 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Ricardo Vernon, PhD and Irma J. Mendoza, MD. Population Council, Panzacola 62 - 102, Mexico City, 04000, Mexico, (52)(55) 5999-8630, rvernon@popcouncil.org.mx
We present the results of a project that tested if nurse auxiliaries in rural health centers in Honduras could provide IUD, Depo-Provera and vaginal cytology services. 183 nurse auxiliaries and 56 nurses were trained. In total, 62% of the auxiliaries and 89% of the nurses were certified to offer IUD services. All the trainees were authorized to offer injectable contraceptives and Pap tests, until then not available at their health posts. Nurse auxiliaries who were trained and certified in IUD insertion provided services to an average of 7.3 new family planning users per month (2.2 pill users, 0.6 IUD, 3.7 injectables and 0.8 condoms) and they took an average of 5.2 vaginal cytology samples a month. Only 47% of trained nurse auxiliaries and 64% of those who had been certified, reported having inserted at least one IUD in their health posts after the training, in contrast with more than 80% of the auxiliaries who reported at least one new pill, injectable or condom user, and with the 84% who reported to have taken at least one cytology sample. An analysis of results showed that the cost-effectiveness of the strategy can be improved by achieving two things: 1) increase the proportion of trained auxiliaries who are certified; and 2) assure that all the certified auxiliaries insert IUDs when they return to their health posts. More explicit recommendations are offered
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Access and Services, Contraception
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.