Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Quality of care in family planning services in rural Mozambique with a focus on Long 
Acting Reversible Contraceptives: a cross -sectional survey  
 
Version: 1 Date: 25 Oct 2017  
 
Reviewer: Susan B. Moskosky  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Although the title of the manuscript indicates that this is a study on "quality of care in family 
planning services" with a focus on LARCS, the study is heavily if not almost exclusively focuse d 
on LARC education, patient knowledge of LARC, and LARC provision. On Page 2, lines 30 -32, 
the study aims are described as examining the quality of care in FP services in rural 
Mozambique, with a secondary objective of exploring the information channels a ssociated with 
higher knowledge regarding LARCs.  Quality of care in FP services using the Bruce -Jain 
framework, are described as including six essential elements of quality care, yet in the paper only 
two elements are discussed in the results -- 1) method s discussed and given during consultation, 
and 2) information given to clients (Page 12, lines 234 - 252).  
 
 
The main emphasis of the paper is very LARC -centric rather than the full dimensions of quality 
FP care, which gave this reviewer the impression that  knowledge and uptake of LARC was being 
implied as indicating "quality of FP care." If the desire is to focus on LARC, it might be better to 
re-title, and re -work this paper with more of an emphasis on LARC, bringing in the aspect of 
access to LARC (and th e full range of methods) as one indicator of quality of care.  If the desire 
is to describe quality of FP care in Mozambique, meeting all six of the essential elements of 
quality FP care should be addressed.      
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional  statistical review is recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections b efore being published  
 
 
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a dec laration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manusc ript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no comp eting interests' 
below. If you r reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests.  
 
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