scholarly journals Identification of Reproductive Health Monitoring Indicators in Iran

Author(s):  
Efat Mohamadi ◽  
Mahshid Taheri ◽  
Mahdieh Yazdanpanah ◽  
Sayyed Hamed Barakati ◽  
Foroozan Salehi ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction As a result of recent demographic changes, Iran has revised its reproductive health programs. To respond to the essential need for monitoring the new programs and policies, this study aimed to identify tailored, appropriate, and measurable RH indicators in the Iranian context, using available evidence and international indicators.Method This is an applied mixed-methods research, which was conducted in four phases: Identification of goals of RH policies and programs, scoping review of the RH indicators in the literature, developing and ranking the identified indicators, and finalization of indicators. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the textual data of the documents and policies. We analyzed the studies in the scoping review by narrative synthesis. The final indicators were selected through the consensus of experts, with a cut-off point of 75%. Result We identified 689 indicators through document analysis and scoping review. After three round of screening, a total of 37 RH indicators were finalized. The first five indicators with the highest score were: total fertility rate, population under 15 years, total population, population aged 65 years and older, and age-specific fertility rate.Conclusion: The nature and number of indicators for monitoring and evaluation of reproductive health programs might vary at different organizational levels; hence the need to develop specific indicators for each level is pivotal. In addition, the need for collection, processing and dissemination of reliable data for evaluation of these programs is essential.

Author(s):  
Bright Opoku Ahinkorah ◽  
Melissa Kang ◽  
Lin Perry ◽  
Fiona Brooks

Background: Despite the existence of preventive policies across sub-Saharan Africa, countries within the sub-region lead global rankings for rates of adolescent pregnancy. The aim of this scoping review was to identify and review national policies on the prevention of adolescent pregnancy in Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Relevant policies were identified from searches of national government websites and the search engine Google. Recognised screening and data extraction processes were used; data were subjected to content analysis using a published Framework for Evaluating Program and Policy Design on Adolescent Reproductive Health. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews guidelines was used in reporting the review. Results: In line with the inclusion criteria that guided the selection of relevant policies in this study, 17 of 75 national policies were suitable for the analysis. All were backed by political recognition, were government and public initiatives, acknowledged a range of determinants of adolescent pregnancy and allocated human resources to policy activities. Few specified financial resourcing. Most policies acknowledged the importance of coordination and collaboration among public and private actors. All policies had objectives that addressed adolescent pregnancy but none were measurable or included timeframes. Provision of comprehensive sexuality education and adolescent reproductive health services were the most common recommendations. Monitoring and evaluation plans were present in all the policies. However, youth involvement in policy formulation, and plans for implementation, monitoring and evaluation was scarce. Conclusion: Overall, national policy strengths were seen in relation to their political recognition, and all aspects of policy formulation. Policy implementation strengths and weaknesses were identified, the latter in relation to clear descriptions of financial resources. Importantly, the absence of measurable and time-bound objectives or formal evaluation of policy effectiveness confounds demonstration of what has been delivered and achieved. Youth involvement was notably absent in many policies. For future policy-setting, governments and policy-makers should make efforts to engage young people in policy development and to be transparent, realistic and address the necessary financial resourcing. They should set quantifiable policy objectives that provide a basis for assessing the adoption, uptake and effectiveness of policies in relation to measurable objectives.


Author(s):  
Muthmainnah Muthmainnah ◽  
Ira Nurmala ◽  
Pulung Siswantara ◽  
Riris Diana Rachmayanti

Background: Adolescents are a vulnerable group who have great curiosity and need access to various adolescent health information. Therefore, the government has implemented a strategy through the implementation of Youth Care Health Services (YCHS). However, some of the stakeholders and youth have limited access to YCHS especially the ones delivered in schools setting. The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of adolescent health programs in schools especially public schools and religion-based schools.Design and methods: This study was an analytic observational quantitative study by using a cross-sectional design.This study was conducted in public schools and religion-based schools in North Surabaya Indonesia. The sample in this study consisted of 100 students through a simple random sampling technique.Results: There was a difference in the level of knowledge of adolescent reproductive health between public schools and religion-based schools (p=0,047). Student’s attitudes (p=0,000) and environmental influences (p=0,000) both related with reproductive health contents. However, there was no difference in adolescent’s attitudes about adolescent reproductive health programs (p=0,190) and adolescent’s exposure to adolescent reproductive health policies (p=0,196).Conclusion: The implementation of adolescent health programs in two types of schools (public and religion-based) were different. Adolescents should have the same rights to obtain knowledge about adolescent health as the prelude for forming a positive attitude. Therefore, stakeholders need to conduct regular monitoring and evaluation on the implementation of standardized adolescent health programs in all types of schools.


