PSP-Jordan: Community Outreach Program Increases Uptake of Modern Methods

The home based visits are the foundation of the community outreach program. Trained Community Health Workers (CHWs) visit women in their homes, opening doors to increased family planning (FP) use by promoting awareness and demand for birth spacing and use of modern contraceptives, self-breast exams and pap smears, antenatal care for pregnant women, postnatal care and contraception options following delivery. Women willing to accept a modern FP method or other service offered are referred to a near-by clinic that meets the woman’s particular need and provider preference.

The CHWs collect a wealth of information on the women they visit. Recently, the Abt Associates-led PSP-Jordan project conducted an evaluation of the CHWs data sets. Special points of interest were identified and important findings were recognized as lessons learned on how to improve outreach, including the following:

• More than 12% of Married Women at Reproductive Age (MWRA) in households contacted have become new acceptors of modern methods.
• Approximately 60% of women visited acted upon the clinical referral received from the CHW.
• The largest percentage of women adopts a modern method at visits four and eight.
• Contrary to expectations, few women who visited report that cultural or religious beliefs prevent them from adopting a FP method.