Impacts of a Successful Quality-of-Care Intervention on Client Outcomes Six Months Later

Federico R. Leon, Population Council
Santiago Roca, Escuela de Administración de Negocios para Graduados (ESAN)
Alex Rios, Escuela de Administración de Negocios para Graduados (ESAN)
Adriana Zumarán, Escuela de Administración de Negocios para Graduados (ESAN)
Susan E. Adamchak, Family Health International
Ana R. Feijoo, Escuela de Administración de Negocios para Graduados (ESAN)

A job aids-assisted Balanced Counseling Strategy was developed to overcome problems observed in family-planning provider-client interactions in Peru Ministry of Health clinics. The Strategy puts client needs diagnosis at the service of method choice, using a set of method-specific cards. The provider sequentially discards irrelevant methods (cards); offers standard information on four attributes per relevant method; and concentrates the remainder of the session on the interactive inspection of a detailed pamphlet on the method chosen. Observational and interview-based indicators showed significant effects of the Strategy on the quality of care and client knowledge of method chosen. This presentation will be concerned with longer-term effects. It will report findings on 6-month all-method all-reasons discontinuation rate, quality-related discontinuation rate, and rate of attainment of reproductive goals, as well as Pearl rates for each of these indicators. In addition, client satisfaction and knowledge concerning the method chosen will be considered.