2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edila Arnaud Ferreira Moura

This work presents the results of a study about the reproductive behavior of riverine women living in the Sustainable Development Reserve Amanã, in the Middle Solimões region, state of Amazonas. The study was done in 2001 with the objective of identify aspects of the reproductive behavior of 83 women, collected through reproductive history methodology. These women live in small localities along the rivers and lakes in the middle of the Amazonian forest. The study identified that these women initialize their reproductive period at the age of 17, in average, and the mean age of their last pregnancy occurs at the age of 42, considering those above 50 years old. 36% of these 83 women had lost one or more of their children before the age of five. Only 16% use contraceptives and 12% are sterilized. They don’t have access to the basic health assistance in a regular basis and the local midwives are extremely important in their assistance during pregnancy and delivery. This study em phasizes the importance of reproductive health programs including those social and cultural local conditions.


2021 ◽  
pp. sextrans-2020-054896
Author(s):  
Navin Kumar ◽  
Kamila Janmohamed ◽  
Kate Nyhan ◽  
Laura Forastiere ◽  
Wei-Hong Zhang ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated existing socioeconomic and health disparities, including disparities in sexual health and well-being. While there have been several reviews published on COVID-19 and population health disparities generally—including some with attention to HIV—none has focused on sexual health (ie, STI care, female sexual health, sexual behaviour). We have conducted a scoping review focused on sexual health (excluding reproductive health (RH), intimate partner violence (IPV) and gender-based violence (GBV)) in the COVID-19 era, examining sexual behaviours and sexual health outcomes.MethodsA scoping review, compiling both peer-reviewed and grey literature, focused on sexual health (excluding RH, IPV and GBV) and COVID-19 was conducted on 15 September 2020. Multiple bibliographical databases were searched. Study selection conformed to Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewers’ Manual 2015 Methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews. We only included English-language original studies.ResultsWe found that men who have sex with men may be moving back toward pre-pandemic levels of sexual activity, and that STI and HIV testing rates seem to have decreased. There was minimal focus on outcomes such as the economic impact on sexual health (excluding RH, IPV and GBV) and STI care, especially STI care of marginalised populations. In terms of population groups, there was limited focus on sex workers or on women, especially women’s sexual behaviour and mental health. We noticed limited use of qualitative techniques. Very few studies were in low/middle-income countries (LMICs).ConclusionsSexual health research is critical during a global infectious disease pandemic and our review of studies suggested notable research gaps. Researchers can focus efforts on LMICs and under-researched topics within sexual health and explore the use of qualitative techniques and interventions where appropriate.


2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 124-133
Author(s):  
Soo-Jeong Lee ◽  
Laura Stock ◽  
Victoria Michalchuk ◽  
Kelsie Adesoye ◽  
Kathleen Mullen

Background: Musculoskeletal injuries from patient handling are significant problems among health care workers. In California, legislation requiring hospitals to implement safe patient handling (SPH) programs was enacted in 2011. This qualitative study explored workers’ experiences and perceptions about the law, their hospital’s SPH policies and programs, patient handling practices, and work environment. Methods: Three focus groups were conducted with 21 participants (19 nurses and 2 patient handling specialists) recruited from 12 hospitals located in the San Francisco Bay Area and San Joaquin Valley. Qualitative content analysis was used for data analysis. Results: Multiple themes emerged from diverse experiences and perceptions. Positive perceptions included empowerment to advocate for safety, increased awareness of SPH policies and programs, increased provision of patient handling equipment and training, increased lift use, and improvement in safety culture. Perceived concerns included continuing barriers to safe practices and lift use such as difficulty securing assistance, limited availability of lift teams, understaffing, limited nursing employee input in the safety committee, blaming of individuals for injury, increased workload, and continuing injury concerns. Participants indicated the need for effective training, sufficient staffing, and management support for injured workers. Conclusions/Application to Practice: This study identified improvements in hospitals’ SPH programs and practices since the passage of California’s SPH law, as well as continuing challenges and barriers to safe practices and injury prevention. The findings provide useful information to understanding the positive impacts of the SPH law but also notes the potential limitations of this legislation in the view of health care workers.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e047034
Author(s):  
Javiera Navarrete ◽  
Nese Yuksel ◽  
Theresa J Schindel ◽  
Christine A Hughes

