Demand for family planning among women VCT clients: The need for Integration, Dessie town, Northeast Ethiopia
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Date
2007-07
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
Background - Integrating family planning services with HIV/AIDS services such as Voluntary
Counseling and testing (VCT) is imperative in preventing unintended pregnancy, reducing number of
AIDS orphans, preventing vertical transmission of HIV and sexually transmitted infections including
HIV/AIDS. Information lacks on the family planning needs of VCT clients. It is essential to determine
the extent of demand and provision of family planning in VCT settings as well as the potential
opportunities & challenges of integrating family planning services with VCT.
Objective - To assess the demand for family planning among VCT clients and the integration of
family planning services with voluntary counseling and testing services.
Methods- A facility based cross-sectional study was carried out in VCT centers in Dessie town,
Northeast Ethiopia between December, 2006 and February, 2007. The study participants were female
VCT clients who are in reproductive age group. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative
study methods. The data were entered, cleaned and analyzed using SPSS statistical soft ware version
11.
Result- Of the 422 female VCT clients participated in the study, 11.8% were counseled for family
planning. VCT centers owned by NGOs were more likely to counsel their clients on family planning
than governmental VCT centers: [AOR (95%CI) = 7.28 (2.07, 25.58)]. Great proportion of VCT clients
(90%) want either to limit or to postpone child bearing. Among 166 sexually active clients 35% were
current users of family planning methods and out of 384 non users of family planning methods 60%
intended to use in the future. The unmet need for family planning among sexually active clients was
55%. The sero-status of the client was not significantly associated with the extent of family planning
counseling and the level of unmet family planning need. Multivariate analysis showed that those who
were in the age groups 15-19 and 20-24 years were more likely to have high unmet need for family
planning as compared to those who were beyond 24 years: [AOR (95%CI) =6.46 [1.65, 25.33], and
5.46 (1.64, 18.20)], respectively. Ninety eight percent of clients and majority of counselors supported
provision of family planning services at VCT centers. Though the existing policies, strategies and
guidelines seem to be supportive to integration of family planning services with VCT services, the
documents do not adequately and explicitly mentioned on what and how to implement.
Recommendations- Provision of family planning services at VCT centers, as well as reviewing of the
existing guidelines and developing of the new one is essential.
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Demand for family planning among women VCT clients