Introducing the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring in Sub-Saharan Africa: What Can We Learn from Oral PrEP?

Purpose of review Clinical trials have found that the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) is safe to use and effective at reducing women’s risk of acquiring HIV infection. As countries prepare for the introduction of this novel long-acting, woman-controlled prevention method, an examination of key learnings from oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery will help programs leverage successful innovations and approaches to support DVR scale-up and expand the method mix for HIV prevention. Recent findings Intensive efforts over the past 5 years have yielded lessons on how to facilitate access to oral PrEP; expand service delivery for PrEP; address the knowledge, attitudes, and skills providers need to support PrEP initiation and effective use; develop messaging that builds community and partner support and combats stigma; and understand the cyclical nature of PrEP use. Summary Evidence from oral PrEP introduction and scale-up can help inform and expedite DVR introduction.

Egypt Family Planning Method Mix Indicates Shifting toward Hormonal Contraceptives

BACKGROUND: The study is of practical importance for policy makers and family planning (FP) program managers as the profile of FP method-mix with a shift from a mechanical method as intrauterine devices (IUD) to hormonal methods such as oral contraceptives (OCs) and injectables predicts a critical situation for maternal and child health and reflects shortcomings in FP service delivery program. AIM: The purpose of the current study was to identify reasons for the progressive shift from IUD to OCs in Egypt. METHODS: The study is an-operations research conducted at four levels of the Ministry of Health and Population/FP (MOHP/FP) service delivery: Central (headquarter, HQ), governorate, district, and service delivery points. It included five of MOHP/United Nations Fund for Population Activities-Contraceptive Security Project governorates that represent, urban governorates, Lower Egypt, and Upper Egypt. Both qualitative data in-depth interviews with MOHP/HQ staff, Two Focus Group Discussions with FP Health Directorates staff and nurses in the five governorates, and quantitative data through a self-administered questionnaire for 607 service providers (SP). RESULTS: There was a consensus on the actual shift from IUD to OCs use. Reasons were the absence of incentives for healthcare providers for IUD insertion services (64%) and improper training of physicians (45%), and the availability of OCs all time. CONCLUSION: The three articulating issues that lead to shifting from IUD to OCs are: Unsatisfactory training and incentive systems for SPs and the clients’ choice of OCs for independent use/autonomy, and availability of OCs all the times at a reasonable cost in both the public and private sectors.

Contraceptive method mix in the context of family planning programmes in developing countries

The paper examines the formation of the contraceptive method mix within the framework of family planning programmes in developing countries, taking into account the influence of socio-demographic, economic, and behavioural factors. The study has shown that the impact of family planning programmes on changes in the method mix is ambiguous and depends on the time of the start of the programme, the region of the country, the level of medical service development, and other factors. The paper also analyzes the correlation between the peculiarities of the method mix in a country and abolishment of particular methods. The author reveals that in developing countries the poorest users of young reproductive age are the most vulnerable and prone to contraception discontinuation. It is these population groups that experience the most dissatisfaction with family planning.

Analisis City Branding dalam Pengembangan Destinasi Pariwisata Kabupaten Jayapura

Jayapura district is a district located in the province of Papua. Unidirectional on the vision and mission of "New Jayapura district" makes the Jayapura district currently holds the role as the major developments in the polar region in particular of Jayapura. But the Jayapura district has not had the appropriate brand status in the field of tourism. In the framework of marketing and competition in the world of tourism, of course not wrong if Jayapura district also boasts a unique identity that expresses the uniqueness of Jayapura district itself. This study aims to determine views or perceptions of market participants travel (tourists) on the formation of a destination image in Jayapura district and identify the elements of the establishment of a brand that is suitable for city branding prepare for the Jayapura district. The method used is the method mix between quantitative and qualitative methods by taking a sample of 30 respondents rating, which then description perception of market participants travel to the image of Jayapura District as a destination and the elements of what is appropriate to draw up branding Jayapura city. The results showed that the image of Jayapura district as a tourism destination is unique, comfortable, Lake Sentani, culture, youth and diversity of nature.

Family Welfare Expenditure, Contraceptive Use, Sources and Method-Mix in India

Making universal access to sexual and reproductive health care a reality, and thus building momentum for comprehensive family planning by 2030, is key for achieving sustainable development goals. However, in the last decade, India has been retreating from progress achieved in access to family planning. Family planning progress for a large country such as India is critical for achieving sustainable developmental goals. Against this backdrop, the paper investigated the question of how far family welfare expenditure affects contraceptive use, sources of contraceptive methods, and method-mix using triangulation of micro and macro data analyses. Our findings suggest that, except for female sterilizations, modern methods of contraception do not show a positive relationship with family welfare expenditure. Notwithstanding a rise in overall family welfare expenditure, spending on core family planning programs stagnates. State-wise and socio-economic heterogeneity in source-mix and method-mix continued to influence contraceptive access in India. Method-mix continued to skew towards female sterilization. Public sector access is helpful only for promoting female sterilization. Thus, the source-mix for modern contraceptives presents a clear public-private divide. Over time, access to all contraceptive methods by public sources declined while the private sector has failed to fill the gap. In conclusion, this study identified a need for revitalizing family planning programs to promote spacing methods in relatively lower-performing states and socio-economic groups to increase overall contraceptive access and use in India through the rise in core family planning expenditure.