ObjectivesPharmacists are increasingly providing patient-focused services in community pharmacies, including in the area of sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Specific SRH areas have been the focus of research, but a broader perspective is needed to position pharmacists as SRH providers. This review explored research that described and evaluated professional pharmacy services across a broad range of SRH areas.DesignScoping reviewData sourcesMedline, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library (January 2007–July 2020).Study selectionStudies reporting on the description and evaluation of professional pharmacy SRH services provided by community pharmacists.Data extractionTwo investigators screened studies for eligibility, and one investigator extracted the data. Data were analysed to primarily describe professional pharmacy services and intervention outcomes.ResultsForty-one studies were included. The main SRH areas and professional pharmacy services reported were sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections (63%) and screening (39%), respectively. Findings showed that pharmacists’ delivery of SRH services was feasible, able to reach vulnerable and high-risk groups, and interventions were highly accepted and valued by users. However, integration into daily workflow, pharmacist remuneration, cost and reimbursement for patients, and policy regulations were some of the barriers identified to implementing SRH services. Studies were primarily in specific areas such as chlamydia screening or hormonal contraception prescribing, while studies in other areas (ie, medical abortion provision, long-acting reversible contraception prescribing and vaccine delivery in pregnant women) were lacking.ConclusionThis scoping review highlights the expansion of pharmacists’ roles beyond traditional product-focused services in a number of SRH areas. Given the potential feasibility, users’ acceptability and reach, pharmacists are ideally situated to enhance SRH care access. Future research describing implementation and evaluation of professional pharmacy services in all SRH areas is needed to promote access to these services through community pharmacies and position pharmacists as SRH providers worldwide.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 205520762199687
Author(s):  
Louisa Walsh ◽  
Nerida Hyett ◽  
Nicole Juniper ◽  
Chi Li ◽  
Sophie Rodier ◽  
...  

Background Health-related social media use is common but few health organisations have embraced its potential for engaging stakeholders in service design and quality improvement (QI). Social media may provide new ways to engage more diverse stakeholders and conduct health design and QI activities. Objective To map how social media is used by health services, providers and consumers to contribute to service design or QI activities. Methods The scoping review was undertaken using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. An advisory committee of stakeholders provided guidance throughout the review. Inclusion criteria were studies of any health service stakeholders, in any health setting, where social media was used as a tool for communications which influenced or advocated for changes to health service design or delivery. A descriptive numerical summary of the communication models, user populations and QI activities was created from the included studies, and the findings were further synthesised using deductive qualitative content analysis. Results 40 studies were included. User populations included organisations, clinical and non-clinical providers, young people, people with chronic illness/disability and First Nations people. Twitter was the most common platform for design and QI activities. Most activities were conducted using two-way communication models. A typology of social media use is presented, identifying nine major models of use. Conclusion This review identifies the ways in which social media is being used as a tool to engage stakeholders in health service design and QI, with different models of use appropriate for different activities, user populations and stages of the QI cycle.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Matricano ◽  
Laura Castaldi ◽  
Mario Sorrentino ◽  
Elena Candelo

PurposeOrganizational culture plays a central role when dealing with the issue of digital business transformation (DBT). Managers handling a DBT and involved in digital strateging are expected to modify the organizational culture of firms to make it more fitting with the paradigm of digital economy and having more chance of success. Thus, it is noteworthy to inspect the role they can have over DBTs. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the behavior that managers assume when they approach DBTs by investigating whether they act as mentors/facilitators or entrepreneurs/innovators, as coordinators or decision makers.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the above purpose, ten case studies about manufacturing firms have been selected. Case studies, retrieved by the Digital Innovation Observatories of the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano, are studied and analyzed by means of a qualitative content analysis on textual data. This allows getting specific insights into organizational culture before and after DBT and about the role played by managers.FindingsAchieved results disclose that managers need to modify the organizational culture of their firms to handle a successful DBT. However, firms can assume different organizational culture and thus the role assumed by managers handling a DBT can change as well.Originality/valueTo the authors knowledge, this paper is among the first that aim to investigate the role that mangers assume when handling DBTs. In particular, originality lies in the fact that assumed roles are rebuilt in reference to their ability to modify organizational culture.


Author(s):  
Karen Hardee

The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which has guided programming on sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for 25 years, reinforced that governments have a role to play in addressing population issues but in ways that respect human rights and address social and gender inequities. The shift at ICPD was partly in response to excesses that had occurred in some family planning programs, resulting in human rights abuses. The 2012 London Summit on Family Planning refocused attention on family planning as a crucial component of SRHR and, in part due to significant pushback on the announcement of a goal of reaching an additional 120 million women and girls with contraception by 2020 in the world’s poorest countries, ignited work to ensure that programming to achieve this ambitious goal would be grounded in respecting, protecting, and fulfilling human rights. This attention to human rights has been maintained in Family Planning 2030 (FP2030), the follow on to Family Planning 2020 (FP2020). While challenges remain, particularly in light of pushback on reproductive rights, widespread work over the past decade to identify human rights principles and standards related to family planning, integrate them into programming, strengthen accountability, and incorporate rights into monitoring and evaluation has improved family planning programs.


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