Assessment of Family Planning and Immunization Service Integration in Liberia

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This is a mixed methods process evaluation of a programmatic intervention to integrate family planning and immunization services at health facilities in Lofa and Grand Bassa counties in Liberia. MCSP used a longitudinal, pair-matched design to monitor the effect of integrating immunization and FP services on utilization of FP and routine immunization services. In Lofa and Grand Bassa counties, 36 facilities were pair-matched to intervention and comparison sites based on predetermined criteria. After approximately 9 months of implementation, MCSP conducted a qualitative study employing key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) at intervention and comparison sites, and with district-, county-, and national-level MOH supervisors and managers.

Official Title
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Assessment of Family Planning and Immunization Service Integration in Liberia

Conditions
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Contraception, Contraceptive Usage, Contraception Behavior, Infant, Newborn, Diseases

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Family planning and immunization service integration


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: 18 intervention facilities in Lofa and Grand Bassa counties 18 pair matched comparison facilities in Lofa and Grand Bassa counties Exclusion Criteria: Facilities not included in the intervention or selected for pair matching
Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Intervention Facilities<br>Includes 18 health facilities | Behavioral: Family planning and immunization service integration<br>* The approach involved integration of immunization and family planning services at health facilities. Vaccinators provided brief FP messages one-on-one to mothers and offered a referral for same-day, co-located FP services at the end of each routine immunization visit. For women coming directly for FP, if women had an infant with them, FP providers asked to see the child's health card, checked the return date for the next vaccination and reminded the mother of the date to return. For women without their child or the child health card with them, FP providers reinforced the importance of vaccination, and encouraged the mothers to bring their child for all their vaccines and complete the immunization schedule in a timely manner. A job aid, referral cards, and IEC materials were introduced to support the integration process.<br>|
| Comparison facilities<br>Infludes 18 health facilities | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of modern family planning users |  | November 2016-July 2017 | 
| Number of Penta 1 doses administered |  | November 2016-July 2017 | 
| Number of Penta 3 doses administered |  | November 2016-July 2017 |