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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Deborah R. McFarlane, DrPH, MPA, Political Science, University of New Mexico, MSC05 3070, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, 505-277-7130, dmcf@unm.edu

This paper describes a five-year project that has collected 40 oral histories from population and reproductive health leaders in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. The time period covered is roughly 1965 to 2004. This series includes interviews with each person who has headed USAID's population and reproductive health, several individuals from CDC's reproductive health division, as well as representatives from IPPF, UNFPA, the World Bank and many prominent non-governmental organizations. Several communication experts narrated their oral histories as did persons involved in public policy.

The overall intent of this project has been to document best practices in public health, program management, and policy advocacy for the purpose of improving the effectiveness of future reproductive health programs. Family planning and reproductive health programs represent enormous achievements in public health. To better understand the dynamics of successful programs, the accounts of those who developed and managed these programs offer valuable experience and lessons.

Each of these oral histories was audio-taped and then transcribed and edited. The average length of these oral histories is 4 hours, although there is wide variation ranging from 1 to 11 hours of tape. Both the transcripts and audiotapes are housed at the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, where Margaret Sanger's papers are located. Most of the oral history transcripts will be available on-line by the end of 2006.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, a participant will be able to
• Discuss the purpose of and process for collecting oral histories,
• Understand the sampling frame for this oral history series,
• Peruse an individual oral history for relevant information, and
• Access oral history transcripts from the Population and Reproductive Health Project.

Keywords: Reproductive Health Research, Population

Related Web page: www.smith.edu/libraries/libs/ssc/ohlist.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation