual 
bleeding, an important consideration when selecting a method.

Contraceptive Update: Menstrual Changes Influence Method Use

Modern contraceptive methods can profoundly affect menstrual bleeding 
patterns, with disturbances ranging from heavier bleeding, to prolonged 
or irregular bleeding, to no bleeding at all. These common bleeding 
disturbances from method use can discourage starting or continuing to 
use a method. A related article, How to Manage Bleeding Disturbances, 
discusses ways to minimise this contraceptive side effect.

A "Client Perspective" Helps Improve Services

Quality care means looking at services from the client's perspective. 
Clients have a right to accurate information, good access to services 
and a range of available method options, as well as safety, privacy, 
confidentiality, dignity and comfort. Included are specific recommenda-
tions for quality family planning services from the U.S. Agency for In-
ternational Development.

Clients Prefer Method Choices

Clients are more likely to be satisfied and to continue practising fam-
ily planning when they have adequate information about methods and sev-
eral types of methods from which to choose, and can make decisions 
without pressure or coercion. Related articles discuss informed choice, 
a process in which clients make decisions based on adequate informa-
tion, and informed consent, in which clients give permission to undergo 
a procedure, take medication or participate in a research study after 
receiving information about risks and benefits.

Training Involves Many Factors

The effectiveness of staff training to improve family planning services 
depends upon many factors: who is trained and where, how the informa-
tion is taught and whether the training is later reinforced. Interac-
tive Techniques Enhance Training offers suggestions to enhance train-
ing.

Guidelines Require Comprehensive Steps

In recent years, nearly 50 developing countries have begun developing 
new or revised national guidelines on family planning services. Writing 
the guidelines, however, is only a first step. Disseminating them and 
training providers about why and how to use the guidelines are essen-
tial. Also, guidelines must be updated regularly.

Read the full text of Network 19-1 on FHI's Web site at:
English: http://www.fhi.org/en/fp/fppubs/network/v19-1/index.html
French:  http://www.fhi.org/fr/networkf/fv19-1/index.html
Spanish: http://www.fhi.org/sp/networks/sv19-1/index.html

Many other FHI publications are also available in full-text versions in 
English, Spanish and French on our Web site:
http://www.fhi.org

FHI is committed to helping women and men have access to safe, effec-
tive, acceptable and affordable family planning methods to ensure that 
they achieve their desired number and spacing of children; preventing 
the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); 
and improving the health of women and children.

David Hock 
Senior Information Projects Coordinator
Family Health International
mailto:DHock@rtp-exchange.fhi.org




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