The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #48611

Ines Escandon, MPH, EngenderHealth, 440 Ninth Ave., New York, NY 10001, (212)561-8000, Iescandon@EngenderHealth.org and Jose Figueroa, MD, EngenderHealth/Dominican Republic, Calle Federico Geraldino esq. Jacinto Manon, Edificio D'Roca, Apt. 301, Ensanche Paraiso, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

One of the great problems that public sector hospitals in the Dominican Republic currently face is that of unsafe abortion among adolescent girls. Secondary analysis of the 1991/2 and 1996 Demographic and Health Surveys suggest an increase in the rates of induced abortion among adolescent women. At the site level, services statistics and anecdotal evidence from providers at hospitals in Santo Domingo suggest the caseload of adolescent clients receiving PAC services is particularly high. At one hospital, more than one-third of PAC clients between June 1998 and April 1999 were 15-19 years of age and 7% were below the age of 15. The dearth of literature on abortion and postabortion care research among adolescents precludes the ability of health care providers to determine how best to serve the needs of this vulnerable population. To fill this gap and address policymakers' and health care providers' concerns about the large numbers of adolescent PAC clients, a qualitative research project was conducted at two maternity hospitals in Santo Domingo. Both adolescent PAC clients and providers were interviewed. This presentation will examine PAC clients' motivations in seeking postabortion care services. The needs of the clients - physical, social, informational and emotional -- will be considered. This paper will also present information on providers' perceptions of adolescent clients and identify their needs in offering services to adolescent girls. Recommendations for improving the delivery of service to PAC clients will also be presented, as will considerations for conducting research on adolescent PAC clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the reasons why adolescent postabortion clients in the Dominican Republic may seek postabortion care
• Discuss what adolescent postabortion clients' perceptions of postabortion care are and their needs for information and services
• List key issues to consider in conducting research with adolescent postabortion clients

Keywords: Post-Abortion Care, Adolescent Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.