In Haiti, abortion is not only illegal, but is shrouded with shame and stigma, unaffordable, and one of the main causes of maternal mortality. Adolescents are the group most at risk for complications and death from unsafe abortion. Family planning is not easily accessed, which drives women to unsafe solutions for terminating unwanted pregnancies.
Pathfinder International has been developing post-abortion care (PAC) services in Haiti for the past 2 years. To understand the scope of the problem and to be able to tailor PAC services to what local women need, Pathfinder conducted a community survey in the town of Petit Goave and the surrounding rural areas of a MOH departmental hospital. The survey provided insight into how women terminate unwanted pregnancies, who helps them, and what they do if complications arise.
Survey results were shared with hospital personnel, and local and departmental MOH public officials in order to affect the quality of care being provided. Steps are being taken to improve services including: sensitization sessions with all personnel who come in contact with patients seeking PAC; development of written protocols; supervision of and support to providers to guarantee respectful, comprehensive care; and creation of a quality improvement committee, which includes members of community groups who were involved in the survey.
This presentation will discuss the process of developing a community survey, the results of the community survey, and how these results can be used to develop quality PAC services that will be used by women in the community.
Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 1. List five reasons why women are dying from post-abortion complications in Haiti. 2. Describe the major components of PAC services and why they are all of equal importance. 3. Articulate the different steps of conducting a community survey on unsafe abortion and PAC. 4. Discuss five ways of operationalizing the results of a community survey.
Keywords: Post-Abortion Care, Community Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Petit Goave Hospital
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.