title: Quality of care in family planning services in Morocco.
abstract: This study was conducted to heighten awareness of quality of care as a programmatic issue in the Moroccan governmental family planning program and to test modified Situation Analysis instruments for measuring quality of care. Data were collected from 50 service-delivery points in five provinces to measure six elements of quality in accordance with the Bruce/Jain framework. A procedure for calculating quality-indicator scores is presented. Although facilities varied by province and within provinces, most had the equipment and supplies needed to deliver services; service personnel were trained and regularly supervised; the service-delivery points scored well on mechanisms to ensure continuity of use. Notable shortcomings included a dearth of materials for counseling and a widespread unavailability of the Ovrette pill. This study raises issues regarding the complexity of measuring quality, the ownership of results, and the appropriateness of a centralized study of quality in a decentralized program.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tyane
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lauro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abou-ouakil
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: deMaria
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009018:Morocco; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011787:Quality of Health Care