292764
Local understandings of reproductive health and family planning in Rwanda's southern kayonza district
Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 162 male and female community members, community health workers, and health care providers. Interviews took place in Rwanda's southern Kayonza district, which is supported through a Partners In Health and Ministry of Health partnership. Participants were asked to reflect on family planning, sexuality, and reproductive health.
Results: During interviews, study participants shared information they received about family planning through national broadcasts and community meetings. Interviewees spoke of family planning as an opportunity to contribute to Rwanda's development, reflecting themes from public service announcements and health education campaigns. However, many individuals also shared experiences cycling in and out of the family planning program according to their changing fertility needs. Participants shared their efforts to reconcile desires for large families, influenced by recent memories of conflict and insecurity, with messages from the national family planning program that emphasize the benefits of reduced family size.
Conclusions: These narratives highlight the importance of understanding local, and constantly evolving, belief systems in order to develop public policies that encourage uptake and retention in family planning programs.
Diversity and culture
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe local understandings of reproductive health in Rwanda's southern Kayonza district
Describe components of Rwanda's national family planning program
Keywords: International Reproductive Health, International Family Planning
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a medical anthropologist who has been working for the last 15 years as a community organizer, activist for the rights of women and girls, and researcher in Paris, Haiti and Rwanda. Since 2006 I have served as Director of the Community Health Program for Partners In Health Rwanda-Inshuti Mu Buzima, where I am the principal investigator on several cross-site studies focusing on community health, reproductive health, and traditional healing.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.