Quality of family planning service in Dembia district, north west Ethiopia.
OBJECTIVE
Ethiopia is one of the countries with high population and population growth rate. Providing quality family planning service is the major strategy to control the population growth. Since there were no studies conducted in Northwest Ethiopia regarding quality of family planning services, this study was conducted with the objective of assessing the quality of family planning services in Dembia district, Northwest Ethiopia.


METHODS
A cross sectional community and health institution based study was conducted in April 2004. One hundred sixty five women were included in the household survey. For the assessment of availability of different family planning methods, technical competence of service providers, and appropriate constellation of services, the District Health (Office, one health center, three health stations, and 8 Community Based Reproductive Health Agents were selected.


RESULTS
The maximum number of available methods in the sites was 3. All the 165 clients were informed how and when the method should be used but the information provided regarding the side effects of the methods was insufficient. In all the service delivery points there were 9 (40.9%) service providers who got additional training on family planning. Except one health officer, there was no one who can insert IUCD. All the five health professionals in the health center and 2 (28.6%) health professionals in the three health stations can inject depo provera. One hundred and six (64.2%), and 50 (30.3%) of the clients rated the providers relation with the clients as very good and good, respectively. All the clients had follow up appointments. One hundred forty two (86.1%) of the current users have used the method for one year and over. The working days for all government health institutions in the district are from Monday to Friday, 8 hours a day.


CONCLUSIONS
Adequate choice of contraceptives were not available and the information provided to the clients was insufficient. Based on the findings it is recommended to increase the number of methods; provide sufficient information to clients; increase community based reproductive health service sites; and give additional training for the providers so that they can give quality family planning service in their area.
Kebede
Yigzaw
Y
Department of Community Health, Gondar University, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011787:Quality of Health Care
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female