Accessibility of family planning services: impact of structural and organizational factors.
OBJECTIVE
This study sought to determine whether selected structural and organizational characteristics of publicly available family planning facilities are associated with greater availability.


METHODS
A survey was sent to 726 publicly available family planning facilities in four states. These included local health departments, federally qualified health centers (FQHC), Planned Parenthood sites, hospital outpatient departments, and freestanding women's health centers. Usable responses were obtained from 526 sites for a response rate of 72.5%. Availability variables included the provision of primary care services; the contraceptives offered; professional staffing; scheduling, waiting time, and transportation; and cultural congruence and competency. The structural and organizational variables were state, type of organization, and funding source.


RESULTS
Some states were more likely to offer emergency contraception while others were more likely to have weekend hours. FQHCs were most likely to provide primary care and Planned Parenthood sites most likely to offer emergency contraception. Title X funding was associated with increased likelihood of providing emergency contraception and staffing by midlevel practitioners and registered nurses.


CONCLUSIONS
This study found that availability varied by structural and organizational variables, many of which are determined by federal and state policies. Revising some of these policies might increase utilization of family planning facilities.
Klerman
Lorraine V
LV
Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02454-9110, USA.
Johnson
Kay A
KA
Chang
Chiang-Hua
CH
Wright-Slaughter
Phyllis
P
Goodman
David C
DC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D039602:After-Hours Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000407:Alabama; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005381:Financing, Organized; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006291:Health Policy / Q000639:trends; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009820:Ohio; D009825:Oklahoma; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011635:Public Health Administration; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014837:Voluntary Health Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration; D014861:Washington
D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital