08_XXX_MM1 Access to reproductive health care global significance and conceptual challenges Dr Lale Say World Health Organization Department of Reproductive Health and Research From Research to Practice: Training Course in Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Geneva 2013
08_XXX_MM2 Outline Global significance international commitments Conceptual / operational challenges Measures (indicators) of access to reproductive health care Global National
08_XXX_MM3 1994 Access to reproductive health International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) 1994, Cairo agreed on UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH "all countries should strive to make accessible through the primary health care system, reproductive health to all individuals of appropriate ages as soon as possible and no later than 2015"
08_XXX_MM4 Reproductive health in ICPD Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so
08_XXX_MM5 Sexual and Reproductive Health as defined at the International Conference on Population and Development, 1994 (ICPD) Family planning Maternal health Newborn health and breastfeeding Infertility Prevention of unsafe abortion RTI/STI including HIV Other reproductive morbidities (cancers) Sexual health Harmful practices (e.g., female genital mutilation)
08_XXX_MM6 Millennium Development Goals I. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger II. Achieve universal primary education III. Promote gender equity and empowerment of women IV. Reduce child mortality V. Improve maternal health VI. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases VII. Ensure environmental sustainability VIII. Develop a global partnership for development
08_XXX_MM7 "It is estimated that up to 100 000 maternal deaths could be avoided each year if women who did not want children used effective contraception." (Marston and Cleland, 2003, quoted in World Health Report 2005)
08_XXX_MM8 2007 MDG 5: to improve maternal health Target(s) 5.A. Reduce maternal mortality, by 75% from between 1990 and 2015 Indicators 5.1 Maternal mortality ratio 5.2 Births attended by skilled health personnel 5.B. Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health 5.3 Contraceptive prevalence 5.4 Antenatal care coverage 5.5 Unmet need for family planning 5.6 Adolescent birth rate
08_XXX_MM9 But, what is access?
08_XXX_MM10 Variety of definitions Lack of a precise definition Multiple meanings Synonymous as accessible, available Entry into the health care system Use of health care Used to characterize factors which influence entry into or use of the system Availability, cost, information, quality General concept which summarizes a set of more specific areas of "fit" between the patient and the health care system
08_XXX_MM11 Defining access Factors that influence the level of health care use (dimensions of access) availability, cost, quality, information availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, acceptability
08_XXX_MM12 Defining universal access Universal access Guarantee of availability, supply and resources Deals with limited set of attributes that allow entry into the system or use Equal use for equal need (irrespective of non-clinical factors such as place of residence, ethnicity, income, etc.) Encompasses all factors that influence the level of use
08_XXX_MM13 Why is it important to define access?
08_XXX_MM14 Aim of health care systems to improve health provision of care (effective interventions) use of (effective) care Increased use/receipt of care (contraceptive use, delivery in health facility, delivery with a skilled health worker, cervical cancer screening, testing for HIV) improved health Reduced morbidity, mortality (maternal mortality, fertility rate, teenage pregnancy rate, cervical cancer incidence)
08_XXX_MM15 Aim of health care systems to improve health Dimensions of access availability accessibility accommodation affordability acceptability provision of care (effective interventions) use of (effective) care Increased use/receipt of care (e.g., contraceptive use, delivery in health facility, delivery with a skilled health worker, cervical cancer screening, testing for HIV)
08_XXX_MM16 Measuring/monitoring access to reproductive health selection of indicators Global Millennium Development Goals (MDG) framework skilled health worker at birth, contraceptive use, HIV/AIDS prevention knowledge, condom use rate National According to local priorities and needs e.g. uptake of HIV testing in HIV prevalent countries, caesarean rates where concerns of under-use or over-use, syphilis in pregnant women (congenital syphilis), etc. Sub-national District level, facility assessments
08_XXX_MM17 Measuring universal access to reproductive health principles Identify priority sexual and reproductive health interventions based on the burden on population Identify variations in indicators according to place of residence, ethnicity, income levels, etc. Focus on the populations less likely to benefit from care and explain the reasons for variations Understand which dimensions of access or factors of demand side are responsible for variable receipt of interventions Need for examining the differences in receipt of care by different populations by adjusting for need and controlling for confounders where there is complete denominator data Take action to correct
08_XXX_MM18 Measuring access global and national monitoring
08_XXX_MM19 Total fertility rates are decreasing worldwide... (Source: United Nations, World Population 2004; 2005)
08_XXX_MM20 % users Use of contraception - The public health success story of the 20 th century - 80 1960-1965 1990 2005 60 40 20 0 Developing countries Developed countries (Source: United Nations, World Contraceptive Use; 1991, 1999 and 2006)
08_XXX_MM21 Per cent of women married or in union Use of modern contraceptive methods, 2005 70 60 50 54 56 53 58 63 40 30 20 20 21 10 0 World More developed regions Less developed regions Africa Asia Latin America Caribbean Oceania (excl. Australia & New Zealand) (Source: United Nations, World Contraceptive Use 2005; 2006)
08_XXX_MM22 Desired "ideal" family size is greater in sub-saharan Africa... Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Chad Congo Eritrea Ethiopia Ghana Guinea Kenya Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mali Mozambique Nigeria Rwanda Senegal Utd Rep Tanzania Zambia Egypt Jordan Morocco Bangladesh Indonesia Philippines Vietnam Bolivia Dominican Honduras 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Mean ideal number of children (Source: Measure DHS, StatCompiler; July 2007)
08_XXX_MM23 Per cent but unmet need for contraception is high too (per cent of sexually active women, married or in union, with unmet need) 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Pre-1992 1995 2000 2005 Latin America & Caribbean Northern Africa Southern Asia South-eastern Asia sub-saharan Africa Western Asia (Source: United Nations Population Division and UNFPA, unpublished data; 2007)
08_XXX_MM24 % of need met Total contraceptive met need* 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Northern Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Asia Latin America & the Caribbean * currently married women all women adolescents Source: UN Population Division
08_XXX_MM25 Availability of services: service provision (South Africa) rural 15 26 termination of pregnancy HIV test urban 48 77 0 20 40 60 80 % Source: South African Health Review, 1998
08_XXX_MM26 Use of services: births at medical setting (%) highest income quintile 46.4 87.3 83.2 94.5 lowest income quintile 10.7 17.6 33.8 Peru Egypt Mozambique 2.5 Pakistan 0 20 40 60 80 100 % Source: Demographic and Health Surveys
08_XXX_MM27 Use of services: caesarean section (%) rural 1.3 2 7.7 12.5 Colombia Turkey Bangladesh Uganda urban 28.7 17.6 8 7.3 0 10 20 30 40 % Source: Demographic and Health Surveys
08_XXX_MM28 Use of health care: cervical cancer screening Health outcomes: cervical cancer (UK) affluent 23 89 99 GP's achieved 80% of targets death rate incidence 76 deprived 42 116 10 30 50 70 90 110 %oo Source: Baker and Middleton, 2003
08_XXX_MM29 Conclusions Should monitor access to gain an understanding as to why some population groups are less likely to receive reproductive health care E.g., lower uptake of HIV testing by rural populations due to availability, accessibility, or acceptability (demand side/cultural issues influence) To do this, an operational definition of access has to be made in terms of its dimensions Interventions to increase access should be informed by such evidence
08_XXX_MM30 Life expectancy: 39 years "The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition." Life expectancy: 82 years WHO Constitution