Authors: Karen Weidert, Amanuel Gessessew, Suzanne Bell, Hagos Godefay, Ndola Prata
This study in Tigray, Ethiopia investigated the impact of a service delivery model that combined community-based distribution (CBD) of contraception with social marketing. 626 volunteer CHWs were recruited and trained to administer depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injections, provide counseling and referrals, and promote demand for family planning through door-to-door outreach and community meetings. Surveys of women of reproductive age, as well as of participating CHWs, were conducted at baseline and the end of the study. Between October 2011 and June 2014, the CHWs served in total 8,604 women and administered an estimated 15,410 DMPA injections, equivalent to providing 3,853 couple-years of protection. There was a 25% significant increase in contraceptive use among surveyed women, from 30.1% at baseline to 37.7%, with DMPA use largely responsible for this increase. The results from the household surveys suggest that CHWs in this model made a significant contribution to family planning in the region.
Link: Community Health Workers as Social Marketers of Injectable Contraceptives: A Case Study from Ethiopia
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Resource Topic: Reproductive Health/Family Planning
Resource Type: Journal articles
Year: 2017
Region: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)
Country: Ethiopia
Publisher May Restrict Access: No