title: Group versus individual family planning counseling in Ghana: a randomized, noninferiority trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Group, rather than individual, family planning counseling has the potential to increase family planning knowledge and use through more efficient use of limited human resources.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, noninferiority study design was utilized to identify whether group family planning counseling is as effective as individual family planning counseling in Ghana. Female gynecology patients were enrolled from two teaching hospitals in Ghana in June and July 2008. Patients were randomized to receive either group or individual family planning counseling. The primary outcome in this study was change in modern contraceptive method knowledge. Changes in family planning use intention before and after the intervention and intended method type were also explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparisons between the two study arms suggest that randomization was successful. The difference in change in modern contraceptive methods known from baseline to follow-up between the two study arms (group-individual), adjusted for study site, was -0.21, (95% confidence interval: -0.53 to 0.12) suggesting no difference between the two arms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Group family planning counseling was as effective as individual family planning counseling in increasing modern contraceptive knowledge among female gynecology patients in Ghana.
authors: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. hschwand@jhsph.edu
authors: Hilary M
authors: HM
authors: Schwandt
authors: Andreea A
authors: AA
authors: Creanga
authors: Kwabena A
authors: KA
authors: Danso
authors: Richard M K
authors: RM
authors: Adanu
authors: Tsiri
authors: T
authors: Agbenyega
authors: Michelle J
authors: MJ
authors: Hindin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003267:Contraception; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006176:Gynecology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Contraception; Family planning counseling; Ghana; Group; Individual; Noninferiority trial