A cross-country qualitative study on contraceptive method mix: contraceptive decisionmaking among youth

Background Youth ages 15 to 24, who comprise a large portion of sub-Saharan Africa, face a higher burden of unmet contraceptive need than adults. Despite increased international and national commitments to improving young people’s access to contraception, significant barriers impede their access to a full range of methods. To further explore these barriers among youth in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, we conducted a qualitative study to capture the challenges that affect contraceptive method decisionmaking and complicate youth access to the full method mix. Methods To understand factors that impact young people’s contraceptive decisionmaking process across all three countries, we conducted a total of 35 focus group discussions with 171 youth ages 15 to 24 and 130 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders working in youth family planning. Questionnaires aligned with the High Impact Practices in Family Planning’s elements of adolescent-friendly contraceptive services. Data were coded with MAXQDA and analyzed using a framework for contraceptive decisionmaking to identify relevant patterns and themes. Results In all three countries, youth reported that condoms are the most commonly sought contraceptive method because they are easiest to access and because youth have limited knowledge of other methods. Youth from diverse settings shared uncertainty and concern about the safety and side effects of many methods other than condoms, complicating their ability to take full advantage of other available methods. While most youth in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda reported at least moderate confidence in obtaining the information needed to help choose a method, and only a few youth reported that they are completely unable to access contraceptives, other barriers still present a major deterrent for youth, including cost, inconvenient facility hours and long wait times, and stigma from family, community members, and providers. Conclusions Young people’s ability to fully exercise their method choice remains limited despite availability of services, leading them to take the path of least resistance. Program implementers and policymakers should consider the diverse and often interconnected barriers that youth face in attempting to enjoy the benefits of a full spectrum of contraceptive methods and design multi-level interventions to mitigate such barriers.

A rise in births following contraceptive failure in France between 2010 and 2016: results from the French national perinatal surveys

Background In France, while the prevalence of contraception is high, a significant proportion of pregnancies are unintended. Following the 2012 pill scare, the contraceptive method mix, which was mostly comprised of pills and intrauterine devices (IUD), has become more diversified. In this changing landscape, our objective was to describe trends in live births resulting from contraceptive failure and evaluate how patterns of contraceptive use have contributed to observed changes between 2010 and 2016. Methods We used data from the 2010 and the 2016 French National Perinatal surveys which included all births from all maternity units in France over a one-week period. Interviews collecting information about pre-conception contraceptive practices were conducted in the maternity ward post-delivery. Women were classified as having a contraceptive failure if they discontinued contraception because they were pregnant. Our study sample included adult women who had a live birth, had ever used contraception and did not undergo infertility treatment (n = 11,590 in 2010 and n = 9703 in 2016). We evaluated changes in contraceptive failure over time using multivariate Poisson regressions to adjust for sociodemographic characteristics and pre-pregnancy contraceptive methods. Results Pre-pregnancy contraception evolved between 2010 and 2016 with a 12.3% point-drop in pill use, and conversely, 4.6%- and 3.2%-point increases in IUD and condom use, respectively. Use of other barrier or natural methods doubled between 2010 and 2016 but remained marginal (1.4% in 2010 vs 3.6% in 2016). Between 2010 and 2016, the proportion of live births resulting from contraceptive failure rose from 7.8 to 10.0%, with higher risks among younger, parous and socially disadvantaged mothers. The risk ratio of contraceptive failure in 2016 compared to 2010 remained higher after sociodemographic adjustments (aRR = 1.34; 95% CI; 1.23–1.47) and after adjusting for pre-pregnancy contraceptive method mix (aRR = 1.35; 95% CI; 1.25–1.49). Increases in contraceptive failures were concentrated among pill and condom users. Conclusions Recent shifts in contraceptive behaviors in France following the 2012 pill scare may be associated with a subsequent increase in births resulting from short acting contraceptives failures.

The role of contraception in preventing HIV-positive births: global estimates and projections

Background Meeting the contraceptive needs of women living with HIV (WLHIV) has primary health benefits for women, in addition to being a key element to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. This analysis will estimate the current number of infant HIV infections prevented by contraception in the era of increased HIV treatment coverage and; 2) model the additional HIV benefits of preventing unintended births to WLHIV. Methods Secondary data analysis was conducted using publicly available data from the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Population Division, Demographic Health Surveys, and peer-review literature. National data from 70 countries, that had a UNAIDS estimate for the number of WLHIV nationally, were combined into country-level models. Models estimated the current number of infant HIV infections averted by contraception annually and potentially averted if unintended births to WLHIV were prevented. Estimates take into account pregnancy and live birth rates, contraceptive coverage, contraceptive method mix and failure rates, and HIV treatment coverage during pregnancy to prevent mother to child transmission. Results Contraception use among WLHIV prevents an estimated 43,559 new infant HIV infections annually across 70 countries. Countries with the largest number of infant infections averted by contraception included South Africa (9441), Nigeria (4195), Kenya (3508), Zimbabwe (2586), and India (2145). Preventing unintended births to WLHIV could avert an additional 43,768 new infant infections per year, with the greatest potential gains to be made in South Africa (12,036), Nigeria (2770), Uganda (2552), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2324). Conclusions Contraception continues to play an integral role in global HIV prevention efforts in the era of increasing HIV treatment coverage, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Broad contraceptive availability, increased contraceptive voluntarism and method mix are key components to preventing unintended births and ending new infant HIV infections worldwide.